THE WOUNDED All Blacks will bring an “edge” to the deciding third Test in Auckland after their rare loss to the British and Irish Lions, lock Brodie Retallick said Monday.
The Lions downed the 14-man All Blacks 24-21 in Wellington after Sonny Bill Williams was red carded, setting up a winner-takes-all showdown at Eden Park on Saturday.
Retallick, a World Cup winner in 2015, said the chance to win a Lions series was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“Right now, we’re probably feeling a little bit more pressure within the group. It’s do or die at 1-1,” he told reporters.
He said the All Blacks were eager to take to the field and make amends for the loss.
“It’d be good just to go to Saturday right now and not have to worry about the rest of the week, but we’ll build well,” Retallick said.
“I’ve got no doubt there’s going to be a bit of edge among the group.
“I thought they were a lot more physical and confrontational than they were before, we need to sort that out and make sure we’re back at it.”
If Warren Gatland manages to mastermind a victory, it will be the first series defeat to the Lions for the All Blacks since 1971.
“Throughout the series, we’ve touched on the history and the different tours that have come to New Zealand,” said Retallick. ”If you look at like a World Cup final, some people may only go to one World Cup, and I guess this is like a once in a lifetime opportunity to play the Lions, and then try to win a Lions series.
“In that aspect, it’s massive. The history is not going to help us now, it is just what we are going to do to create our own history. That’s the focus, right now.”
He added: “”A lot has been said since the game happened. What happened on the weekend is done. We can’t change that result now.
“We’ve just got to get it right this week and nail this week. We are in control of the history now. If we can go out there and do the business, then hopefully we come out on the right side.”
