Damian McKenzie: All Blacks First Five previews the clash against Scotland

The All Blacks take on sometime rivals Scotland in the second leg of their potential Grand Slam tour.  

After a strong finish to put away Ireland in Chicago, the All Blacks now look to retain their unbeaten record against Scotland. 

Scotland is set to be highly motivated, as they’re celebrating 100 years of tests at Murrayfield and are eager to mark the occasion with a historic success.  

Damian McKenzie told Mike Hosking they know the strength of northern hemisphere rugby, and the last thing they need is to get complacent. 

He says playing in a Grand Slam is a rare occasion and an exciting opportunity, and each week they know they have to get better.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So the All Blacks were in Scotland for chapter two
of the Northern two of Murrayfield is almost sold out.
The weather may well be vastly different from Chicago anyway,
Damien McKenzie's weather's good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Good morning, Mike, how are you very well?

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Indeed? How long does it take you to shake off
jet leg?

Speaker 2 (00:15):
It wasn't actually too a bit of a transition from
Chicago to Edinburgh. We left straight up to the game
and managed to get some sleep on the plane in
a row sort of early sun about ten am Sunday morning, Edinburgh.
So getting over it now, which is good.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
Good. How's the week been training wise?

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, the week's week's been really good. We've had, you know,
a nice week in Edinburgh. It hasn't been too cold
or used to the last time I was over here,
so you know, training really well. We finished our last
training session this afternoon. Captains run tomorrow and yeah, full
of energy, ready to go for the weekend.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
What I'm told that our son lives in Edinburgh. When
I'm told from the week is it's been wet.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, it has been a little bit of rain yet
the sun's trying to peak you out, but it hasn't
managed two of yet, so it used to sort of
short days and I think that's it's actually quite mild
compared to previous times. I've been edinburn but yeah, we
haven't quite seen the sun, so we're not getting sunburned
at the moment.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Are you? Are you into the atmosphere? And I mean
Soldier Field is a fantastic stadium. Was that a thing
for you versus something like Murrayfield which has also got
you know, it's something big in Scotland certainly big and rugby.
Is that a thing for you or not?

Speaker 2 (01:32):
I think it's cooled to let experience the different atmospheres
across the world. Obviously the you know in the States
day of the tailgating before the game and then you know,
crowd really gets into it, and Murrayfield's is very similar.
Obviously not so much the tailgating, but I think it's
just cool to experience those atmospheres and play in front

(01:53):
of definitely motivates you when you're playing, it's for sure.
So I've been lucky enough to play once here in
Murrayfield in twenty eighteen, and you know, that was a
surreal experience from you know, you get the bus to
the ground and then a few couple of horses lead
into the ground, so it's it's pretty cool in a
different atmosphere of tobacco.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
Have you got any sense of the vibe? I mean,
do you get out and about enough to get a
sense of the vibe? I mean they tell me Scotland's
on the improve are they? And do you feel that?

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah? We've seen a few supporters around the city, so
that's been great and you know, I think they're definitely improving.
I've got a great side contingent and played in the
British and Irish Lions Series in Australia earlier this year,
so you know they're very great side and obviously being
a part of the hundred years of Test rugby at Murrayfield,

(02:46):
it's going to be an exciting occasion. I'm sure they'll
be highly motivated for it this weekend. So you were
expected to be extremely tough Bettle.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Yeah, on the motivation front. How much time have you
spent talking about that this week because you could argue
that Ireland were great hurdle you did that and you
don't want to get into any sort of complacency, do you, Yeah?

Speaker 2 (03:06):
For sure? You know last thing you need when you're
you're traveling north. It is getting complacent. Obviously we know
the strength of the Northern hemisphere rugby and you know,
an exciting opportunity for us to obviously play on a
Grand Slam, which is as a rare occasion, and each
each week we know we've got to get better and
like I said, to be a part of the one

(03:26):
hundred years the game at Maryfield, it's a privileged to
be a part of that atmosphere and that occasion. So yeah,
we know, yeah, we can't be complacent whatsoever. Otherwise, well
we'll soon know about it. With the came in the weekend.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
Leap ahead a little bit because I have you four
or four you'll win the Northern two or four or
four if that happens. How would you sum up your year?

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Yeah, I think like that's that's the obvious skull was
four or four when a Grand Slam, that's what we're
aiming for. Yeah, I think if we're able to do that,
it'd been a successful year. Obviously, a couple of games
throughout the middle of the year with the Championship which
we're a little bit of a disappointing and results didn't
quite go away, but I think all no, it would

(04:15):
be to finish the year off four from four would
be obviously a dream result. We know it's not just
going to happen, but yeah, I think it would be
a great finish to our season.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
I reckon go well, mate, We'll be watching Appreciate Damian
McKenzie out of Scotland this morning. So Ione was telling
us you couldn't get a ticket earlier on this week,
and I went on the website this morning. The ticket's
still available there. I mean this hard Leani is very
few of them, you know, maybe fifty of them, but anyway,
he'll be there for more.

Speaker 2 (04:42):
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