THE HANSEN YEARS 2012-2019
1:Start of an Era June 2012
The first test of the Steve Hansen era was against Ireland at Eden Park in June 2012. The All Blacks introduced three new caps – Brodie Retallick, Aaron Smith and Julian Savea in their starting team with Luke Romano on the bench and Sam Cane and Beauden Barrett in the squad.
There was a sense of this being a new beginning which strengthened when Savea scored a hat-trick and Smith and Retallick were outstanding.
2:Hamilton Hammering June, 2012
After scraping past Ireland in the second test of the 2012 June series, the All Blacks cut loose in the third.
Aaron Cruden and Sonny Bill Williams were in vintage form and another local hero, Liam Messam, drafted in after missing the initial squad selection played the game of his career to help the All Blacks secure an unforgettable 60-0 victory.
3: Game Changer September, 2012
A classic encounter with South Africa was in the balance until Aaron Smith came off the bench and turned the game with his pace and accuracy.
He had been demoted after missing a curfew the week before and his punishment showed that Hansen was going to hold a firm line on off-field standards.
4: Title Time October, 2012
When Sam Whitelock forced his way over through the tackle of Adriaan Strauss to score in the corner against the Boks in Soweto, he ensured the All Blacks made a clean sweep of the Rugby Championship.
It was also the All Blacks’ 16th consecutive victory which put them on the cusp of a world record.
5:Captain Kieran November, 2012
The succession planning for the captaincy began in Rome, 2012 when Kieran Read was asked to captain the All Blacks against Italy.
It would be the first of nine tests in which he would lead the side before taking over the job permanently in 2016.
6:A Bad Day at Twickenham December, 2012
The All Blacks had drawn once since they won the World Cup in 2011, but didn’t suffer the bitter taste of defeat under Hansen until December 2012.
That day they met a rampant England team who had the All Blacks’ number with Hansen admitting after the game that his side had become a little predictable on attack.
7:Home Boy Does It June, 2013
The All Blacks wrapped up their June series with France in New Plymouth and the crowd could hardly have asked for a better ending.
Local lad Beauden Barrett came off the bench and was able to score what ended up being the try of the year.
8:Return of the Prodigal Son
Having taken six months off in the first half of 2013, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw returned to the international fold for the first Bledisloe Cup game of the year in Sydney.
In typical McCaw fashion, he played brilliantly and even scored a try. He was refreshed and energised and the decision to take a sabbatical looked inspired.
9: Yellow Fever September, 2013
Springboks hooker Bismarck du Plessis was wrongly yellow carded after he made this tackle on Dan Carter in the Rugby Championship at Eden Park.
Carter couldn’t play on so Barrett was introduced and he had a coming of age performance. But more importantly, du Plessis would pick up another yellow in the second half for elbowing Liam Messam and earned himself a red
