Former All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald is confidently predicting a Grand Slam for Scott Robertson’s side on their northern hemisphere tour.
New Zealand start with a match against Ireland in Chicago before they head to Britain to take on Scotland, England and Wales over consecutive weekends.
Their first three games could be particularly tough for Robertson’s men but, when asked on The Aftermatch with Kirst and Beav about his prediction for the opener, Donald responded: “We’re banking it.”
The ex-playmaker then stated the same for the Murrayfield clash before making a cheeky dig at the Scots, who have higher hopes for their encounter on November 8.
They have never beaten the All Blacks before, but some believe that this is the match that will end that barren streak.
‘Only nervous about the comments’
Donald, however, very much expects New Zealand to get the job done.
“I’m only nervous about some of the comments coming out of Scotland; are they trying to manifest a victory, saying they’re going to do it this time?” he said.
“As someone who’s been to Edinburgh and played before with the All Blacks, you do hear that every time because they’ve never beaten the All Blacks.”
Despite Donald’s confidence over the result, the 2011 Rugby World Cup winner does not believe that Robertson will be rotating his squad and taking this game lightly.
“I will say this, though, in the past it has been a game that our ‘B’ boys have been rolled out for, but it won’t be this time. That will be fully loaded,” he said.
“Was it two years ago (editor’s note: it was 2022) that TJ [Perenara] came on and saved the blushes? That was going to be the first. Are we a better team now than we were then? Don’t know.”
Providing the All Blacks do make it past Ireland and Scotland, they then put their Grand Slam hopes on the line against England at Twickenham.
Donald reckons that Steve Borthwick’s outfit will be the biggest threat to their ambitions of having a clean sweep on the northern tour.
The ‘toughest’ match for the All Blacks
“We’re banking it but I’ve circled this one as the toughest. I think from what I saw with the Lions, whoever they put at 10 [will be great],” he said.
“From what you read, I wonder if it’s Fin Smith but I like Marcus. If he’s not starting at 10, I think he will be at 15, but I really like him as a 10 – he’s impressive.
“And then they’ve got some dynamic footballers around, obviously the young superstar that toured with the Lions (Henry Pollock).”
With those three out of the way, there is then an expectation from Donald that Robertson will rotate for the finale against a Wales side who have been in abysmal form since the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
“The Welsh game is potentially the game where some of the boys might get a run, your Ruben Love’s etc,” the former playmaker added.
“There’s form and horses for courses a bit, but you’re not going to make seven or eight changes a game.
“In the past, be it the luxury of the performance or the strength of the All Blacks or the luxury of previous records, they will have gone, ‘we might make six changes here’, but that won’t happen on this one until the Welsh game.”
READ MORE: All Blacks: Key trio forced to sit out NPC final due to international duty