Former All Black captain Sam Cane and veteran halfback TJ Perenara opened up post-match about the intense scrutiny the team was under leading into Saturday night's emphatic 42-10 win over Argentina at Eden Park.
It came after the Pumas took a shock 38-30 win at Sky Stadium last weekend against a flat All Black side, leading to the usually heavy critique from both media and fans alike. Both Cane and Perenara's selections for the second test were heavily scrutinised in particular.
"Yeah, unfortunately it's something we're not unfamiliar with now isn't it," said Cane, who led the side through an often tumultuous last four seasons.
"I mean I can honestly say like there wasn't any talk like over the breakfast, lunch or dinner table about outside noise. I'm not sure how many guys read stuff - I mean everyone's on social media so you do see a lot, guys click on the comment section and stuff."
New Zealand’s Sam Cane and head coach Scott Robertson. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
Cane stressed that dealing with "outside noise" was part of being an All Black.
"I don't know how it affects younger guys. But I mean it certainly didn't seem like there was any ill effects of that, so that's the nature of being in this arena. That sort of a mental fortitude that has to come with it."
Meanwhile, Perenara had played a memorable role in the victory with a stunning offload to set up Will Jordan's first try. The halfback, who will leave the All Blacks at the end of this season to take up a contract in Japan, said that he "hadn't listened" to outside criticism.
"I imagine there will be people out there who like the way I play, and who don't like the way I play regardless. People will say fine you play good and people will say … you play poorly this week and that just is what it is."
Perenara said he accepted the media's role in analysing performances and understood fans' rights to comment.
"My job is to go out there and to play well every game and I have a point to prove to myself week in week out. But the outside noise that I spoke about earlier, I get that it's about storytelling, entertainment and trying to build hype to a game. There's ups and downs with that and I get all that. But my job isn't to prove that right or wrong, my job is to go out there and do my job to the best of my ability and allow you men and women (the media) to do your job."
The All Blacks now take a week off before reassembling and travelling to South Africa for two tests against the world champion Springboks. They face the Boks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on 1 September (NZT), a venue where Cane led a massively under fire All Blacks side to a memorable upset victory in 2022.