New Zealand swap rugby posts for golf clubs as All Blacks chill out ahead of Rugby World Cup clash with Georgia on Friday 

By Jonny Singer for MailOnline

Published: 09:02 EST, 1 October 2015 | Updated: 09:32 EST, 1 October 2015

When you are attempting to become the first team to ever defend the Rugby World Cup, you might expect to spend most of your time concentrating on rugby.

But not so for the All Blacks. They may be the best rugby team in the world, but apparently the New Zealand squad are also pretty handy golfers too.

Ahead of a game against Georgia on Friday, captain Richie McCaw led a group of his players to a mini-golf course in Cardiff.

Richie McCaw works on his putting as New Zealand prepare for their game against Georgia with some mini-golf

Richie McCaw works on his putting as New Zealand prepare for their game against Georgia with some mini-golf

All Blacks prop Charlie Faumuina is a picture of concentration as the players relax ahead of the Pool C game

All Blacks prop Charlie Faumuina is a picture of concentration as the players relax ahead of the Pool C game

McCaw and Sam Cane, who replaced him as captain during the Namibia game, watch on as Faumuina putts

McCaw and Sam Cane, who replaced him as captain during the Namibia game, watch on as Faumuina putts

And with New Zealand, who top the group after two victories, facing a weakened Georgia side on Friday, McCaw knows his side will need to improve and emphasise the golf in class. 

'Performance-wise, we need to take a step up,' McCaw said.

'We have all had a run in the first two games, so there are no excuses for not being ready to go.

'There has been a bit of an edge this week in terms of putting right the things that were a little bit off in those opening two games. If we get them right, we will hopefully get a good performance.

'When you haven't played for a while there is always a bit of rustiness.

'You don't like to use it as an excuse but I think that was what let us down last week against Namibia. The guys were trying hard but were making some crucial mistakes. You can't afford to let that happen.'

McCaw and Cane seemed to be enjoying their golfing experience, but insisted the All Blacks must improve

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has made 10 changes for Friday's clash, which sees New Zealand playing against Georgia for the first time.

'I don't think you need to be playing against a new side like Georgia to keep you fresh,' McCaw added.

'The fact that we are going into the third game of the World Cup means there is a bit of an edge there, regardless of who the opposition is.

'We understand who we are up against, but the main focus is about us getting our game spot-on. The excitement we have got from that is enough.

'Still, playing against a side like Namibia or Georgia is something different, and add to that the Millennium Stadium and it's pretty exciting. We are certainly looking forward to it.'

The World Champions are looking to be the first team to defend their title, but seem fairly relaxed

The World Champions are looking to be the first team to defend their title, but seem fairly relaxed

McCaw admitted his side had not been good enough against Namibia, and would have to raise their game

McCaw admitted his side had not been good enough against Namibia, and would have to raise their game

Georgia opened their World Cup campaign with victory over Tonga, and with Namibia remaining on their fixture schedule after New Zealand, a third-placed finish in the pool remains a realistic possibility, which would be accompanied by automatic World Cup 2019 qualification.

'We've made several changes to the starting line-up, purely because for the first and second game we used the same players, so these guys are fresh,' Georgia head coach Milton Haig said.

'They haven't played any time, or very little time, at the World Cup and we are looking for a bit of energy against the All Blacks.

'We think with the depth that we've got in the squad it's a good chance for these players.

'We had a plan a year ago in terms of selecting this squad and what our ultimate goal is at this tournament, and Namibia is very important to achieve that goal of qualifying for the 2019 World Cup, so it's a necessary evil that our focus is on the Namibia game.'

 

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