9 Sep 2015

All Blacks struggle to contain World Cup excitement

11:44 am on 9 September 2015

The All Blacks loose forward Sam Cane admits keeping focused at training is proving difficult in the lead-up to the World Cup.

The All Blacks flanker Sam Cane.

The All Blacks flanker Sam Cane. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 31-man squad is in Auckland for their last few days of preparation before they fly out to England on Thursday.

Their first match of the World Cup is against Argentina next weekend.

Sam Cane said the squad is finding it hard to contain their excitement.

"We can't wait to get over there and we can't wait to take on the challenge that is at hand, we've just been making sure that we tick off the final bits of preparation we can do here in New Zealand before we get on that plane," Cane said.

However, All Blacks assitant coach Ian Foster said the squad still has a hard slog ahead of them over the next few days before their trip to England.

"We can't go into a massive test against Argentina in 12 days unprepared and not ready for the physicalness that's going to come so that's all part of ramping the training up, it's not going to happen every training session but there's certain times where we need to make sure we're not holding back," Foster said.

Colin Slade and Waisake Naholo were the only two players not to partake in training.

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