“There are a few of us who played last year and it really motivates me to do well this year. With the others it is all new to them and they are going with the flow, but doing really well. All the boys are looking forward to it and hoping to do our best.”
Neither Smith nor Crowley thought will be underestimating the threat posed to their dreams by South Africa, a side reborn after the disappointment of finishing eighth on the defence of the title in 2006.
No predictions
“They were quite a small team for them last year and I think they got knocked around a little, but this year they are a huge team so they’ve been able to knock other teams around. They are very physical,” Crowley said.
“They have a nine who directs play well and a very exciting 15.”
Smith added: “They’re a big pack, they’re going to play a physical type of game. We expect a really tough contest. It wouldn’t be a New Zealand v South Africa match without it being a really tough contest.
“It could be won anywhere. In today’s game you can’t really predict it. If you get forward dominance you are going to win, that’s the nature of the game. We hope to play how we have been, but we have game plans and can play any which way and get the result we want.”
Excess baggage
His South African counterpart Gerrit van Velze though has his own sights on the trophy, saying: “It is going to be tough. They are going to be giving it everything. We have every intention of winning the cup and taking it back home, so it is going to be a great game.
“I would like us to make less unforced errors and missed tackles, get 100 percent on our first phases. We would like to play the perfect game … as a little boy you dream of this honour of lifting the trophy and representing your country outside of South Africa.
“They looked a really well organised team and they are going to be tough up front. It is going to be played both up front and in the backs. It is going to be a tough game in the front and the backs. Both teams play a good structure and it is going to be physical.”
South Africa coach Eric Sauls is also expecting a physical game, although he is more concerned that the number of errors his side made in their semi final are not repeated against New Zealand in the final.