Jimmy Cowan warns Scotland that New Zealand will improve
New Zealand scrum-half Jimmy Cowan has stated that the All Blacks will improve after their 16-26 win over England on Saturday 6 November.
The All Blacks will face Scotland in their second Test of the Autumn Internationals this Saturday 13 November at Murrayfield.
"There were still some disappointing aspects. We did not play to the best of our ability. If you look at back at the Hong Kong Test too, we probably haven't nailed our game plan," said Cowan in an interview with BBC Scotland.
New Zealand lost 26-24 against Australia in the Bledisloe Cup in Hong Kong on Saturday 30 October.
A second defeat would have put the All Blacks and coach Graham Henry under serious pressure, and Cowan admitted that it would have been difficult to bounce back from a defeat to England.
"It would have been a long tour if we had got off on the wrong note," said the scrum-half.
The New Zealand international believes that all the teams on the tour will prove to be difficult propositions for his team.
Cowan stated that their Test against Ireland after the Scotland match would be tough.
"There was a kick in it between South Africa and Ireland. So you can't treat them lightly and you saw that with their game on Saturday. It could have gone either way. They were disallowed a try that could have changed the whole concept of the game,” said
Cowan.
The scrum-half believes that his side will have to improve on their performance if they are to beat Scotland, and Cowan insisted that there was no hint of complacency from the All Black camp as they go into the match as massive favourites.
“It is very tough to play over here and we've experienced it a number of times. So that will be a tough opponent on Saturday and our boys are well aware of that,” Cowan said.
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