All smiles from the All Blacks

The mood in the All Blacks camp was unexpectedly upbeat on Tuesday as assistant coach Wayne Smith and a group of players hammed it up at a press conference.

The jovial tone seemed to indicate that a corner had been turned after the devastating news just two days ago that fly half Dan Carter was out of Rugby World Cup 2011.

Smith opened the session with a quip at the expense of wings Richard Kahui and Cory Jane, who were sitting beside him.

"I'm looking forward to this. I've got a clown either side of me. This should be quite entertaining."

To which Kahui responded: "He can say that cause he hasn't picked the team yet."

The turnaround in ambience came less than 24 hours after Carter's call for the team to move on after the shocking setback of his groin injury.

"It's pretty gut-wrenching and disappointing, but I have to get over that and continue to think positively and help the guys out whatever way I can," he said.

Big cat talk

The relaxed air and frivolity on display for the media corps suggested Carter's positive attitude was already rubbing off on the team.

Smith impersonated veteran Brad Thorn and ran mock microphone sound checks as Kahui asked reporters: "Would you be angry if I turned them off?"

Back rower Adam Thomson was questioned about his rapidly sprouting new moustache.
"It's something I've been working on for a while now. It's time to let it go and let it be free," he said.

Thomson even gave the Argentinian media contingent, there to interrogate their country's quarter-final opponents, a lesson on pumas.

"It's a solitary animal that likes to hunt by itself, ambush attack and has big claws. It goes for the neck, will choke its victim usually," he said.

The friendly yet slightly competitive banter over team selection between Kahui and Jane had hardened newshounds in hysterics.

Size matters

"I don't think size matters too much. Hopefully it's a 103 kilogram centre-cum-winger (who will be selected). But maybe not. Maybe it's the 74 kilogram ..." Kahui teased, looking across the table at his smaller colleague.

"I don't know if you noticed this, but from under-6s to under-12s I played first five. So I've got a bit of experience there if need be in the squad," Jane replied.

"You can tease me about my size and that, all I know is, I can go in the first give if you want.

"While I'm only 91kgs, I did my PB (personal best) on the bench press today, I did 145kgs."

"How many reps? How many reps?" quizzed Kahui.

"Well I didn't see you do it, but that's all right," retorted Jane, winking in Kahui's direction.

The players briefly touched on the serious topic of Sunday's quarter-final against Argentina, but the comedy hour concluded with Kahui asking the world's media to "please hold the applause".