AFTER FAILING TO tame the Lions over three Tests on home soil, the All Blacks are back chasing the Rugby Championship tomorrow (Sky Sports Action, 11am), beginning with a Bledisloe Cup contest that has offered pretty easy pickings.
It’s a secondary trophy, of course, contested between only two sides, but while Australia have succeeded in winning the Tri-Nations as recently as 2011, the Bledisloe has been in black ribbons after all 14 series since 2002.
And since New Zealand became world champions in 2011, the Wallabies have been forced to count a single Bledisloe Test victory and two draws as highlights amid 11 Kiwi wins.
Even on home soil in Sydney and after the ABs showed their vulnerable side against the Lions, those speckles of gold don’t look like increasing any time soon.
Steve Hansen hasn’t been too busy filming deadpan takes in biscuit ads to welcome Sonny Bill Williams back from suspension a week early after a lengthy disciplinary process which even World Rugby seemed baffled by on its conclusion.
Today, the Kiwis finally ended the long-running espionage saga that was kick-started this time last year as security consultant Adrian Gard was cleared of planting a bug to to record Hansen’s team meetings. Happily returning to the same hotel again, Hansen has been working on some not-so-secret ways to improve performance. First and foremost the line-out which was throttled by Warren Gatland’s tourists last month.
“I think we had our worst series in terms of line-outs that we’ve had in a number of years,” Brodie Retallick told press this week. So even with the Wallabies tight five being improved by Adam Coleman, expect their neighbours from ‘across the ditch’ to chisel away with their pack first and foremost.
Michael Cheika has Kurtley Beale back in harness after he tried on the Premiership for size, but the Wallabies should also find fuel for their fire in the fact that they have serious point to prove after their dispirited home defeat to Scotland in June.
Though David Pocock is on sabbatical, Cheika still has potent breakdown threat in the shape of Michael Hooper. Beating Kiwis hasn’t come easy to Hooper’s Waratahs or any Australian this year as their Super Rugby sides ended with a whopping 0 – 26 losing record against New Zealand teams.
Understandable then, that despite the misfires and malfunctions from New Zealand in their drawn series with the Lions, Hooper remains wary of their ability to flick up a gear and burn off opponents in with “continued pressure” in the final quarter of matches. The Wallabies hope their bench can help them to last the pace.
“Our bench hasn’t seen the enthusiasm in the last couple of games that we probably would’ve liked to have seen,” said Hooper.
“So we picked a really strong bench, guys like Lopeti Timani, Sekope Kepu in the front row and Tevita Kuridrani to come on. Some guys to really up the tempo, up the enthusiasm, and some really nice skill-set and experience on the bench to close out a game.”
Hansen, of course, was more than happy to take up the baton of talking up these Wallabies and the gruff serial winner pin-pointed three aspects which make them “a dangerous beast”: talent, preparation and hunger. Although the preparation time was only afforded them through a lack of Super Rugby success, few would argue any team is more talented than these All Blacks and Hansen wants his side to show they want it more.
“They’ve got a lot of talent and they’ve had a great preparation. While franchise fans weren’t probably over-excited about the fact that they got knocked out early and would rather have seen them play right through to the final and have less preparation time, those two things make them a dangerous beast.
“The third thing that makes the really dangerous is their desire to try to help Australian rugby and at the moment it has a bit of a cloud over it and they haven’t won the Bledisloe in a long time. They’re pretty hungry for it so, as a team, we have to be hungrier than them.”
Hunger hasn’t been a problem for Hansen of late.
Australia: Israel Folau; Henry Speight, Samu Kerevi, Kurtley Beale, Curtis Rona; Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Scott Sio, Stephen Moore, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (capt), Sean McMahon
Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Sekope Kepu, Rob Simmons, Lopeti Timani, Nick Phipps, Reece Hodge, Tevita Kuridrani.
New Zealand: Damian McKenzie; Ben Smith, Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks; Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock; Liam Squire, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt).
Replacements: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Luke Romano, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Lima Sopoaga, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (ENG)
Subscribe to The42 podcasts here:
