Cheika defends coach Nathan Grey

Sydney: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said there were no excuses for an atrocious defensive performance at ANZ Stadium but he threw resolute support behind defence coach Nathan Grey and his systems.

After shipping 54 points against the All Blacks in the opening Bledisloe Cup game, Cheika said it was “pretty plain to see our defence wasn’t good enough”.

“At all. In the adherence to the way we to defend plus the tackling in itself. It’s got to be better,” Cheika said. “That first part of the game is not at the level it can be at, at all. Not in any game, let alone a game against them.”

Cheika said the Wallabies allowed doubt to creep into their defensive work, after the All Blacks scored easily early on the game and, as captain Michael Hooper later put it, things “unravelled”.

The Australians conceded a record score at halftime, and the highest ever score against them in a Bledisloe Cup game. Only a secondhalf rally saw them stave off the seemingly imminent records of most points conceded (61) and worst losing margin (45).

After seeing the Wallabies missed a staggering 48 tackles, fans jumped into Grey on social media, particularly after his Super Rugby team the Waratahs had just posted their worst ever season defensively this year. But when asked if he backed Grey and his systems, Cheika said: “One hundred per cent mate, one hundred per cent.” Questioned as to whether he would respond by highlighting the second-half score or the blowing up about the first, Cheika responded: “I am going to respond to it not being up to the standard defensively, that we need to be at.”

“With the team we have got, the points should be coming. We have an attacking type of team, so we should be scoring points,” Cheika said.