Can Wallabies beat the ABs?

Is there any hope for Michael Cheika’s Wallabies based on what we’re seeing from their teams in Super Rugby?

Marc Hinton: Very little, sad to say. There was a lot of false hope floating round when their teams were beating each other and the Sunwolves early on, but a cold, hard slap of reality has returned against Kiwi and South African opposition.

Yes, David Pocock (pictured top right) is back. That’s a positive. But they need a lot more than that to make the Bledisloe a true contest again.

Paul Cully: Yes. The Wallabies beat the All Blacks in Brisbane and should have won in Dunedin. My sense is that Cheika is actually relatively happy with what he has seen. His top 23 – and that’s all that matters – are fitter this year and injury-free.

Richard Knowler: Let’s give the Wallabies a 30 per cent chance of claiming the Bledisloe Cup back. If they lose the first test against the ABs in Sydney on August 18, reduce the odds to zero.

Because they won’t win in Auckland, making the final game in Yokohama a dead rubber. It also pays to remember that last season the Aussies should have won in Dunedin, and were later too good for the New Zealanders in Brisbane.

Hamish Bidwell: Having all the talent assembled in one place won’t hurt. And they did tip the All Blacks over last time they met.

But skill execution continues to let their franchises down. You’d think Mick Byrne’s presence might help foster better training methods, but basic catch-and-pass type stuff is lacking.

The Wallabies will scrum well and compete on the deck, but the All Blacks should slaughter them in the backs.

Michael Redman says changing coaches hasn’t worked for them, so they’re likely going to re-appoint Tana Umaga (pictured) at the Blues. Good call?

Hinton: Reluctantly, I’ll say yes. Much like the 2007 NZ Rugby decision to reappoint Graham Henry and co on the back of the All Blacks’ worst ever World Cup performance, you can see the logic in allowing a coach to learn from his failure.

At some stage the Blues board has to realise that what is wrong under their noses goes much, much deeper than the coach.

Cully: In the circumstances, yes. The Highlanders’ decision to stick with Jamie Joseph after their stinker of a season in 2013 was a valuable lesson. I’d expect some changes to Umaga’s coaching crew though.

Knowler: Not really. Can you imagine what would happen if the boss of a struggling corporate giant made a similar presentation to angry shareholders?

‘‘Listen, guys, we know you’re a touch annoyed your shares are not doing great. Here’s the thing: we cannot see the point in trying to reverse our fortunes by backing ourselves to find a better solution. Now, go on, get in behind us and give us some support.’’

Bidwell: A laughable call. Redman ought to go. Umaga too. The board.

The guys running their so-called high performance and development programmes. All of them out.

At some professional outfits, a 48-point drubbing of the sort the Blues copped from the Sunwolves last year would prompt mass resignations. Instead, this lot just blunder along from one humiliation to the next, telling themselves it’ll be better next time.

This season’s no better; can we already write off the next one or two or three? Come on. New Zealand Rugby needs to sort this rabble out.

If Steve Hansen picks four midfielders for June, one of Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape or Jack Goodhue would miss out. Who ya got?

Hinton: Goodhue, in the tightest of calls. And simply on the last cab off the rank principle.

All five of these guys are quality operators and, the injured SBW aside, are all playing handy footy in Super Rugby. Goodhue’s time will come, but he may just have to be patient for now behind four outstanding operators who have not let the black jersey down (yet).

Cully: Anton Lienert-Brown misses out. It’s ridiculous to pinpoint one moment I know, but when he was beaten to a high ball by Ngani Laumape in Wellington it summed up his season so far. Hasn’t quite scaled previous heights.

Knowler: Laumape. He gets shaded by Goodhue because of the latter’s ability to make slightly better decisions on defence.

Bidwell: Goodhue. It’s probably not the fashionable call, but he has the least runs on the board. Hansen and co like Crotty and Williams.

Lienert-Brown is only steady, but has done a good job for the All Blacks on multiple occasions, and Laumape is the best midfield ball-runner around.

The interesting bit is whether Hansen reckons Crotty and Williams have a World Cup in them. If not, then he better start blooding alternatives. Like Matt Proctor.

Izzy Dagg and Nehe MilnerSkudder are both looking to make late runs back into the ABs. Do you give either a chance for June?

Hinton: I know I shouldn’t write Dagg off because he has done this before, but it’s a tough slog back at this stage of his career, in this company.

But I give Milner-Skudder a chance if his body plays ball. His step, allround skills, experience and relative youth put him in the picture, and now he needs a standout run and an injury or two to clear a path.

Cully: Yes because they already have so many runs on the board. But no because their respective injuries must have affected them mentally and they will need a run of games to feel comfortable again.

Knowler: Both are in with a shot, certainly. If it was a 50-50 call I would lean towards Dagg, purely on experience.

Bidwell: Dagg has the best chance. Strong body of work, big boot, good under the high ball, can start in two positions. Milner-Skudder does that too, but hasn’t played enough footy in recent years to justify selection. That said, I probably wouldn’t pick either.

Sunday’s game in Pretoria against the Bulls will tell us ... about the Highlanders?

Hinton: Whether they’re the real deal in 2018. The Bulls are improvers under John Mitchell and at home, riding a three-match win streak, and playing a more expansive game than usual, they’re a decent barometer.

A big road win here will put the Highlanders right in the thick of the race for a home final. To do that they’re going to have to quell that imposing physicality that’s coming.

Cully: It’ll tell us plenty about their pack, won’t it?

They got their bums smacked by the Brumbies’ scrum a fortnight ago and for all the talk about the Bulls’ more expansive game this year, John Mitchell will target the Highlanders up front to stop the genius of Aaron Smith.

Knowler: Whether Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger’s decision to field a 6-2 reserves split in favour of the forwards is the correct one. He clearly expects a war of attrition.

It’s a gamble if his backline starts to get the wobbles, because of the reduced number of fresh legs. The Bulls’ desire to play with width could drain the Highlanders’ energy reserves. The final 10 minutes could be telling.

Bidwell: If they’re any good. This is one of those games decent teams win.

It’s fine and dandy to stuff teams under the roof, but the Highlanders haven’t done a lot on their travels this year. The Bulls have about three big games in them a year.

They’ve already rolled the Hurricanes in Pretoria and I have a sneaking suspicion they’ll do the same to the Highlanders.