Desperate Wallabies seek relief
MELBOURNE: The term “dead rubber” has become drearily familiar for Australian rugby fans at the tail end of a Bledisloe Cup series, but the Wallabies’ desperation for any kind of win over the All Blacks should ensure a spirited clash in Brisbane tomorrow.
The All Blacks took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the annual three-Test series way back in August, pinching a last-gasp 35-29 win in Dunedin that left the Wallabies heartbroken and deprived of the coveted trophy for a 15th straight year.
Neither team has been beaten since that epic encounter, but both have travelled very different trajectories.
The All Blacks have battled a mounting injury toll, forcing coach Steve Hansen to mix and match across the team-sheet.
The back-ups have performed well, helping the side to six straight wins in the Rugby Championship.
Flyhalf Beauden Barrett was added to the casualty list this week after failing to recover from a head-knock in the last match against South Africa, allowing Lima Sopoaga his first start in two years at Lang Park.
By contrast, the Wallabies have been in a rare state of harmony.
Their results have not quite stacked up to their trans-Tasman Sea rivals, with two draws against the Springboks in their last four matches.
But coach Michael Cheika has finally thrown away the clipboard, settling on a side after nearly two years of tinkering since their run to the World Cup final in 2015.
Rob Simmons has replaced lock Izack Rodda for Saturday’s match but the injury-enforced change is the first tweak to the starting 15 in three Tests.
The Suncorp Stadium clash will provide both a report card for Cheika’s team-building efforts and yet another test of the All Blacks’ depth halfway through the World Cup cycle.
“The guys have done really well,” Hansen said this week.
“Some have surprised us and some have just confirmed what we already knew, and I think we’ll get the rewards from it in 2019 when everyone’s looking to go to that World Cup.
“We’re building our own depth.” – Reuters