Hope shines after loss

POWERHOUSE backrower Sean McMahon said the Wallabies blocked out the deluge of derision and negative commentary that followed their record loss in Sydney, and never lost belief they could topple the All Blacks in New Zealand.

They came awfully close but after shocking the world to retake the lead in the 75th minute, the Wallabies were beaten in a heartbreaker courtesy of a very late Beauden Barrett try.

Few outside the Wallabies camp saw it coming.

Bookies had Australia at record-high odds to win after the Sydney Test and media coverage wavered between scathing criticism and mockery.

Former Wallabies captain Michael Lynagh slammed the team, local press said Australia were “dreaming” if they thought they could win and the NZ Herald ran a piece asking if the New Zealand women’s team could beat the Wallabies.

One Australian rugby writer said it was possible the All Blacks could put 100 points on the Wallabies in Dunedin.

“As a team we had the belief the whole time,” McMahon said.

“Last week was disappointing to us but we came together as a circle and, as we keep talking about, we’re focusing on ourselves.

“What other people have to say about us, we couldn’t give two s***s.

“We’ve got to focus on doing our game and not listening to the outside crew.

“(Saturday night) proved that if we just focus on ourselves and our own game, we can continue to build.”

Tucked away in Christchurch, the Wallabies tried to shut out the outside world’s commentary but even if they managed to escape it, coach Michael Cheika used the negativity to stir up the team midweek.

In an on-the-fly speech at training, Cheika urged his players to defy the public’s disregard for them and to make history by beating the Kiwis in Dunedin.

They improved their defence vastly, showing mongrel and trust in each other.

They added variety to their game with kicking strategies and, most crucially, Australia never stopped coming.

The Wallabies didn’t wilt when they went behind in the second half and, indeed, retook the lead twice in the last 15 minutes.

McMahon led a large crew of Wallabies stepping up in a big way, including Rob Simmons, Rory Arnold, Will Genia, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Kurtley Beale.

But the Wallabies still lost and a backpeddling scrum, untimely errors and Bernard Foley’s wayward boot were all costly.

And though the gutted Australians weren’t accepting the back pats of as “gallant losers”, the positive signs couldn’t be ignored.