Bledisloe danger
Beware the banana skin
Get the attitude right, or the Wallabies could cause a boilover. That is the driving message from the All Blacks this week. Mentally, the third Bledisloe Cup fixture can be a tricky proposition for the All Blacks. They’ve almost always got the silverware locked away. Like a third wheel on date night, it comes sandwiched in between the end of year tour and Rugby Championship, each with a clearly defined focus.
Ultimately, this match is largely designed to generate valuable revenue for both unions, as it sits outside the established testmatch window.
These factors often conspire to offer the Wallabies more desire. After seven straight losses to the All Blacks, they would treasure a rare victory — their first since Sydney, 2015.
It would provide a major boost to a budding group attempting to rebuild and win back respect amid a disastrous year for Australian rugby.
You don’t have to listen hard to hear the familiar noises about how much the Wallabies have improved during the Rugby Championship, since that first-half shellacking in the opening match in Sydney. We hear confidence is growing; their culture is great. They are seemingly primed for a big game.
None of which has been lost on the All Blacks.
“It’s hard not to chuckle when you hear the term ‘dead rubber’,” All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster told the Herald. “We heard it in Cape Town with the Rugby Championship already wrapped up. The reality is there is never such a thing.
“Clearly we’re delighted to lock away the Bledisloe but it doesn’t change the fact we know the game in Brisbane means a lot to the Australians. They’ve been talking up their confidence and in Dunedin, they gave us an immense battle.
“We’re going to need to be at our best and I’m anticipating another Cape Town-type game.”
Whether it’s the Broncos or Wallabies — not so much the Reds in recent times — Suncorp Stadium is a difficult place for even the best visiting teams to prosper.
The All Blacks have won just one of their last three matches there. In 2014, they needed a last-minute Malakai Fekitoa try and Colin Slade conversion to escape 29-28. Before that, they drew 18-18 in 2012, and lost 25-20 just before the 2011 World Cup.
These little obstacles, combined with their last poor performance against the Wallabies, should help the All Blacks.
“It’s about us defining the challenge and making sure it’s very real for us. It’s in Brisbane and they love playing at Suncorp. They’ve made progress through this campaign and we know if we don’t get our attitude right, it’s going to be a long night. They’re desperate to achieve something and we’ve got to make sure we get the same desperation from our performance.”
The All Blacks used the away leg of the Rugby Championship to experiment by leaving players at home from Argentina, and flying that group over early for the Springboks to counter travel fatigue later in the year.
They have since acknowledged this strategy had an impact on performance.
This week, there will be none of that.
We’re going to need to be at our best and I’m anticipating another Cape Towntype game. Ian Foster
Waisake Naholo is expected to replace the injured Nehe Milner-Skudder on the right wing and, otherwise, the All Blacks will select their strongest team, with Brodie Retallick possibly returning.
“In reviewing it, we’ve got to weigh up whether it’s worth repeating but it was the right thing to do for 2017. There’s still plenty of rugby to come.”
Foster also issued a warning to those predicting the Wallabies, who face Japan, Wales, England and Scotland, and Springboks (Ireland, France, Italy, Wales) will struggle on their respective northern tours.
“I think they’re a heck of a lot stronger than people are giving them credit for. The fact we’ve won six in a row, they’ve basically made the assumption that Australia and South Africa are weak. I think they’re going to get a surprise. They might find those two teams are on the rise a little bit and they might win a few more bigger games up there than the north think is going to happen.”