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Australian teams have New Zealand inferiority complex, says Kafer

Waratahs suffered defeat to Crusaders in Sydney

Australian sides suffer from a “self-perpetuating” inferiority complex in comparison to their New Zealand counterparts in Super Rugby, former Wallaby Rod Kafer believes.

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In 11 trans-Tasman meetings since the start of the season Australian sides are yet to record a win, while they combined for just three in the previous campaign.

Amid reports that at least one of the nation’s Super Rugby franchises could be culled as part of a restructuring process by SANZAAR, Kafer feels his compatriots are in a downward spiral.

“All the players hear is how far ahead the Kiwi teams are and eventually, as resistant as you try to be as a player, those things over time seep in, through the smallest cracks in a player’s psyche,” said Kafer, a 12-time international.

“You get the sense that our decline in performance, particularly against New Zealand sides, has unfortunately been consistent over the past three years. It’s almost in the Australian psyche now, that deferment to New Zealand, and it becomes self-perpetuating.

“What we have to do is find a way to break that cycle and remove their grip from our throats.”

However, Kafer does not think the uncertainty surrounding the future of Australia’s five teams is to blame for their disappointing start to the year.

“Our performances against New Zealand teams have declined over a period of time, I’d say the past three years,” he said.

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“Of course there’s going to be uncertainty around the competition, but if anything that gives the players opportunities to be inspired and to play as if their lives depended on it.”

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Nickers 23 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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