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How star Wallaby expects All Blacks to rebound from losses to Springboks
By Finn Morton
The All Blacks have lost three of their last four Tests – a scenario that history shows is both baffling and unlikely. New Zealand fell to Argentina in a shock defeat at Wellington’s Sky Stadium last month, and they’re later beaten in two Tests away to South Africa.
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That 25 per cent winning record in The Rugby Championship sees the All Blacks occupy third-spot out of four with two rounds to play. Their next opponents, the Wallabies, are the only side below them with a one-from-four record as well.
But beware the New Zealanders when they’re down. On Stan Sport last week, former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles explained the All Blacks’ last two defeats have him a “bit scared’ ahead of this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup Test at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
“They’ll take their anger out on us,” is how Hoiles described the reasons for that emotion, and former Test halfback Nick Phipps shared a similar point of view. The All Blacks will be desperate to bounce back and they’ll get their chance against their arch-rivals.
“I think anytime you lose, in particular, you go back-to-back as we faced a couple of weeks ago, you certainly have your tail up and you’re keen to rip in, obviously after a week off too,” Wallabies fullback Tom Wright told reporters on Monday afternoon.
“The brand of footy that they’re playing, they were a whisker away in both games that they lost and I mean that genuinely. There was a part of that game that goes either way, then the winning team obviously ran away with it.
“For them, I think the Bledisloe Cup is just as exciting. I know that rivalry goes deep, us and New Zealand, it always will.
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“We’re expecting them to be up for it for sure.”
But it’s a similar story for the Aussies.
When the All Blacks were touring South Africa, the Wallabies made their way to Argentina for two Rugby Championship Tests of their own. The Aussies looked very good for about one-and-a-half matches, but Test rugby can be brutal as the visitors once again learned.
The Wallabies led 20-3 at one stage just under 10 days ago in Santa Fe but ended up losing 67-27. It was the first time they’ve conceded 50 points in a single half of international rugby, and it’s also the most points the Wallabies have ever conceded in a Test.
“No one hurts more than the playing group and the staff. We win together, we lose together sort of mentality,” Wright reflected.
“For us leading into this week, we know that the 40 minutes that you alluded to there, that was really disappointing last week. It’s something that we’re focused on making amends.
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“Test footy is about that, it’s small margins.
“Being up at half-time and then one or two moments and things happen. We’ve got the same opportunity this week to make those wrongs turn into rights for us which is exciting.”
The Wallabies have announced their squad for the two upcoming Tests against the All Blacks. Queensland Reds duo Hunter Paisami and Fraser McReight are both back in the mix after recovering from injuries.
As for the All Blacks, they’ll be without prop Fletcher Newell for the first Test. Newell suffered a calf injury during the second Test in South Africa. Ethan de Groot and George Bower have been called into the squad.
The only thing that will destroy rugby in New Zealand is the NZRFU and they have done a pretty good job over the last 10 years.
They haven't adapted to the professional era. They use to sign up promising young players. Those players couldn't play anywhere else in the World for 5 years. I don't know if that is still the case. Control and Power is their DNA.
The ARU are broke and the NZRFU have chosen the path of "The Dance of the Slow Death" with Silverlake.
The All Blacks playing the Wallabies is a hiding to nothing.
Anyone can see the "All Black Brand" is declining, as far as a Dominant Brand is concerned. "Not fit for purpose"
Former International players and astute investors can see a "Huge" business opportunity in Rugby.
Silverlake are an "Investment Business" It won't be long before they see, the business sense of dropping the NZRFU and go with the Player's Association or some other business entity, who is prepared to rival the NZRFU.
Schmidt is not controlling the offshore players it's ARU lack of funding. Period. The sooner ARU and NZRU opens the door for overseas players the better the competition. It's simply idiotic this argument that it will destroy the local competition. We need the best professional players playing rugby and they are playing professionally elsewhere, duh.
Wallabies will lose because of the scrum and D in the centres. All decisions down to Joe Schmidt not knowing what he’s doing.
We have Sio playing well for Exeter last year and even Ainslei is scrummaging quite well for Lyon. Have them in with Thor and Bell starting and Latu at hooker and the scrum is no where near the problem it’s been. Also send Pone off to France to develop his scrummaging as he’s as good there as AA and Nongoorr who are both weak and a far better runner.
Similar at lock with Skelton, Arnolds, Philip and he’s not developed Amatosero who has bag fulls of potential.
Kerevi and Hodge in the centres with Hodge helping at 15. There are some other guys going around in France that are better than Paisami etc as well.
With them the team looks much better but dopey Joe isn’t picking them or paving the way for them to be involved for at least some tests.
Get Razors in. Every body wants him in. He'll turn it around.
2-0
beating the Wallabies is hardly anything to brag about these days unfortunately. NZ will see where they are at when they play Ireland and France.