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Volatile Tolu Latu won't be baited into another 'dumb' act by All Blacks

Tolu Latu has been hit with a breach notice by Rugby Australia for drink driving and driving while suspended (Photo by Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

The Wallabies have faith that volatile hooker Tolu Latu won’t be baited into another “dumb” act by the All Blacks in their Bledisloe Cup showdown in Perth.

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In their Test against New Zealand in Japan late last year Latu fell for an All Blacks sting which resulted in a yellow card.

Kiwi rake Codie Taylor baited the Wallabies replacement in the 66th minute with a push to the shoulder and he responded with a shove to the face.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen bluntly described the Australian’s action as a “dumb” play.

It wasn’t the first or last offence for the Waratahs hooker, who was also suspended for six weeks during the Super Rugby this year for foul play at a ruck.

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And off the field his discipline has been even worse, in June he was convicted of drunk driving after he was found asleep at the wheel at a busy Sydney intersection.

But the 26-year-old has won back a fan in Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, who has preferred him to start over Brumbies ace Folau Faingaa, as well Test skipper Michael Hooper.

The captain was asked on Friday whether he thought the All Blacks would target Latu, and thought he would be able to handle it much better if they did.

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“I don’t know if they are going to employ that tactic,” Hooper said.

“Tolu has grown as a player and as a person a lot in the last 12 months, and he is playing really good rugby.

“That usually takes away from the other stuff.”

Cheika said that Latu had been training the house down and deserved another chance.

He felt he had also improved his response to calls by referees.

“His attitude has been excellent and against Argentina there was many times where he was on the ball and the ref called him off the ball and he got straight off it,” Cheika said.

“I think that shows he’s starting to understand that he’s got skill but he’s got to know when to use it and when not to.”

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– AAP

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Mzilikazi 16 minutes ago
How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

This performance from Ireland does not surprise me. Go back to the Emgland game last year, and the way Ireland played there. Some poor defence, especially at the death, allowing the Smith drop goal, which was from an virtually .unmissable position.


Then the AB loss in the autumn, when Ireland played as poorly as I have seen this current group play. I agree with you, Nick, when you cite the falloff in attacking/try scoring ability which started with the Lancaster / Nienaber transition.


The loss of injured players is also a factor, but I would only mention it in passing, not overplay that one. After all, France were missing their first choice centre pairing.


The Prendergast v Crowley debate. I have been in the “Crowley to start” camp from the get go, and for this game specially, I feel that strategically Crowley should have started. The Munster man just has that bit more to his game, that bit more toughness and variation. I would suspect the French coaching group were delighted to be looking at how they played the Irish staring 10 for this game.


Prendergast is a supreme passer of the ball, and ultra cool and balanced, probably the better goal kicker. But in that first half(as far as I have got in the game so far), he was caught twice in possession, once really bulldozed back by the French forwards. In addition, he made some poor kicking choices, and only once took the line on. He was too easy to read, never a line breaking threat. I have read he played out the full 80 at 10. That leaves me seething. The Irish coaching group repeating the mistake made in the RWC QF in France, with Crowley again not used to advantage.

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S
SK 53 minutes ago
How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

I think France have made really good improvements. They have found several players on the bench and in the wider squad who are able to now operate at the level of their starters, they have power and devastation on the bench and can change the game. Their gameplan has also evolved and they are able to stay in the fight for longer. Fitness and conditioning seems to have become primary work ons. They have worked massively on breakdown where they forced so many turnovers and always slowed down Irelands ball. How many times did you see a French hand on the ball fighting the first and second cleaner tooth and nail for access before being shoved off of it? They become like a pack of rabid dogs on turnover and transitions, they counter so much better now and you can see elements of the Bordeaux and Toulouse game written all over the team. Its almost like a swarm when they counter. They have great alignment between the Top 14 and the national team and they have a group of players who are well versed in playing this style. You could see clearly in this game why both Galthie and Erasmus now fancy a 7-1 stack against Ireland. It is by and large to overpower them and demolish their breakdown. Irelands attack has devolved. Its now more metronomic than creative. It involves phase after phase of attritional attack and hordes of possession but it lacks creativity and purpose after the second or third phase. The Ireland attack of old kept teams guessing. You didnt know if they were gonna go wide or close in, you had to worry about the offload, the inside pass, the blindside and the hooker on the wing. Now it seems like they move the ball side to side while patiently waiting for the dam wall to break. They also lack pace and bite in the outside channels without Hansen and Lowe. Nash and Osborne were not on it and they struggled to contain the outside French backs who were incredible. France had more leaders that stood up, more grit and more power and it all proved too much for Ireland to handle.

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