Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Wallabies ask ref to look at All Blacks lineout

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

The Wallabies have fired off a reminder to New Zealand referee Brendon Pickerill to keep the All Blacks‘ lineout in check at lineout time in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup return bout in Auckland.

ADVERTISEMENT

The All Blacks conceded 18 penalties to Australia’s nine in last Saturday’s series-opening 33-25 victory, prompting Wallabies assistant coach Matt Taylor to declare “they’re a team that probably pushes the boundaries”.

“They’re right on the edge and sometimes that can be an advantage but they were certainly penalised heavily,” Taylor said on Wednesday.

Video Spacer

All Black Dalton Papalii looks ahead to the second Bledisloe Cup clash

Video Spacer

All Black Dalton Papalii looks ahead to the second Bledisloe Cup clash

The All Blacks have placed a big focus this week in improving their discipline and Taylor was happy to send a subtle plea to Pickerill to ensure the hosts didn’t infringe at the lineout, after the Wallabies lost their first five throws last start.

Knowing the Wallabies have little chance of winning without an even share of ball, Taylor said resolving their set-piece troubles, and not allowing their opponents to hustle illegally for possession, is critical.

“The All Blacks are very good defensively (at the lineout). They mirror hard so we probably need to show different pictures,” he said.

“Like all lineouts, we need to execute quickly. Don’t give the opposition time.

“They’re very good at reading cues, which they did early on in the game.

“Certainly after the first couple of lineouts Australia had a little bit more success, but early on we just allowed them a little bit of time to read the shapes and get up and contest.

ADVERTISEMENT

“You’re also expecting the referee to ensure that they have a good gap because they’re pretty good at closing that gap on occasions as well.”

Taylor’s message to officials comes after Wallabies hooker Jordan Uelese tried some old-fashioned psychology to apply pressure on the All Blacks, who have won the past 21 trans-Tasman Tests at Eden Park.

“If anything, the pressure ‘s not on us, the pressure’s on them,” Uelese said.

“No one wants to be the first All Blacks team to lose at Eden Park.”

Taylor insists the ground holds no fears for the new-era Wallabies, despite the history.

ADVERTISEMENT

“When it was decided that there were going to be two matches at Eden Park, we saw it as an opportunity,” Australia’s defence coach said.

“It’s a tough place to go but we also said that we had to win one Test there to ensure we were in the hunt to win the Bledisloe.

“So the same thing this weekend, we get to go there and have another crack… When you’ve got a team as good as the Blacks, to beat them, you’ve got to take the game away from them.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

T
Tom 5 hours ago
Will Bristol's daredevil 'Bears-ball' deliver the trophy they crave?

Also a Bristol fan and echo your sentiments.


I love watching Bristol but their approach will only get them so far I think. Exeter played like this when they first got promoted to the prem and had intermittent success, it wasn't until they wised up and played a more balanced game that they became a consistently top side.


I really want Bristol to continue playing this brand of rugby and I don't mind them running it from under their posts but I don't think they need to do it every single time. They need to be just a little bit more selective about when and where on the pitch they play. Every game they put themselves under so much needless pressure by turning the ball over under their posts trying to do kamikaze moves when it's not required. By all means run it from your goal line if there is a chance for a counter attack, we all want to see Bristol running in 100m tries from under their posts but I think until they learn when to do it and when to be pragmatic, they are unlikely to win the premiership.


Defense has been a real positive from Bristol, they've shown a lot of improvement there... And I will say that I think this kamikaze strategy they employ is a very good one for a struggling side and could be employed by Newcastle. It's seems to have turned around Gloucester's fortunes. The big advantage is even if you don't have the biggest and best players, what you have is cohesion. This is why Scotland keep battering England. England have better individuals but they look muddled as a team, trying to play a mixed strategy under coaches who lack charisma, the team has no identity. Scotland come out and give it full throttle from 1-15 even if they struggle against the top sides, sides like England and Wales who lack that identity drown under the relentless will and synergy of the Scots. If Newcastle did the same they could really surprise some people, I know the weather is bad up there but it hasn't bothered the Scots. Bristol can learn from Scotland too, Pat is on to something when he says the following but Scotland don't play test matches like headless chickens. They still play with the same level of clarity and ambition Bristol do but they are much better at picking their moments. They needed to go back to this mad game to get their cohesion back after a couple of seasons struggling but I hope they get a bit wiser from matches like Leinster and La Rochelle.


“If there’s clarity on what you’re trying to do as a team you can win anything.”

2 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING The All Blacks growth Ian Foster says was 'lost in translation' in 2023 Foster's All Blacks growth 'lost in translation'
Search