- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen continued to rub salt into deep Wallaby wounds after Saturday night’s six-try Bledisloe Cup destruction.
Hansen claimed Australia were shellshocked by his side’s first-half intensity and aggression that laid the platform for a record-breaking 51-20 rout.
After failing to fire a shot in last week’s 12-12 draw in Sydney, the All Blacks were most pleased their under-fire pack blew the rattled Wallabies away early.
“Our defence set the tone and we made some big tackles and it was more than what Australia expected and they got a bit yippee there for a wee bit,” Hansen said.
“In the first 20 minutes, they dropped more ball than they did in the whole 80 last week.
“That was just a sign they weren’t expecting the intensity that they got.
“Not saying that they can’t cope with it, but it’s a mental thing. You go in and, for the week before, they didn’t get it so why would they expect it this week.”
Upset Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie insisted his players expected a Kiwi backlash at Eden Park but admitted they were “passive” from the outset.
“There was no surprises but you have to deal with it,” McKenzie said. “We heard all about it and we expected it but you have to respond to it.”
By the 30-minute mark, New Zealand led 23-6 after easily absorbing 10 minutes of limited pressure when skipper Richie McCaw was in the sin-bin.
They immediately made the Wallabies pay when he returned and lock Rob Simmons received his own yellow card.
“It was a disappointing we didn’t fire a shot,” McKenzie said.
“I know we’re a much better team than that.”
Added to the post-match pain, the Wallaby hookers’ curse continued with Nathan Charles to be sidelined with a pectoral injury.
Charles was replaced in the first half, meaning fourth-string hooker James Hanson played out the game and could start against South Africa in Perth on September 6 if Tatafu Polota-Nau fails to recover from his knee injury.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.