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After one of those weeks from hell for the Wallabies, the ARU and rugby fans, Saturday night can’t come quickly enough for supporters.
At least the early part of the evening, when hopefully all of the intense heat currently surrounding the Kurtley Beale saga can be forgotten.
Perhaps for a few hours, fans from both sides of the Tasman can be treated to some good rugby.
One shudders to think how quickly the hyena pack will again tear into the rotting carcass that is the Beale, Di Patston and Ewen McKenzie situation should the Wallabies suffer another shellacking to match that of Eden Park.
To make any direct correlation may not even be valid, there are many who would say that this All Blacks side is capable of running over and around the Wallabies regardless of any distractions. But if it is a repeat of Auckland you don’t need to be a rocket surgeon or brain scientist to figure out how ugly next week is going to be.
Lest we get too far ahead of ourselves, is it possible for the Wallabies to gain strength in adversity and finally claim an All Blacks scalp for coach McKenzie?
Well yes, of course it is possible, but rather in the same manner that it’s possible for Charlize Theron to trawl through Facebook and friend request me in the hope that we might hook up some time.
Let’s be frank, it is hard to imagine a more disrupted build up to a Test match in recent memory. Certainly not one due to injury but to a team and its management being in the midst of self-implosion.
Such a scenario would of course only make a Wallabies win all the more heroic. Everyone loves a rags to riches, against all odds story, and this would surely be right up there with the very best.
I’ve got no doubt that Wallabies training this week will, on the surface at least, be sharp and focused, and that come game time the team will offer up a decent effort. And with a bit of siege mentality thrown in, they could well take the All Blacks deep into the second half.
The All Black’s recent history in these final season encounters shows that they don’t often produce their best rugby, and if they are even slightly off their game on Saturday, and the Wallabies can generate some early pressure, then even the unthinkable may be thinkable.
There are also some half-warm memories of the last time Suncorp witnessed victory over New Zealand to keep the Wallabies’ hopes raised.
Quade Cooper is back on the bench, which has to be a good thing. Against that there is a popular school of thought which has the All Blacks seething after their loss last week in Johannesburg and ready to wreak havoc on whoever is next.
I for one don’t buy that as a motivating factor. The All Blacks were disappointed to lose, no question, but they lost to a good South African side who played outstandingly well for much of the game. They still only went down to a last minute penalty kicked from over halfway, which they were unfortunate to concede in the first place.
All indications are that the loss has been taken on the chin, the South Africans duly and respectfully acknowledged and that Saturday is just another opportunity to stamp their mark as the best side in world rugby.
A factor in previous flat performances at this time of year has been player fatigue, but this year seems different. The only player believed to have been in need of a break, Ben Smith, has been left at home, and a scan through the remainder of the squad throws up a large number of players who started late in 2014 or have missed chunks of the season.
Aaron Smith is perhaps the other player who has had a heavy workload, however he seems irrepressible and, regardless, there is every expectation that TJ Perenara will receive plenty of game time this week.
No, if the All Blacks lack cohesion and spark on Saturday it won’t be because they are tired.
Further, with Aaron Cruden, Brodie Retallick and Charles Piatau among the incoming players this week, the challenge for the Wallabies is placed in real context.
This would be a hard enough task for the Wallabies even if they were in good shape leading in. But they are fresh off what was a very disappointing loss in Argentina. Not because the Pumas aren’t formidable or deserving, but because of the way the Wallabies played 15 minutes of quality, high-pace rugby, only to become passive and increasingly ill-disciplined throughout the contest.
Throw in the off-field events of the last few days and one can sense a train wreck in the offing.
This can go one of three ways. A Wallabies win and McKenzie will rightfully be hailed a magician, free to sign up as many new administrative assistants as he wants. A narrow or respectable loss (whatever that is) will essentially ensure the status quo.
A thumping however, in all likelihood will cause serious ructions in Waratah land and have them in urgent need of a new coach to replace Michael Cheika.
I doubt whether Steve Hansen cares two hoots for any of this week’s shenanigans and permutations. He will simply have his team primed to deliver the best performance they can.
Which, when you think about it, paints a pretty scary picture for the Wallabies.