Wallabies playmaker Berrick Barnes has fired the first psychological shot to trigger another week of inevitable mind games before Sunday night’s Rugby World Cup semi-final showstopper against the All Blacks in Auckland.
Not even more injury concerns for both camps could remove the spectre of Australia’s well-documented, 25-year, Eden Park hoodoo.
But the straight-shooting Barnes needed just nine words to remind edgy New Zealanders that the All Blacks had demons of their own to bury before they could start thinking about lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time in 24 years.
“They’re worried about us come World Cup time too,” Barnes said.
Australia have never lost to New Zealand at the quadrennial tournament and famously sent the All Blacks packing with semi-final muggings in 1991 and 2003.
“There’s Aussie hoodoos left, right and centre here and 80 minutes at Eden Park come next Sunday,” Barnes said.
Having long-time sparring partners Robbie Deans and Graham Henry in the two coaches’ boxes only adds to the spice of the occasion.
Both will be desperate for their teams to advance after being in the All Blacks’ corner for New Zealand’s premature exits from the past two tournaments.
Henry presided over the All Blacks’ worst campaign ever in 2007 while countryman Deans was assistant to John Mitchell when Stirling Mortlock’s long-range intercept try inspired Australia to their semi-final upset in `03.
Now Deans is plotting New Zealand’s demise and insists the Wallabies’ quarter-of-a-century drought at the All Blacks’ Auckland fortress counts for nothing.
“Well, it’s the first occasion we’ve played them in a semi-final of a World Cup at Eden Park, so there’s no history,” he said.
“We’re hugely excited. It’s fantastic. We know each other well as teams. There’s a huge amount of history; there’s no more history than between the Wallabies and the All Blacks – and there’s a lot of history at World Cup time as well.”
In what should please the Australians, South African referee Craig Joubert, rewarded for his work in charge of the free-flowing Wales-Ireland quarter-final, has been appointed to control the blockbuster.
Henry, a former school headmaster, knows only too well that such history favours Australia, despite top-ranked New Zealand having been perennial favourites since winning the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
The All Blacks’ inability since is perhaps why Henry won’t be stressing his 2011 hopefuls out about the magnitude of Sunday’s Tri Nations final encore.
“It’s important that it’s done systematically and gradually and we build again for Sunday’s game,” he said.
Henry suspects the semi-final will be a different style of contest than when the Wallabies defeated the All Blacks 25-20 in their most recent meeting in Brisbane in August.
“Australia are a very good rugby side. They have some very talented players, they play real well,” he said.
“I think the nature of rugby changes a wee bit in finals football when the result is you can ‘die’ if you lose and that probably makes both sides a wee bit more conservative in the game they play.
“So they don’t chance their arm as much as they normally would do.
“Like the South African situation at the weekend, where they turned the ball over under their sticks and Australia scored a try there – you just try to avoid those situations which can result in winning or losing.
“So I think it will be a pretty careful approach on Sunday.”
Dan
Guest
LOL I know, just having a laugh at your statement given the obvious hole in the theory in this context.
cjones
Guest
back to normal now that england have gone home, you were getting along so nicely until then.
stillmatic1
Guest
did i say in WCs, Dan? to even the gun toting bible belt bumpkin it is obvious that the abs havent excelled in the WC!!
Dan
Guest
The first 5 mins means Jack. The English came out all guns blazing against the French for the first 5 mins and then when they didn't score they became hopeless
Dan
Guest
Jumpy? No, I'm just enjoying jumping on you jumpy Kiwis who seem so paranoid that any comment can be interpreted as a sign of disrespect. It's really quite funny.
Dan
Guest
Why you succeed in RWCs?
warrenexpatinnz
Roar Guru
All that nervous energy Kuruki and a high temp start could lead to a second half fade mate. This game won't be won until the last 15 minutes at least, for either team.
stillmatic1
Guest
i just hope the ref doesnt turn up so that when the abs win, peterK et al cant blame the ref for the wallaby loss!! i mean there wasnt a ref in the SA v AUS game was there? its a shame i actually like joubert, i really wanted to write 15 articles about how the abs had already lost the game 5 days before being played, all due to the bias of the ref!! agree with kuruki, if the abs come out on fire its all over, but if the wallas are close enough with 10 to go, then anything can happen. thankfully eales and kefu arent playing though.
stillmatic1
Guest
and thats why we succeed, nickF. but the wallabies dont have any elite athletes who believe in the mantra of "fearing defeat".
Jaceman
Guest
If the Wallabies win this they should be applauded to the hilt. After the Boks game they looked spent...
Kuruki
Roar Guru
I will know in the first 5 minutes who will win this game. If the All Blacks bring that passion, and they have that look in their eye's that hunger, then there is no team on this planet that can stop them. If they have that, they will win. It's as simple as that in my mind. The game will be won or lost in the minds of the All Blacks.
Geoff Brisbane now California
Guest
Can't believe I have followed suit like all of the other bar 1 responses to this stupid article and as usual out of context and continued on in the same vein. Stupidity must be catching
Paul_From_Melbourne
Roar Rookie
If history counts for nothing, then the two games that the Wobblies won against AB in world cup counts for nothing. If history counts for something, then the statistics that no team with a loss has ever won a final should count for more, as there has been 6 world cups and plenty of matches played, and all Aussie fans should be reminded of that. Take your pick. I dont care.
WQ
Guest
Just pointing out the obvious Dan. You seem a little jumpy, are you nervous?
Behind Enemy Lines
Guest
...or about how Stephen Bradbury cheated at the winter olympics by not falling over when he saw the 4 ahead of him fall.
NickF
Guest
Listen to 5 minutes of Kiwi sports radio and you will hear about respect for another country.
NickF
Guest
Hang on he hasn't finished yet. The under arm bowl hasn't been mentioned yet, and Michael Brial's name wasn't brought up, and then we say Richard Loe, and they say Campese and the Haka, and we say ..
Behind Enemy Lines
Guest
I'm sorry I don't speak spanish
NickF
Guest
No Snobby, you're wrong. Hoodoos do exist, they are there to make Kiwi fans nervous.
jeznez
Guest
That was a proper world class whinge kiwidi - well done mate. Not even the slightest hint of self reflection in what you have written. For the record Wycliff Palu went home and Matt Hodgson was brought across, while Drew Mitchell was sent home for Lachie Turner. Polota-Nau and Barnes have both been in the squad from the start of the cup.