Wallabies all that stand between All Blacks and immortality

Skipper Michael Hooper is braced for trans-Tasman fireworks as the underdog Wallabies stand between the All Blacks and rugby immortality on Saturday night.

New Zealand are on the cusp of greatness as they eye a world-record 18th straight victory and Hooper has predicted a torrid test of character, strength and smarts in the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship opener at ANZ Stadium.

The Wallabies haven’t beaten their arch-rivals in the past three years and have won only two of their past 20 meetings.

But there’s renewed belief with seven consecutive wins of their own under second-year national coach Ewen McKenzie.

After an intense build-up spiced by barbs from niggly All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and Kurtley Beale’s bolt-from-the-blue selection as Wallabies five-eighth, the stage is set for one of the most-anticipated match-ups in memory.

Australian optimism is high after the NSW Waratahs’ historic Super Rugby victory over the New Zealand super powers the Crusaders at the same ANZ Stadium venue two weeks ago.

The Wallabies, though, know the cold, hard reality remains that they must end the all-conquering All Blacks’ streak to avoid a near impossible task of winning at New Zealand’s spiritual Eden Park home next week to prevent a 12th consecutive series defeat.

“This one tomorrow night, there’s going to be a lot of heat there,” Hooper said on Friday.

“The first one of the year against the All Blacks, we really want to win and try to impose ourselves on these guys.”

Hooper readily acknowledges that will be easier said than done.

Apart from striving to match the record of 18 straight wins by New Zealand from 1965 to 1969 and South Africa’s 1997-98 outfit, the All Blacks have endured defeat just once in 39 Tests stretching back to their triumphant 2011 World Cup campaign.

“They’re a superb team,” Hooper said.

“I’ve never beaten them. Drew with them once and it’s a little taste, but you want to be able to go through your career knowing you can take on these guys.”

Embracing the challenge with a quiet confidence, the Wallabies accept toppling arguably the most dominant team in rugby history will require incredible mental and physical resolve.

“The Kiwis are going to throw some great stuff at us, we know, and we’ve got to be able to absorb that,” Hooper said.

“You’ve got to shut down the arsenal they have … they’re always quite clever when it comes to throwing new plays at you.

“So you’ve got to be able to absorb that in defence and turn it over and then you get guys like Kurtley, Izzy (Folau) pop up and start to rear their heads in attack.”

The All Blacks suffered a blow on Friday, with veteran centre Conrad Smith returning to New Zealand to be with his expectant wife.

All but resigned to being without their 77-Test stalwart, coach Hansen and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw are backing two-cap rookie Malakai Fekitoa to slot in.

McCaw on Friday admitted his side had discussed the world record, but insisted the milestone was secondary to drawing first blood in this year’s three-Test trans-Tasman series.

“These opportunities don’t come around very often at all, if ever,” the flanker said.

“But you look at the Bledisloe on the line as well. We just want to go out and perform well and, if we do that, we give ourselves a chance of winning and getting one hand back on the Bledisloe.

“Those by-products would be nice but we’ve got to get the job done first.”

Key Positional Match-ups for the Bledisloe Cup Opener

Kurtley Beale v Aaron Cruden
Ewen McKenzie shocked all and sundry with his selection of Beale to start at No.10 for the Wallabies. There is method to his “madness” with Beale boasting a far bigger X-factor than his in-form Waratahs teammate and incumbent Bernard Foley. Cool-headed Foley is a more reliable closer off the bench but, in Cruden, the All Blacks have a playmaker who can be both exciting and astute in equal measure. The loss of Dan Carter is no longer the headache it used to be for the Kiwis. Cruden has cemented himself as rugby’s second-best 10.

Adam Ashley-Cooper v Malakai Fekitoa
Conrad Smith’s dash home to be with his pregnant wife creates a major worry for NZ. No.13 has been unlucky for the All Blacks in big trans-Tasman battles in the past. Think 2003 World Cup semi-final when Stirling Mortlock exposed Leon MacDonald. Also four years later when Mortlock did the same to another untried 13, Luke McAlister. The tackle-shedding Fekitoa has starred at outside centre all season for the Highlanders but he’s only just cut his teeth at international level. AAC might not have the same explosive power but is in career-best form and has two canny playmakers inside him.

Nathan Charles v Dane Coles
Charles is one of the feel-good sports stories of the year: a cystic fibrosis sufferer, not expected to live into his teens and making his international rugby debut in June against France. But he faces his baptism of fire, starting against the mighty All Black pack due to Tatafu Polota-Nau’s knee injury. The heat at scrum and lineout time will be intense on the Western Force hooker. The dynamic Coles also has had his set-piece wobbles and lacks the experience of Keven Mealamu but has been well groomed as his nation’s long-term No.2.

Michael Hooper v Richie McCaw
A No.7 battle between the ever-rising, seemingly indestructible Wallabies’ kid leader and the ever-enduring, seemingly indestructible All Black legend. At 33, and after a Super Rugby final-deciding penalty, McCaw’s doubters are beginning to emerge. They don’t believe he’ll maintain his influential standards through to next year’s World Cup. But McCaw regularly reserves his best for the Bledisloe arena. While he doesn’t attack the breakdown as much, Hooper has the same nous for picking the right moments for pilfering. Ruck turnovers will be gold and the skippers are the main prospectors for each team.