Rugby knight Sir Graham Henry has highlighted the magnitude of the Wallabies task to restore pride with a drawn Bledisloe series – rating the current All Blacks a far better unit than his World Cup winners.
Henry not only sees Steve Hansen’s outfit as more advanced than his 2011 champions, the former New Zealand coach assessed Ewen McKenzie’s Australian side as weaker than the one thumped 20-6 in a one-sided Cup semi-final.
Injuries to forward leaders Stephen Moore and David Pocock, and the absence of game-breaking halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper, has drained the Wallabies of strength and smarts, according to Henry.
“In 2011 they were a bit stronger than they are now,” he said in Brisbane on Friday, a day before the Bledisloe Cup clash in Brisbane.
“Genia and Cooper are quality halves and they were quality halves then and then Stephen Moore and Pocock aren’t playing and when those guys get back on the deck that’s going to strengthen the know-how and experience of that team.”
Henry wasn’t completely ruling out an Australian upset, especially with the Wallabies galvanised by the turmoil surrounding them, but highly doubted they were good enough to match it with their arch-rivals.
New Zealand haven’t lost two straight Tests since their last two games before the 2011 tournament, losing only two of 44 in the three years since.
Henry was “hugely pleased” to see Hansen and skipper Richie McCaw take the All Blacks to another level again, saying they were definitely a better-equipped and more-rounded outfit now.
“For sure,” he said. “They are a better side now, they have better depth.
“We were struggling to find quality players in some positions, so there’s more depth, and Steve’s done a great job.
“There’s a lot of continuity of people who keep getting better and keep evolving.”
Both Henry and McKenzie on Friday admitted Australia should have won the opening Bledisloe Test this year.
An inability to seize the clutch moments saw them settle for a 12-12 draw, while a lack of physicality and a series of turnovers led to an embarrassing 51-20 thrashing a week later.
“The Eden Park hiccup will drive them,” Henry said. “They will galvanise from that result if they have character.”
McKenzie, under immense pressure, assured his team will show it at their happiest hunting ground to ensure an unbeaten home record this season and split the series.
The coach, who has recalled Cooper on the bench, is also under fire from across the Tasman with former All Blacks halfback Justin Marshall, writing in the NZ Herald column, saying Genia’s continued omission made no sense.
Andrew George
Roar Guru
LOL ... ir I remember correctly he was being generic - its why I remember it so vividly ... It was just before the RWC when a group of greats were being interviews and asked who would most likely win player of the RWC. To hear that from Marshall was surprising
Rebel
Guest
Did he state if it was a positive influence or for what teams.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Justin Marshall wrote an interesting article the other day. He pointed out that Genia is a threat from the ruck base & that holds the defence for 1/2 a step thus creating space out wider. Neither Phipps or White offer that threat allowing the defence to drift out sooner.
Andrew George
Roar Guru
To quote Justin Marshall just before 2011 RWC " He is the most influential player in the world"
Shane D
Roar Rookie
88 test wins from 103 tests. The man is a legend in NZ rugby for a lot more than the RWC.
Garry Edwards
Guest
Absolutley AGREE There is no doubt not only as a team but as men. And tonight the AB's supporters who live in SE QLD ~27% of population will go and see their team play Rugby not the Wallabies just the AB's. You - I'll have to whisper this, no-one goes to watch the Wallabies play anymore because they can't they're too busy embroiled in other matters like hotel rooms, bills too pay, arguing and of course backing up our coach who if he had some stick, some honesty wouldn't require it, haven't you noticed the falling crowds no you say ! Well don't feel too bad because the ARU hasn't noticed either but then they don't know their little game and their own administration is a shambles either. Ah well lets put our heads back in the sand until the flack goes away, just as we've always done gott'a say though I'm getting a headache from bending down all the time.
Ross
Guest
It kills me to say... But rugby has slipped behind soccer in terms of traditional winter sports... The build up to this test has been a vacuum. Will it turn around?
Ross
Guest
It kills me to say... But rugby has slipped behind soccer in terms of traditional winter sports... The build up to this test has been a vacuum. Will it turn around?
Chivas
Guest
hahaha IRB player of the year... in your dreams. Only from a wild eyed wallaby fan. What the reds won the SR... a small step to world dominance, except when stepping onto the international stage he melted like a chocolate button on a warm summers day. Henry gifted field position. I didn't know Henry was even playing.... Hey guess what. The wallabies are going to slaughter the AB's and take out the RWC next year too. It takes all sorts. Does guru mean you regularly spout nonsense.
john
Guest
I don't know why people are so sensitive to these comments. Anyone that knows rugby can see sense in what Ted is saying. Genia in 2011 was better than Phipps is now and is still better, Cooper is better than Foley and Pocock is a real number 7 and is better than Hooper on so many levels, leadership included. The Wallabies won the TR/RC in 2011...came 3rd in 2014...STATS DON'T LIE. The media make it sound as if he has said outright 'this years Wallabies suck'..WHICH HE ISN'T DOING. He is merely crediting the likes of Genia, Pocock and Cooper and acknowledging their efforts and success in 2011. Chill out everybody.
Snobby Deans
Guest
A few more numbers to toss around, while we're at it; * 16 - number of years the Wallabies will be without an RWC win should they not win next year (getting dangerously close to that 24 number we discussed earlier) * 4 - the number of consecutive RWC's the Wallabies will have entered without having held the Bledisloe cup at any stage, should they not win the one-off Beldisloe next year (thats 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015) 3 - Number of years since the Wallabies beat the All Blacks I could go on, but I think you see where I'm heading. Throwing numbers around can be fun, but it does pay to get your facts right first mate.
Snobby Deans
Guest
Actually, you got your second in 1999, so it was 12 years to catch up there mate. And even if you're referring to the gap between the first and second (hard to know given your diabolical maths), that would be 24 years, not 27.
Mattocks
Guest
Again another pointless contribution. Move on. Nothing enlightening here.
Tui
Guest
Hahah the 2011 was a fluke was it. Thats a new one. Desperation at it's best. AB's by 20+
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
That's right, they did beat the French team in the final.
ben
Guest
Oh yea....24 years
Jerry
Guest
They were a headline to be fair..."Wallabies lose in record fashion".
soapit
Guest
must have been your first world cup then. stick around, rugbys a great game if you take the time to understand it
Worlds Biggest
Guest
No real surprises here regarding Teds comments. The Wallas in 2011 were a better outfit than current however that is not saying a huge amount really. I expect a more committed Wallas effort tonight but the usual litany of errors and bone head plays will abound as they do every game. That plus the conditioning just isn't there. Marshall is right regarding Genia. AB's to win by 20 plus.
ben
Guest
Are you the same alan jones who made the pre eden park bledisloe 50 pointer speech?? "They need to be taught a lesson and it will be us teaching the lesson." "we're not the wallabies...we're not the wallabies. We're the ATTACKING wallabies and we do that better than anyone else in the world" "What are we going to be...a headline or a footnote. A headline". Hahahahaha hilarious. I'll give you that though alan ...the wallabies have been a headline all week.