Bullocking centre Ma’a Nonu looms as a key change for the All Blacks when they attempt to retain the Bledisloe Cup against the improving Wallabies on Saturday.
Nonu sat out last Saturday’s opening loss to the Wallabies in Sydney with a shoulder injury incurred in the previous Test win against South Africa.
But the 96-Test veteran appears set to replace Sonny Bill Williams at inside centre after training fully on Tuesday.
“It’s coming on well, so hopefully I’ll get into some contact this week and be available,” said Nonu.
“It was frustrating, just a little niggle where it was nothing too serious.”
Williams didn’t train because of a knee problem which may have contributed to his lacklustre effort in Sydney marked by two poor options to kick – badly both times.
Nonu had no doubt where the problems lay for the All Blacks in the 27-19 defeat which has put their 13-year hold on the Bledisloe Cup in jeopardy.
“I think we were out-passioned,” Nonu said.
“I don’t think we can hide away from what we saw at the weekend, if you look at how the Australians flew into those rucks and how they were physical and just the way they played.
“Everyone knows that and everyone has seen that.”
Nonu said the Sydney loss had added intensity to training this week.
“It hasn’t been a fun two days in terms of reviews, but we’re pretty confident in ourselves,” he said.
Nonu said the All Blacks had been looking at ways of countering the Wallabies’ rush defence and were also addressing their execution of the fundamentals.
“Our biggest challenge is our basic skills, really,” he said.
“I thought we made too many errors in terms of not having our backs available when we did have the ball.”
If the 33-year-old Nonu gets on at Eden Park, it is set to be his farewell appearance at the ground, as he heads for French club Toulon after the World Cup.
“I haven’t really thought about that,” he said. “I just want to be fit and ready to go this week.”
WQ
Guest
PeterK, I am merely pointing out that all these All Blacks that Wallaby fans just like you are writing off as too old and too slow, may just make you look a wee bit silly next week if they turn on a performance that they would be proud of this weekend. Enjoy the win as a Wallaby fan, they were fantastic, left nothing in the tank and dominated the All Blacks. To sit back after the win and point the finger at the All Black failings is a little short sighted given the last 10 years of Rugby between the two sides. Who knows PeterK, you just might be right, the All Blacks may be too old and too slow, but a Wallaby fan pointing that out is well, about as valuable as a New Zealand cricket fan critiquing the Australian Cricket Team!!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Reckon we will get the mother of all kapa o pango this weekend and Ma'a Nonu should be right in it! @fox: please stay on Ma'a for the whole thing cheers!
PeterK
Roar Guru
I am asking WQ, since he wrote Wallaby fans should enjoy that it happened, enjoy beating the All Blacks but stop short of critiquing the All Black players WQ is saying wallaby fans should not critique AB players. I am asking why.
Common Sense
Guest
What do you mean, "Immune to critique"? The All Blacks are the only team that get negatively critiqued after a win! The fact they've just suffered only their second loss in three years has put the negative critiquing into over drive.
Common Sense
Guest
What I've found over the years is that Australia is always capable of playing to this level (ie. intensity, passion and physicality), and some years they play a game or two just like that. The problem is they only do it for a game or two. Lack of consistency has always been most teams Achilles heel. I am in no way surprised that the Wallabies out passion-ed the All Blacks, they had more reasons to win, a greater desperation to win .
PeterK
Roar Guru
why are AB players immune from critique from fans from other countries? On an opinion site every player is fair game from any country.
Pandanus
Guest
mike, both teams had players in critical positions who played below their best. Also don't forget the WB's played 20 minutes of that match a man down (and the AB's 10 minutes a man down). I thought that it was a huge defensive effort by the WB's in those two 10 minute sessions and after the first the AB's looked shocked that they didn't/couldn't score. To my mind it was the turning point of the match.
mike
Guest
I love how the wallabies fans think they are the new team to beat, but on closer analysis one glaring issue should put them in their place: they beat the ABs by 8 points only despite how badly some of their players were doing. SBW was atrocious but that performance indeed seems like an aberration and his injury now explains it. The win was probably the closest the wallabies will get to matching the world number 1. Plus, in the RWC the wallabies' pool is going to sap the energy out of them in the finals run. That pool will also create a huge casualty ward--they have no chance. Bask in the sun while it lasts wallabies fans.
WQ
Guest
Smith, Carter, Williams will not put on another performance like last week Frank, it was an aberration. Wallaby fans should enjoy that it happened, enjoy beating the All Blacks but stop short of critiquing the All Black players, they may just make you all look a little silly this weekend
chucked
Guest
Valid comments Frank, the All Blacks had numerous opportunities to put on at least 2 if not 3 tries in the first half alone. Small errors at crucial times let them down and then Aust roared back into the game - but the first 20 could have sealed that game. I think if Aust halves and line-out are as crap as they were last Sat it will be a different story. Nonu will be a massive change for the AB'S- As will Whitelock starting. It won't be a 50- 20 pasting like last year, and as a Kiwi im praying the AB'S dip there hands in glue before the match and don't drop so many balls this time
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I hope he doesn't play this weekend, because he'll make a huge difference. The Wallabies need Smith-Carter-Williams to put on another similar performance. These were interesting comments from Nonu. I've said it a couple of times here at The Roar this past week - the Test just felt weird to me. Our halves were rubbish. Our line-out was rubbish. But we won... I'll say it again: We've played better than that against the All Blacks and lost. And the All Blacks have played worse than that before (though not often) and they always find a way to win. The All Blacks played a lot better than the Wallabies in the first half - something that's gotten no press at all. The Wallabies won on heart, and that's a nice thing to say. It's not often you see the players flying into rucks harder or out-scrummaging the All Blacks. This weekend means a lot to me. It really would make me happy if we could win the Bledisloe Cup back.
maxxlord
Roar Rookie
Nonu. Awesome player.