Wallabies aim up for epic Eden Park Test

Well said Mike. AB dominance as it currently is may be nice and comfortable for supporters, but no good for rugby. Would you get up in the middle of the night to watch the Tall Blacks play the American dream team, or would you record it and watch it on replay if by some miracle the Tall Blacks prevailed!

last game i think it was POITE. this one i dont know if the appointments are published. i have an issue with the way french refs ref a game - they seem to define " laissez faire " (maybe becoz its a french word :) ) they dont seem to know the term "nipping it in the bud!" even Raynol was silly. at least twice JP Doyle from touch called high tackle , which the ref ignored. then what is the use of the hi-tec comms??? atm i think Gardner (auzzy) and JP Doyle (UK) are the best two in form. of course there are the known culprits like Joubert , Owens ,Peyper , Jackson. dont know how Rastaman is doin coz i dont watch currie cup. just like in cricket , there is a dearth of good refs in rugger at international level. and dont get me started on TMOs.

here we go - again :)

I do agree CUW, the Ref did lose control which allowed the niggle to get out of control. Who is the Ref?

My concern is the perceived improvement in the wallabies defence when the stars show 30 missed tackles against Argentina on the weekend. The all blacks will more than likely turn those into points

Neil, You are a soap dodging Pom, but you are on point here...The WALLABIES are pathetic and are worse now than ever.. !!! AB`S to score 60+

Yes PRESSURE....it is a good tactic but it needs to be applied for the full 80mins at 100percent, can the WBs do this? hmmmm - jury is out me thinks. I am sure the WBs will give it a good crack but the ABs will respond in kind and the BLACK TSUNAMI will swamp the guys in yellow shirts....are they yellow or gold??? ABs to win and win well....

I could see a scenario where the Wallabies surprise the AB with some quick drives through the breakdown area like the Pumas in that first game. Then having scored a few quick points settle in and choke the life out of the game. This would target the one possible but untested flaw in the AB team which is how they perform under pressure, real 'we might not win this' pressure.

There's no way the Wallabies should win this but if they focus on the basics - being competitive in the scrums. - winning their own lineout ball. - kicking to touch well - making first up tackles then I think they can make a game of it and most of their supporters won't be too disappointed in the loss. Hopefully over the next two weeks we won't see any media beat-ups which suggest the Wallabies can win. Publicly Cheika and the players have to suggest they think they can win whatever they actually think in private but hopefully we won't be seeing articles that take those comments out of context. (as the above one seems to be.) The AB's will be trying to win this to go 18 straight wins. With Ireland (twice) the Italians and France to follow most would say they are a good chance of getting to 22 wins in a row this year.

Its not just that. Recent form is probably the best its ever been where the Wallabies probably dont hold a single advantage. From the Stuff summary of last weekends game NZ versus SA: -Nine tries to nil, two disallowed by the TMO and two botched five metres from the tryline. -Four missed goalkicks from the All Blacks and still they scored 57 points. -Forty defenders beaten, which translate to 40 Bok missed tackles. -The Boks managed to break a tackle just three times. T -Then there's the 30 line breaks to 3 and 76 per cent possession and 70 per cent territory. And this is a team the Wallabies lost to a week earlier. At Eden park, based on the RC results the AB's would have to be disappointed wth anything less than 30 points. Now test rugby doesnt automatically follow those sort of rules but without any real evidence to suggest it wont, 30 looks very much on the cards, AB fan or not.

That last question is rhetorical is it not? This AB team has come off the pressure of a WC cup win and then walked through the RC. I have no doubt that they will be under pressure to perform at home but that also gives them steel. Eden is not a fortress because the ABs are under pressure to perform there, its a fortress because they are simply relentless there. I think the game will be competitive. I am interested to see Chieka's lineup for the game - I doubt it will have many surprises but some of the younger members of the squad get a shot at redemption. The ABs will be keen to finish strong before the end of year tests. The midfield will be a great battle with Kerevi in form against ALB.

Careful TWAS - some of my fellow AB fans get their knickers twisted if you even dream about beating the ABs. The Wallabies will be competitive. If they can go into halftime behind by 3 or ahead by a try I think the end could be close. But that last 10 of each half will be crucial. History is against them, but Wallabies tend to play out of their skins if it means breaking an AB record.

Arron smith may be rested.

.....and with Kearns in chorus with Marto and Kafer ...."give them a red card " or "at least a yellow" to help out the boys.

Agree Pinetree, it reflects the progress of the player more than anything. Last year he got mentions, this year he started tentatively, now he's had some good performances he's grown in confidence. He's on the typical path to being a very good test player. Oz simply needs more on that same path.

Frankly all this "playing like the Allblacks" is BS. Argentina have tried and failed. Yes they look good losing but they still lose. Boks attempt to play 1/2 Lions 1/2 Bulls has failed: they are a mess with no tactics, quotas and confusion. You can not copy the All Blacks. You will lose. Wallabies only chance is to pick a massive forward pack. That means Timani to 6, Houston to 8, Simmons in for Arnold (to bench) for line out. Ditch Foley to bench as utility cover and pick a defensive back line with Kurindrani at 13 and Kerevi at 12. Switch Folau to wing and DHP to fulll back. Kick to crap out of the ball and defend as if your life depends on it. Pray to god BBBBBB has a rare off night and Wayne Barnes circa 2007 is ref and Aaron Smith's missus is in the stands.

Cmon Zack. Your hand is on it the whole time so there is a high risk of spillage.

It is at Eden Park and it has already been mentioned that both previous times the Wallabies stopped the record was in Australia. Eden Park a Blackout, Quade Cooper welcomed home, the Haka being magnified to sound even louder. And the game is about to start . Must go see the bookie and put $10 on an upset which if it happens get me a round the world trip??? Anyhow the intensity of the moment may get to some of these young Wallabies not to mention those who have scars from previous defeats.

That's not a bad point you make in reference to the differences in entertainment value.

Well, I'm picking the WBs will come out firing in Auckland. They will have nothing to lose and everything to gain so Cheiks will use that as build-up over the next fortnight. Notwithstanding that every other punter is seriously calling a 20-30+point win to the ABs. Twice, the WBs have stepped up against the odds and produced a blinder when the ABs, were chasing this record. I mean lets face it - the pressure will definitely be on the ABs and not, on the WBs. And, with an improving pack showing more confidence with each other including some tall timber and a beefy bloke in the loosies ranks, then I would imagine Cheiks feeling confident. My gut feel is if they WBs can secure their own set-piece ball, it allows their backline to be competitive and use the inside channel, to change the attack. It was the tactic used by the Pumas on the ruck fringe and off the IC/OC and we all know how their 50mins of mayhem, caught the ABs off the boil. Of course, the questions will always be can the WBs play for 80mins and will their bench make a difference. I don't know those answers but I will surely be looking forward, to seeing how all this, pans out like everyone else. And what better incentive for the WBs but to finally put, the ghost of Eden Park, to rest. So yeah - one side his nothing to lose and everything to gain while the other, has everything to lose and nothing to gain. Which side, will handle the pressure better.....?? I can't wait.