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Nobody knows better than Michael Cheika that beating the All Blacks in New Zealand is international rugby’s Mount Everest. (Click to Tweet)
It’s been 30 years and 17 Tests since the Wallabies have beaten the All Blacks at Eden Park, with 15 years and 19 Tests since the Wallabies have beaten the men-in-black anywhere in New Zealand – Carisbrooke in 2001 was the last success.
It’s been a long time between drinks.
Never one to take a backward step with Eden Park looming on Saturday, yesterday Cheika said – “It’s obviously proven to be a tough place to go and play, but I’m old fashioned.
“I look forward to it, bring it on, it’s a great opportunity”.
Cheeky bugger.
He won’t have half-back Will Genia who has to return to his commitments with Stade Francais, so Cheika must rely on Nick Phipps to fill the loss.
Under normal circumstances that would be acceptable, but this year Phipps has been even more aggravating, chipping referees and frantically directing Wallaby backline traffic with the ball at his feet.
That’s bad enough, but to magnify his inept rugby with slow inaccurate passes means Phipps will be a liability unless he dramatically changes his behaviour pattern.
Besides, the current Wallabies aren’t the quality of the Alan Jones-coached 1986 Wallabies that won the Bledisloe Cup with a 22-9 victory at Eden Park, or the 2001 Eddie Jones-coached Wallabies beating the All Blacks 23-15 at the House of Pain at Carisbrooke for the first time before going on to win the Tri-Nations.
Let’s revisit those two historic clashes:
All Blacks – Wallabies, Eden Park 1986.
1 – Steve McDowell – Topo Rodriques
2 – Hika Reid – Tom Lawton
3 – Gary Knight – Mark Harthill
4 – Gary Whetton – Steve Cutler
5 – Murray Pierce – Bill Campbell
6 – Mark Shaw – Jeff Miller
7 – Jock Hobbs – Simon Poidevin
8 – Mike Brewer – Steve Tuynman
9 – David Kirk (c) – Nick Farr-Jones
10 – Frano Botica – Michael Lynagh
11 – Craig Green – Matthew Burke
12 – Arthur Stone – Brett Papworth
13 – Joe Stanley – Andrew Slack (c)
14 – John Kirwan – David Campese
15 – Kieran Crowley – Andrew Leeds
All Blacks – Wallabies, Carisbrooke 2001.
1 – Carl Hoeft – Nick Stiles
2 – Anton Oliver (c) – Michael Foley
3 – Gary Sommerville – Rod Moore
4 – Norm Maxwell – Justin Harrison
5 – Troy Flavell – John Eales (c)
6 – Reuben Thorne – Owen Finegan
7 – Taine Randall – George Smith
8 – Ron Cribb – Toutai Kefu
9 – Justin Marshall – George Gregan
10 – Tony Brown – Stephen Larkham
11 – Jonah Lomu – Joe Roff
12 – Pita Alatini – Nathan Grey
13 – Tana Umaga – Dan Herbert
14 – Doug Howlett – Andrew Walker
15 – Jeff Wilson – Matt Burke
It would be great for Australian rugby to break those two hoodoos this weekend, but the realism is not on.
Not unless you are a cheeky bugger.