The numbers heading into this Saturday’s third Bledisloe are remarkable, and being repeated Infinitum in the lead-up doesn’t make them any less astonishing, so permit me a quick recap:
30 – the years since the Wallabies last beat the All Blacks at Eden Park.
13 – the number of consecutive Tests the Wallabies have lost against the All Blacks at Eden Park since 1986.
19 – the number of consecutive Tests the Wallabies have lost against the All Blacks in New Zealand since they last won there, in 2001.
36 – the number of Tests the All Blacks have not been beaten in at Eden Park against all-comers since going down to France in 1994.
18 – the world record (for a Tier 1 nation) of consecutive Test wins the All Blacks will have racked up if they beat the Wallabies on Saturday.
4 – the number of times the All Blacks have defeated the Wallabies, including the 2015 World Cup final, in their current 17-match winning streak.
146 – the total number of points the All Blacks have scored to the Wallabies’ 47 in those four most recent outings against one another.
1 – the golden opportunity the Wallabies have to blow all of those other numbers out of the water with a win this Saturday.
Any wonder Wallabies coach Michael Cheika was looking so relaxed and sounding so bullish when he fronted media this week.
“Bring it on,” he exhorted. “It’s a great opportunity… I’m so looking forward to getting over there and getting into it. It’ll be great.”
Spoken like a man who has everything, and I mean utterly everything, to gain and nothing to lose – other than a match no one expects him to win.
It’s a coach’s dream scenario, especially one who likes to play the battler, the bucker of insurmountable odds.
He’ll be having an absolute field day getting his troops up for this one.
“A measly 80 bloody minutes is all that stands between you and immortality as the players that did something that hasn’t been done in 30 years,” is something he might say.
“Two halves of rugby is all you’ll have to play to go in, storm their friggin fortress and deny them their cherished world record – again. Imagine the looks on their faces and the anguish in their eyes when they shake your hand after the game?! Imagine the silence of their crowd that sold out the joint to witness a history that you’ve snatched from their grasp? You, and only you can make that happen,” could get a mention.
“ ‘The time it takes to go there and back on the Manly ferry (and a little bit more) is all you have to get it right for to make everyone forget our alarmingly mediocre season,” is something he probably won’t say but might well be thinking.
Of course, the flip side to all this is the enormous motivation the All Blacks will have to win and further cement themselves as the GOAT-iest team of all.
The New Zealanders (as Cheika likes to call them) have a morbid fear of losing any game and this is heightened in Bledisloes, deceased rubber or not. With so much riding on this one that will be ratcheted up to warp factor level on Saturday, especially given it was the Aussies who last lowered their colours, especially, especially given that the Wallabies have recent form as busters of significant All Black winning sequences, having stopped three in their tracks in the last six years.
And you don’t dominate all comers with breathtaking rugby, win lots and lots of games on the trot and attract monikers like the Greatest Team of all Time, by accident.
This particular crop of All Blacks are operating on a unique plane. On a level that appears well beyond any other team playing the sport now, and at any time in its past. In a way that even has their own illustrious predecessors looking up at in awe, including the greatest of all – Richie McCaw.
It was interesting to hear the GOAT’s take on Saturday’s match when asked by ABC’s 7.30 last night.
“The Australians haven’t won there [Eden Park] in 30 years, do you think they might get lucky this weekend?” Leigh Sales asked.
“I hope not! One of the lessons that’s hard to actually understand, [is that] there’s very little between the top teams,” McCaw replied. “You’ve only got to turn up just not quite on your game… and I just look at the comments from the Wallabies coaches this week and they’re pretty damned determined, so if the All Black boys aren’t on the job there’s a chance.”
One that an unusually relaxed Cheika will be priming his men to grab with both hands.
Dr Katz
Guest
I think the wallabies have a chance..... if 3 or 4 AB's miss the game as they're too busy with the "r00t an AB in a disabled toilet" fan appreciation day at auckland international....
canadiankiwi
Guest
Then Cruden steps in at 10 and Kaino, who is a powerhouse, shifts into the second row with the dynamic Liam Squire at blindside. And the black tidal waves rolls on. This All Black team's strength is that it does not rely on any one individual players' brilliance. Some teams in the past, especially 2004-2011 relied too heavily on the brilliance of McCaw and Carter. As they aged, other players stepped up and a better balance was found. Depth makes both injury and poor form less of a factor, and therefore, less likelihood of an upset than in the past.
canadiankiwi
Guest
That starting team is weak at 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 11, and 14. The other positions are solid but not spectacular as no Wallaby player would be selected to a World XV based on this year's performance, except possibly at 7 (Hooper and Pocock are world class 7s but Pocock is a mediocre ball carrier and line-out jumper therefore a lousy 8). However, it is the complete lack of impact players on the bench for the last 30 minutes which is going to tear the Wallabies a new one. While one can question Graham Henry's motives for publicly stating it, Henry was correct when he stated that this Wallabies team is woeful and possibly the worst in living memory. Two 0-3 white washes in the same year will prove it.
Sirousleh
Roar Rookie
Nice article Matt. I think Cheika has a little of the spirit of Jimmy Spithill in him. Who? The Aussie captain of the American's boat in the last America's Cup. After race 7 he was staring down the barrel of a New Zealand whitewash. Everybody wrote them off. This is what he said: "I think the question is ... imagine if these guys lost from here. What an upset that would be. Um, I'm mean they've almost got it in the bag. So.... that's my motivation. Um, you know that'd be one hell of a story. Um, that'd be one hell of a comeback. And that's the kind if thing that I'd like to be a part of. I've been involved in some big fight backs you know, some big challenges and facing a lot of adversity and that'd be the kind of thing I'd love to be involved in" What happened? Against ALL odds they beat the Kiwis
taylorman
Roar Guru
He he, so they're all looking at a piece of furniture half way up the track...but off it to the left? Personally I just thing they're running until the midget on its back stops whacking them. ?
Ralph
Roar Guru
It is also a statement of fact though. And the 'ordinary' description is your own judgement of the score.
taylorman
Roar Guru
PK...'So much focus on the dirty tactics by the wallabies in the previous match but acting as if AB’s are pure in comparison or at leas...' Using your typical hit and run and don't blame me or make personal style it was inferred. Plus I don't believe the Wallabies are constant niggling, or that there is never ending commentary on it. It was dinstintive in that test for that reason, hence Geoff's comment. He didnt say they need to be more positive in general he said more positive than The last effort at a Wellington. Plus I paid tickets for it and the Wallabies made it a rubbish game so for me yeah it's personal.
PeterK
Roar Guru
taylorman - point out where I said the AB's are just as dirty? My point is the never ending focus on the wallabies niggling tactics ignores that the AB's also play players off the ball. That it is a one sided view that constantly gets represented. And as usually occurs a gang jump on it and a lot of it personal. Views that point out AB's are not saints are not acceptable to many. The usual attack the messenger response occurs. So dissenting views are not welcome at all. Very similar methodology used against Mark Reason and any article written by him. A very donald trump like methodology and response. I note sarcasm is only acceptable when people they support post it.
taylorman
Guest
two peas in a pod Pete and Ken. The topic at hand was the Wallaby niggling- Geoffs comment that theyd better be more positive than they were at Wellington which from most reports was a distinct attempt at trying to upset the play through constant niggling, and there were many examples of it. Peters counter that the AB's are just as 'dirty' is a typical generalisation that he uses all the time, so it was neither topical in respect of the issue raised by Geoff and smacked of hypocr'acy given it is clearly the Wallabies who adopted that strategy for the match being discussed. Even worse he preaches on sarcastically about Angels in making his point. Should think you'd know better than to support that sort of condascen'ding prose Ken but as I said...two peas in a pod. :-)
Grant Withington
Guest
30 years ago when the 1986 series win happened, the top NZ players went to South Africa and played a 4 test series as the Cavaliers. They were banned on return, from playing for the All Blacks, so the 2nd string guys who played as the All Blacks were actually called the "Baby Blacks" and they lost the series to Alan Jones side 2-1. Imagine if Haden, Mexted, McDowall, Fraser, Deans Fox, Shelford, Dalton, Whetton etc had played
Homer
Guest
the pool games of the RWC 2015 showed how average the ABs can look against some minor opposition if they don't come out breathing fire. Richie is right - the gap at the top is small, like the winning margin in a lot of Formula 1 races. It's just that the ABs are Schumaker and can win 95% of the time. But often the difference is only a little bit of extra skill and effort and belief.
Old Bugger
Guest
rebel Yes I concede, it was a generalised statement, from Cheiks. But, it's not about how much I read into those words - it's all about how much the ABs, read into those words. It just seemed so conflicting compared to Wellington that he now builds up to this occasion, by imparting a "bring it on" comment as though its either the game tactics, the teams, the location, the various records at play or all of the above, that his side will face irrespective of what's already happened, in two previous matches, this year. Good for him then because everything else he's said or tried in the past, has been calamitous for him and his team, against this opponent. But then, that's just how it is I s'pose.....so, all that's left to say really is good luck to Cheiks and his side because, if the ABs have read Cheiks statement like I have, then I will definitely be interested to see how the WBs respond when, not if, the ABs do "bring it on....???"
Xiedazhou
Guest
Ah, I love the smell of humility in the morning.....
WQ
Guest
Thanks Die hard, I often scratch my head thinking what have I missed!
soapit
Guest
yep i agree geoff. they were so soft in sydney and were stung by that and wanted to prove otherwise in wellngton. it was personal pride to compete physically. id question why their performances arent always a matter of personal pride mind you
Antoni
Guest
Ha, ha, the Kiwi goon squad comes in boots and all as usual with the personal belittling attacks. I see Peter that you are their favourite target now I am not on here much. They hunt in gangs and are a reflection of the society where they learnt their skills. Maybe this explains why Kiwis are good at rugby? Inside word is that the ABs have become the same on the field with a lot of nasty sledging against the Australians in the later stages of games.
Kane
Guest
If you lose the first half by 26 points winning the second half by anything less than 26 points counts for nil. The fact is at 29-3 the game was lost for Argentina. Yes they won the second half 14-7 so what? They still lost by 19 points never looked like winning and the All Blacks got to clear the bench. I agree with the Irish game, I don't think the All Blacks played poorly, yes they made some errors that the Irish capitalised on but it was more Ireland playing well than anything else.
Ash
Guest
You are so right Ken. It's relentless. Great post in supporting Peter.
Faith
Guest
Good post Xiedazhou, curious how history will judge Cheika after the flattering way it seems to talk about him as a player. Tough niggly, non-compromising. And how these might not be the best qualities for a coach. Adaptability as a coach is very important. Ability to play according to your cattle. Nobody doubts the toughness of the ABs. If that's all he can bring against them he's doomed to continue losing to them. ABs team announced - curious about Wallabies.
Muz
Guest
39 - 21 against Wales was first test of the year. Even at ordinary they put on 39 points.