The Wallabies face an uphill battle to salvage their Rugby Championship campaign after last week’s 54-34 loss to the All Blacks.
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They could hardly have a more difficult assignment as they head to Dunedin on Saturday ‒ a city where they’ve only ever won once, at the now disused Carisbrook.
Few gave Australia a chance following a shambolic Super Rugby campaign, and the All Blacks put the contest to bed in Sydney with a frightening first-half blitz that saw them lead 40-6 at the break.
Despite the comeback, the final scoreline flattered the men in gold. The Waratahs-esque pattern of slow start followed by second-half resurgence has done little to inspire confidence among a restless fanbase.
In team news, Michael Cheika has opted against wholesale changes, though Rob Simmons, Tevita Kuridrani and Dane Haylett-Petty are recalled to the starting 15.
Simmons’ originally meant Rory Arnold would shift to the bench, but Adam Coleman is a late scratching, so Arnold is retained and the uncapped Izack Rodda moves onto the bench.
Meanwhile, Kuridrani’s positive impact in Sydney is rewarded with a starting berth.
Cheika admitted Samu Kerevi was underdone on his return from a lengthy absence and he drops out of the matchday squad altogether.
Finally, Haylett-Petty has been cleared to play after a bicep complaint, with try-scoring debutant Curtis Rona moving to the bench.
For the All Blacks, Owen Franks is ruled out with an Achilles problem, making way for Nepo Laulala to start at prop.
Dane Coles continues his comeback to start at hooker, while Sonny Bill Williams is retained despite a head knock in Sydney. Scott Barrett and Kane Hames join the bench.
This will also be Ben Smith’s final outing before his eight-game sabbatical.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Prediction
I wouldn’t be surprised if bookies suspend betting prior to kick-off to be honest. Better Wallabies sides have taken on weaker Kiwi teams in New Zealand and come away empty-handed. I can’t see any other outcome than a resounding All Blacks victory.
So, it’s Operation Save Face for Cheika’s men. There’s no shame in losing to the best team in world rugby, of course. But the Wallabies will need to show far more than the hot-knife-through-butter defensive pattern they tried in Sydney.
A week is a long time in football, but long enough to overhaul your entire defensive system? Eesh.
Despite some of the tone deaf rhetoric coming out of Camp Wallaby, fans are largely treating last week’s second-half as a false dawn. The easiest time to score points is when the opposition know they’ve won.
This All Black unit is sublime, with all personnel looking like interchangeable parts in a brutally efficient machine.
Can the Wallabies stay in the contest long enough to win back the hearts and minds of the public? The head says “No.” The heart says “That’s not my remit. Don’t ever trust me with sporting predictions.”
All Blacks to win 45-18.
Chris Klar
Guest
Again another self-seeking and ill-formed opinion piece. This is a wallabies side on the rebuild what did you expect - glory? What we saw in Dunedin tonight was a Guts effort based on the best coacing this country can muster. A brilliant effort in NZ, 5 tries a piece and only kicking the difference in the end. Stop kicking these guys and get behind them!
Chris Klar
Guest
Again another self-seeking and ill-formed opinion piece. This is a wallabies side on the rebuild what did you expect - glory? What we saw in Dunedin tonight was a Guts effort based on the best coacing this country can muster. A brilliant effort in NZ, 5 tries a piece and only kicking the difference in the end. Stop kicking these guys and get behind them!
Jock Cornet
Guest
72-17
Bob Wire
Guest
A wins a win.
Rebellion
Guest
Because it would require a thrashing of such magnitude to jolt Sydney based press editors into sustained action and hopefully awaken a conscience within some members of NSWRU. Decisions haven't been made with the jersey's best interest at heart for a while now and this Sydney-Centric 'pick my Tah' or 'Greg Mumms brother' nonsense has been going on for too long now. Instead of giving Chieka Carte Blanche for leading the Tahs to a premiership - you should just buy a plot of land in Vaucluse for Potgeiter. The Tahs never would have won that year without him.
Akari
Roar Rookie
Ken's Other Leg is in mourning, Sheriff. Respect please.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Chieka is talking his team up as being a unicorn where in fact it is a Donkey wearing a party hat - Dead one.
MH01
Guest
Wallabies can win if the ABs turn up to Eden park. And it will be still a close one when the locals field a team.
dan
Guest
Zeljan Australia 767 clubs 86952 players New Zealand 600 clubs 156893 players Large expansive country with 23 million but nearly half the rugby players as NZ. the only thing that is sad is the pin hole perception of your intellect.
Bob Wire
Guest
It doesn't matter how small it is, but the Wallabies have a chance, take it boys, man up and dominate your opposite number. Who's giving out the jersey's and delivering the motivational speech today? Do they still do it? Should be Willy O. No BS just hard work non stop.
Fionn
Guest
Good point. Technically captain but only in name, in reality, a passenger on the Titanic.
Adsa
Guest
I saw Hoops more as a passenger than a spectator.
Waz
Guest
err, no .... today maybe, but this country doesn't accept defeat lightly and tends to abandon sporting teams who lose with alarming frequency. (Hence the Super Rugby average is down 10k in a decade to just over 11,000 this season).
Waz
Guest
Nearly put the referee in at #3 but thought better of it ... even Cheika as ref would only be enough to make it a close game ?
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
You forgot 4 & 5 4. They score more points than the ABs 5. The referee...
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Ya mean 'SHOCK and AWE' Chook, - like in that first half ??
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Didnt chieka and the Wallabies have a long lead in time last year prior to the first game and also not play an actual game in the lead up ... a case of history repeating it self... does he ever learn...
Zeljan
Guest
It's a real shame.. Supposed to be a test match.. Like a competition Like playing a game against a team that has some opposition. Like 2 small islands playing against a massive country. Like some guts and determination from this huge nation with a pretty large population base. Surely they can come up with even a little opposition to a country with only 4.8 million people.. Sad sad sad AUSTRALIA
Offside
Guest
I look through the Wallaby fans eyes via the eyes of the fan of the NZ Cricket team. There's no shame losing to the best teams in the world, just as long as some guts is shown and you give them all you've got. Take the chances you're given. Show some resilience and don't do stupid. I think most Wallaby fans would be happy enough with that.
Tipz
Guest
The wallabies will improve but not enough to win. The scoreline will depend on the ABs attitude to last week's final 30mins. It's scary to think what will happen if they have 80mins like the first 50.