Five months after slinging Carter Gordon to the ground in Melbourne, Ardie Savea says the All Blacks will have to be on high alert for the rookie playmaker as his side prepares for Saturday’s “do-or-die” Bledisloe clash at the MCG.
Few would have predicted Gordon would be thrust into the No.10 jersey to take on the All Blacks in their Bledisloe opener when the Rebels took on the Hurricanes and ran them to the very end to start off a dramatic opening night of Super Round in early March.
“He can [play], and he showed that during Super Rugby,” Savea said on Friday, reflecting on that wild night during Super Round where he was shown a yellow card and after produced a throat slitting gesture on the way off after some words with Ryan Louwrens.
“I tried to scrap him [during] the ‘Canes [win] in Melbourne and probably ended up second best.
“That’s what I like about him, he doesn’t take a step back. He’s young but he’s not afraid of the challenge. That’s something for us to keep an eye on. He’s just going to take the line on and play his game. That’s something that hopefully we can nullify.”
It was a starkly different scene to the one half-a-decade earlier when Gordon took a selfie with back-rower at his Brisbane Boys’ College following an All Blacks’ training session in 2017.
“I’ve seen the photo. Is that 2016 or 2017?” he asked.
Savea also posed for photos just before noon on Friday at their media opportunity.
He was supposed to have a press conference before posing with Wallabies co-captain James Slipper ahead of Saturday’s Test.
But not for the first time New Zealand Rugby management put self interest ahead of the wider game, as their ‘Communications Specialist’ Jo Malcolm, who infamously took it upon herself to cancel a press conference for Ian Foster and Sam Cane after the All Blacks lost their series to Ireland last year, chose to start the press conference 20 minutes early.
It meant several local journalists missed the chance to speak to the acting All Blacks captain, as Malcolm took a page out of Mathieu Raynal’s book by employing a “let’s play” attitude.
Malcolm, meanwhile, blamed her Australian counterpart for the early start time. So much for thawing trans-Tasman relations.
The media opportunity was the only one on Australian shores, with the All Blacks leaving their arrival in Melbourne as late as possible.
It came off the back of respected sports broadcaster and rugby insider Scotty Stevenson’s criticism of the All Blacks for neglecting their wider responsibilities.
“I think it’s a shame the All Blacks have decided to stay in New Zealand and I don’t think they fly to Melbourne till Thursday,” Stevenson told The Roar Rugby podcast on Tuesday.
“I do believe that international rugby has almost a duty to make sure that you’re doing your part to promote the game. And this to me seems like another almost mean-spirited approach to it. Like ‘why would we do Australian Rugby any favours by turning up early?’ That to me leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
“I’m sure they’ve got the logistical reasons and maybe the Women’s Football World Cup has taken a few training facilities, what have you but even so, do we want the game to thrive at international level? If so both teams are going to play their part and promote.”
Speaking to predominantly New Zealand media, Savea said his side were expecting the Wallabies to fire a few shots but added he was confident his side would be up for the challenge after seeing some “edge” at training.
“It’s always crucial for every team to get the ‘W’ consistently and for this All Blacks team that’s what we want to do leading up to the future,” he said. “That’s the goal. This week’s a big challenge. It’s do-or-die and we want to go out and throw some punches.
“The Bled means so much to not only the All Blacks but the whole of New Zealand. A lot’s on the line. We know that, we feel that, we harness that, and that allows us to fuel our energy and prep throughout the week.
“I think we’ve just got good consistency in our team. We’ve got great leaders, we learned a lot last year. We took a lot of lessons and we tried to rectify that throughout the season. There’s a lot of confidence in our group but also good edge this week to be better.”
Few pleasantries were offered during his swift pre-match photo alongside James Slipper on the Yarra, with the tension between the respective leaders obvious particularly after last year’s controversial finish across town at Marvel Stadium. That’s what happens after two decades of Bledisloe Cup failure.
“I remember it,” Slipper said in reference to Raynal’s controversial decision to award the All Blacks a free kick for time wasting.
“Oh, it hurts. Whenever you don’t get the result, it’s always going to hurt you.
“I guess in the fashion that we kind of blew that game makes it hurt a little bit more. Hopefully we can play a game, which is on our terms, and we don’t have a referee come in and decide it right at the end there.
“It was a great game to be a part of. We absolutely loved playing in Melbourne. The crowd was unbelievable last year and we’re expecting the same tomorrow.”
Bliksem
Roar Rookie
Didn’t know that!
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Nah. My dislikes, Paulo, are profound, justified and well-founded - not like other people’s. :happy: :happy:
gatesy
Roar Guru
Most likely .." pining for the fjords!!.."
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Also Fiji has the option of joining the Commonwealth of Australia. That would give Australia a bigger Army and Navy, for starters.
Cam Watts
Roar Rookie
someone needs a tissue.... :laughing:
WEST
Roar Guru
Haha :rugby: :silly:
Lux Interior
Roar Rookie
Which means Western Australia can finally secede and wash our hands of youse ES ferals!
Ash
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
RayinSydney
Roar Rookie
Given he’s only received 2 yellows and no Reds in his test career, it’s odds on he’ll keep his cool.. And he’s playing one of the most carded teams in world Rugby, hope they keep their collective cool.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Yes just like the cream of the crop of England came to Aus eh Rajah.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Is that kinda like Cows with guns?
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
And the coward’s confession.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Yep… the fighting man’s fuel. :boxing:
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
You assume me too grand OB. I was précis-ing the punch line following ‘I love kiwis - once you get through……..” Eddie may shock us all on the field this year. It surely is something he lives for off the field at least. But Oz rugby fans are starved enough atm that a carrier pigeon drumstick looks kind of nourishing. Eddie! Enough with the menu! Give us something to chew on ffs!
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Nothing good happens after rum o’clock.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
That's if, they don't get lost finding a way out of "hotel california".... tbh chook, it could be "one of these nights" for the wallaby but, they can't "take it easy" or we both know what will happen. To that end, RIP Randy Meisner....he co-wrote some great songs, with the Eagles.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Aha KC!! You've tried NZ Kereru, you sneaky devil you.....but, I agree - you don't get KFC wings with these as you might, with carrier-pigeons.
Wig
Roar Rookie
Im surprised im allowed on here
Bliksem
Roar Rookie
And humble