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'Incredibly disappointing': Dave Rennie blasts Kellaway reporting
The scoreline 57-22. The headline, “Kia Aura”.
The baseline for Australian rugby? Back to square one.
Dave Rennie’s Wallabies headed straight for Perth on Sunday after their Bledisloe Cup humiliation in Auckland on Saturday night.
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A year after their record 36-0 whitewash in Sydney, Ian Foster had set another benchmark: the All Blacks‘ biggest score against Australia in 118 years.
More than just winning the match, New Zealand won the mental war.
Whether trash talk or just careless chat, the barbs from the Wallabies in the lead-up to Bledisloe II were certainly noticed by the All Blacks.
Andrew Kellaway’s throwaway suggestion the New Zealanders had lost their aura, and Jordan Uelese’s cack-handed call the pressure was on the All Blacks were bold given Australia’s record at Eden Park.
“They probably believed that after last week, and I can see why,” Foster said after Saturday’s big win.
“We opened the door a little bit for them (in Bledisloe I) so it was important we made a statement tonight.”
Kellaway at least walked the walk after talking the talk; scoring a double to make it three tries in two tests.
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It wasn't all doom and gloom for the Wallabies in their defeat at the hands of the All Blacks. #Wallabies #NZLvAUShttps://t.co/dXH8oUFqy6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 14, 2021
Rennie fumed at how the statements made their way into the All Blacks dressing room via Australian media, calling it “disappointing reporting”.
“You’ve got a young player who’s played about three tests who gets asked about playing the All Blacks at Eden Park and over a five-minute interview they pluck out three or four words to make a headline,” he said.
“What Kels is saying is last week he was heading into the unknown. The All Blacks at Eden Park, how tough is that? But now we get to play them at the same venue.
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“Incredibly disappointing for a Sydney reporter to make a massive headline out of from a young player who’s just finding his way.
“Clearly we’re not going to try and entice the All Blacks to fire up anymore they normally do.”
Foster, in his second season as coach after a long stint as Steve Hansen’s assistant, chuckled at the media game-within-a-game.
“You guys love that. You play the game. You give us what they say and you want us to respond. It’s fun,” he said.
“In reality, it doesn’t change a lot of our preparation. All it does is probably reflect on where they’re at and what they’re thinking. It does give us a little bit of an insight.”
Asked whether Saturday night’s demolition of the Wallabies was his finest moment in the job, Foster deferred.
“I haven’t thought of that. Sydney last year was pretty good,” he deadpanned.
Perhaps wisely, the Wallabies flew directly to Western Australia early on Sunday morning.
They left with their tail between their legs: without giving interviews beyond their post-match requirements.
Game three, a Bledisloe dead rubber but a live Rugby Championship fixture, is set for Optus Stadium on August 28.
– Ben McKay
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments