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The stunning Aaron Smith stat that counts against the Wallabies
The Wallabies will be out to change 35 years of history at Eden Park on Saturday night in their Bledisloe Cup opener with the All Blacks.
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New Zealand, in contrast, will be celebrating it.
Aaron Smith will become just the 10th All Blacks player to notch 100 tests when he runs out in Auckland.
Right alongside Smith will be captain Sam Whitelock, the only other current Kiwi centurion, just as he was 19 years ago.
The pair first met on the way to their first day of high school in Feilding, a town of 17,000 people set in the beautiful rolling hills of the Manawatu.
“I remember it really clearly,” Whitelock said.
“Walking across the school grounds and little short Maori boy with a big afro yelling out at me going, ‘Oh bro, are you coming here?
“I was like, ‘I’m dressed in school uniform walking to the first day of school so it’s pretty obvious’.”
Halfback Smith, 35cm shorter than the imposing Whitelock, would take two years longer than his school mate to represent the All Blacks.
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“It’s pretty cool that we’ve both gone down different pathways, but we’re both here together,” Whitelock said.
“It’s pretty humbling for ourselves, but also the school and the community.
“People don’t see his hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
“He is the guy that’s always writing things down, putting a plan together and making sure that everything he’s doing is for the betterment of the team.”
Smith has played more than twice the number of test matches than the entire Wallabies backline selected by Dave Rennie: just one of the reasons Australia will start as underdogs against the Kiwis.
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The other chief reason would be 35 years of hurt.
Not since 1986 have the Wallabies beaten New Zealand at Eden Park, a run which has helped keep the coveted Bledisloe Cup trophy in New Zealand since 2003.
One factor that could help Rennie’s side snap the streak: the weather.
Australia secured a heart-stopping 16-16 draw with New Zealand on their first-up Test in New Zealand last year, achieved in ferocious winds and rain at Wellington’s Sky Stadium.
A gale force wind warning issued for Auckland on Saturday was not lost on All Blacks coach Ian Foster.
“(Australia are) a very committed physical ruck and run type team,” he said.
“They’ve spoken about dominating us up front and playing a fast physical game.
“The Wellington Test last year, my recollection was there was a lot of rain and wind and it was a very different game. The ball was swirling around.
“Hopefully we get a slightly different day here.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar 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.
35 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
35 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
35 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.
35 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.
35 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.
35 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.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments