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'There's certainly things we can build on moving forward that we didn't have in '18'
Michael Cheika says he must shake off bitter Bledisloe Cup disappointment and set about finalising a Rugby World Cup squad on the back of two extreme polar opposite performances from his Wallabies.
Australia’s coach found himself in a familiar position of having to apologise to supporters after the 36-0 whitewash from the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday.
A near-identical team had crushed the world champions 47-26 in Perth seven days earlier, making it even harder to take for those wanting 17 years of Bledisloe Cup heartache to end.
Cheika insisted the result won’t impact on their World Cup hopes in Japan but said it will take time to get over another failed trans-Tasman tilt.
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“Confidence won’t be dented but obviously disappointment is there,” he said.
“Back home everyone was pumped for the game. They were excited after game one and we were so disappointed that we couldn’t give those people what they expected and make them proud of us.
“You have to take it on the chin and make sure if this is going to happen to you, that you understand one or two key things that you take forward so you can be successful.”
The 31-man Wallabies squad will be announced on Friday, forcing Cheika and the selectors to pick over the wreckage of Eden Park and measure it with the superb rugby on show at Perth.
He said it was important not to over-react to the loss, despite being just the second time they’ve been kept scoreless in any Test in 46 years.
“If you’d ask me how I was feeling yesterday, or before the game – I’m feeling really good about the improvements we’ve made,” he said.
“As terribly disappointed as I am about this game, I’m not going to throw those (feelings) away am I?
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“I’ve got to put it into context, keep trying to build on those things and be resilient, don’t let this get you down.”
The only thing Cheika could say with certainty is that his team are better than the Wallabies of 2018, who lost nine of 13 Tests.
That side barely fired a shot but now have a resilience he believes will serve them well in Japan.
“I’m not going to score a positive after a night like tonight but there’s certainly things we can build on moving forward that we didn’t have in ’18,” he added.
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“Yes, you’re going to be sad and disappointed but suck it up and get ready for the next game and build into the World Cup, just how we’ve always planned to.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The game was already over leave the bloke alone ….from a Welsh fan 😀👍
2 Go to commentsShamefully the Toulouse players acted like footballers, falling down feigning injury at the slightest knock. About time refs penalised this play acting.
6 Go to commentsAnother non Scot for the anti Scot Townsend. Soon there will be no Scottish born and bred players in the National team.
1 Go to commentsGreat comeback to the playing field by Richie Mo’unga after the loss of his father. A great performance by Richie . I know him well and he is a great guy. On and off the field one of the greatest for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson would have loved him in his All Black’s side. A very missed player and person.
1 Go to commentsYeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
2 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
6 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
6 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
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