'Haven't been showing up': Ex-All Black and Jeremy Paul lay into Wallabies after Bledisloe defeats

Former All Blacks loose-forward Kieran Read has made his feelings clear about the Wallabies’ recent performances in the Bledisloe Cup, where Les Kiss’ side failed to turn hope into reality.

The Wallabies turned up to Eden Park with confidence after going unbeaten through Kiss’ first five games in charge, including an impressive victory over the Springboks in Perth.

The home side, in front of a huge 73,000-plus crowd at Accor Stadium, struggled to convert early opportunities in the All Blacks’ 22-metre line, and paid the price for it.

Wallabies fullback Tom Wright would no doubt like some of his attacking opportunities back, as his passes lacked the finishing touches. Kiss’ side had a lineout opportunity deep inside the All Blacks’ territory with the visitors only leading by five, which Fraser McReight coughed up.

The All Black centurion was clear he felt the Wallabies missed an amazing opportunity to make a statement against the Kiwis.

“You’ve got a nation that’s jumping in behind you. You’ve got a massive crowd there that’s turning up,” Read said on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby Podcast.

“If I was in the Wallabies team, Nathan Charles on the sideline. Come on, man! Like, you have to show a little bit more than that.”

Read questions their character, explaining that it was obvious they were off mentally in Sydney.

“That’s what I’m talking about: character, about ticker. You know, from them you want them to see, and I think from a Bledisloe Cup point of view, you want them to be in it, and they’ve shown they can.

“They weren’t in it on Saturday. So there are tactical things they can do to get better. Mentally, they are off. I don’t know why, because all the things in that setup and lead–up to that game should have meant that they should have come out of the blocks.

“You got smacked, and you guys just gave up. You know, and I’ve been talking about that more than the structure. You can have the best structure in the world, but unless you actually show up, which they just haven’t been showing up.”

Former Wallabies hooker Jeremy Paul chimed in, agreeing with Read, admitting he turned the game off late in the contest.

“No, I’m with you, Read mate, do you know I haven’t been to a walkout Bledisloe in over a decade?

“I didn’t leave the ground. I turned the TV off. Like I haven’t done that in over a decade, and I’m sorry. This team, like, I love supporting this team, but we had the entire country behind you.”