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'Vulnerable All Blacks' - Steve Hansen gets handed all the ammunition he needs for Bledisloe Cup clash

By Online Editors
Steve Hansen. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

By Patrick McKendry, NZ Herald

In the 19th century, the main colony of Perth was built about 20km up the Swan River on a low-lying land of lakes and swamps due to – according to a local historian the Herald encountered here shortly after arrival for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup test – ease of defence.

Any invading ships that made it over the protective sandbar would presumably be vulnerable to attacks on either side of the river.

Cities don’t come much flatter than this one perched on the edge of the Indian Ocean, so it was about making the best of what you’ve got and preparing accordingly.

Which brings us in a very roundabout way to the test between the Wallabies and All Blacks at the magnificent new Optus Stadium built within a clearing kick of the Swan across from the cluster of skyscrapers which mark the central business district of this now prosperous and pleasant place.

That’s because the talk of this All Blacks team being “vulnerable” as suggested by former Wallaby Phil Waugh may have handed All Blacks coach Steve Hansen all the metaphorical ammunition and high ground that he needs in order to find the performance he and his team are craving.

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Former Wallabies skipper Phil Waugh has labelled the All Blacks as “vulnerable”. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

If there was an edge missing from the All Blacks in Buenos Aires and Wellington recently, there is no excuse for it to be absent in a sold-out stadium filled with gold replica jerseys on Saturday.

There are many New Zealanders here but the locals will ensure the All Blacks know they’re in enemy territory and that, combined with what is at stake – a cherished trophy played for over the next two tests – should combine to bring out the best in the visitors.

Talk of vulnerabilities will be music to Hansen’s ears and could lead to smoke coming out of rival coach Michael Cheika’s because nothing provides motivation like criticism, implied or otherwise, from an opposition camp.

“They’re not nearly as dominant as they were – almost to the point where you could say are they the best team in the world at the moment? I really don’t know,” former loose forward Waugh said recently on Australian television.

Shot fired and narrative established, it was down to the Wallabies to attempt to douse the flames, starting with outside back Reece Hodge. A prediction: Neither Hansen nor Cheika will say anything which could be construed as remotely inflammatory when they face the media separately on Thursday.

“I definitely wouldn’t say they’re vulnerable,” Hodge said. “We are confident in ourselves and what we’re trying to do but they’re going to be extremely confident themselves as well.

“They would have been trialling a few things ahead of the World Cup. I’m sure they’re confident that’s going to come to fruition on Saturday.

“I don’t think they’ll be talking about any vulnerability in the camp. It’s up to us to really go out there on Saturday and test them as much as we can.”

Reece Hodge has nullified claims that the All Blacks are “vulnerable”. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The All Blacks and Wallabies have a long and rich playing history which has featured classic tests, huge disappointments for both sides, flare-ups, fist-fights and last-minute winners. The All Blacks won all three tests last year in Sydney, Auckland and Yokohama fairly convincingly, but the year before they needed a last minute try from Beauden Barrett to win an extraordinary test in Dunedin.

The bottom line is the Wallabies last held the Bledisloe Cup in 2002 but have always had the ability to cause the All Blacks difficulties due to their inherent confidence no matter the situation. It is a special rivalry.

“They’re the team that has been really been able to get under our skin the most, probably,” assistant coach Ian Foster said. “They know us well, they’d love to beat us and we know it’s a battle royale.”

Cheika and company may indeed sense the All Blacks are vulnerable, but they would be wise to keep it to themselves this week and next.

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished again with permission.

In other news:

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Jon 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

30 Go to comments
A
Adrian 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

30 Go to comments
T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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