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Wallabies written off by Aussie bookmakers with 'near-hopeless' odds of win
By AAP
Believing in rugby miracles, the Wallabies have dismissed bookmakers writing them off as near-hopeless 22-1 outsiders of snapping a 22-year, 28-match winless run in New Zealand.
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The Wallabies are across the Tasman needing to reverse last Saturday night’s 38-7 drubbing in Melbourne as they bid to defeat the All Blacks in New Zealand for the first time since 2001.
The average losing margin during that barren run is 18.25 points, prompting one Australian betting agency to list the All Blacks as $1.01 sure things to win again in Dunedin on Saturday.
Almost unheard of in sports betting, the Wallabies are paying $23 to pull off a boilover, with the All Blacks fancied to cruise home by 24 points or more.
“I don’t know if that means much to us, to be honest,” Wallabies hooker Dave Porecki said on Tuesday.
“We’re looking to build this week and what the odds are, the odds are. I’m not a betting man.”
In a possible omen, the last time Australia conquered the All Blacks in NZ was in Dunedin during Eddie Jones’ first stint as Wallabies coach.
Jones is back at the helm and Porecki said the Wallabies had been buoyed by their performance in Bledisloe I at the MCG, despite the scoreline blowing out after a promising start.
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“Whilst we’re frustrated with the result, we are building in the right direction and there are elements in our game that we are happy with,” Porecki said.
“But against a team like the All Blacks you need to stay in it for 80 minutes.
“That’s our main focus. Turn that first half, first 30 minutes, into a longer period of play.
“We’ve shown what we’re capable of as a team and it’s exciting for us.”
Apart from an 18-18 draw under Dave Rennie in Wellington in 2020, the All Blacks have been especially ruthless against Australia in Bledisloe Cup encounters at home over the past decade.
Emotions are set to be running extra high at Forsyth Barr Stadium this weekend when a raft of champion All Blacks, including Beauden Barrett, Sam Whitelock and coach Ian Foster, feature in their final Test match in New Zealand.
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That could spell trouble for the Wallabies, even if they visitors are dismissing the home-crowd fervour as a factor.
“We respect the All Blacks and (them) playing at home but we’re looking to get after it this week and it doesn’t particularly matter where the venue is,” Porecki said.
The match is Australia’s last before heading to France for the Rugby World Cup, offering the Wallabies one final chance to make a statement to Jones before he settles on his 33-man squad for the global showpiece.
“Everyone’s just thinking about the next game, not really the selection part of things,” Porecki said.
“We’re all pretty focused on trying to back up after those first three losses (this year).
“We’ve got a lot to make up for.”