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'We believe': Why Wallabies are ready to upset 'beatable' All Blacks
After falling to a disastrous defeat in front of almost 84,000 fans at the MCG last weekend, the wounded Wallabies believe they can turn it around against a “beatable” All Blacks outfit.
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Australia, who lost star props Allan Alaalatoa and Taniela Tupou to injuries at the ‘G, couldn’t convert pressure into points as they succumbed to a 38-7 defeat.
It was the Wallabies’ third defeat in as many Tests under legendary coach Eddie Jones. They risk falling to an 0-4 record if they fail to beat the in-form All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday.
Rugby fans and even bookmakers may have cast the Wallabies aside to practically near-impossible odds of a win, but the men in gold “believe” even if others don’t.
“We believe they’re beatable,” Wallaby Samu Kerevi told reporters. “They’re a class side and a great team but we believe in our gameplan, we believe in the squad and the talent that we have.
“We’ll go out there and put our best foot forward.
“Any team on any day can be beaten, we saw that at the last World Cup and even leading up to all these Test matches. We’ll just have to play our best game.
“You can’t let too much pressure off on a team like that and last week we just couldn’t do that well enough.”
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The Wallabies started their new era under coach Jones with a disastrous defeat at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria last month, before returning home to face Argentina at Sydney’s CommBank Stadium.
But, at least on the scoreboard, that wasn’t a successful outing either.
Playing against Los Pumas, who were coached by former Wallabies boss Michael Cheika, Australia shot out of the blocks with an early try to Len Ikitau.
But the star centre left the field shortly after with an injury – a blow that has ruled Ikitau out of both Bledisloe Cup Tests. The Wallabies failed to fill the void that Ikitau left – going on to lose a thriller.
Australia fell to another defeat in their third and final Rugby Championship fixture, with the All Blacks overcoming a valiant performance the Wallabies.
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But let the record show, as things stand, the Wallabies are 0-3 under coach Jones.
“After a few losses like that the team gets a bit hurt and gets a bit down but Eddie’s been so great in that space,” Kerevi added. “We understand it’s unacceptable to get those results.
“The way he’s come hard on us in terms of our own standards, building habits, and we can only do that through training. He’s been hard on us at training and it’s not just him, it’s more the squad and us being hard on each other.
“The byproduct of that will just be the results on the weekend.
“We play class sides every week, especially in this Rugby Championship. We’ve got Argentina, South Africa and the All Blacks of course. It’s always going to be a tough match for us but we’re looking forward to that and those challenges ahead.”
The All Blacks clash with the Wallabies at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium kicks off at 2.35 pm (NZST) on Saturday afternoon.
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
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