In 2008, Deans’ Wallabies beat the All Blacks 34-19 at Homebush, and in 2020, the Wallabies drew 16-all in Wellington in Rennie’s first trans-Tasman clash in rainy Wellington. Reece Hodge had a 55m kick after the siren to claim a first Wallaby win in New Zealand since 2001, but it hit the upright.
The bad news? Deans lost the next ten games on the bounce, and, though Rennie got a win later in 2020, it was his only one from eight Bledisloe games.
Schmidt is different, in that he has hopped directly from the All Blacks camp and into the Wallabies set-up, armed with still-fresh intelligence. The same goes for Cron.
James Horwill scores in the Wallabies’ win over New Zealand in Sydney in 2008.Credit: Jon Reid
But if they’re worried about it, the All Blacks aren’t letting on. Asked if they’d have to change calls and tactics, Ellison said: “There are a few bits, obviously, but I think fundamentally it’s a collision sport. You’ve got to win the big rocks to be in any game of rugby, so that’ll be our focus more than trying to have anything that’s too new.”
Which is another way of saying, ‘It’s one thing knowing what we’ll do, it’s another thing stopping it’.
And with the Wallabies coming off that 67-27 defeat to Argentina, the All Blacks – even after two losses against the Springboks – won’t be overly worried about an Australian upset.
Even the Wallabies aren’t focussing on the value of Schmidt’s knowledge of the All Blacks. After falling apart so badly in Santa Fe, the Wallabies have their hands full with basic jobs this week: patching up their own game and re-building damaged psyches.
Veteran prop Allan Alaalatoa said Schmidt hadn’t provided new insight into the All Blacks.
“Probably nothing that much [that] we haven’t heard before, even with him and Cron,” he said.
Argentina’s Joaquin Oviedo runs with the ball to score a try against Australia in Santa Fe.Credit: AP
“We have to have a preview [of the All Blacks] and understand what’s coming, but I think we need to pour all our energy into ourselves and delivering on what we say we’re going to deliver, over and over again.”
Alaalatoa said reviewing the Santa Fe disaster was “tough” but it gave the Wallabies valuable “learnings” on where it all went wrong – and, on the flipside, what they’re capable of when they execute their gameplan.
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“There definitely is that edge,” Alaalatoa said. “It’s probably fuelled by a little bit of that disappointment. Everyone came in with an edge yesterday and that was only a walkthrough session. We’ve got to make sure we channel that in the right direction.”
Schmidt is expected to recall flanker Fraser McReight into the starting side, and while Hunter Paisami is still not fully fit, the importance of the clash could see him play. Brandon Paenga-Amosa is a chance to return as reserve hooker to offer more scrummaging power from the bench.
Fullback Tom Wright and lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto are both set to return to the side.
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