“I’ve no worries about supposedly poking the bear with a stick,†McKenzie, who
has named an unchanged side, said. “We want New Zealand to bring their A
game to the contest because we will be bringing ours. That is what it is all
about.â€
Australia will certainly have to do that for they have suffered repeated
misery at Eden Park since their last victory there in 1986. The stats
indicate that the All Blacks will start as warm favourites on the back of an
unbeaten streak in Auckland against all comers that stretches back to 1994
and includes, 32 successive victories.
Pivotal: Kurtley Beale will be pulling the strings from fly-half for
Australia
The Wallabies will need all the idiosyncratic magic of Kurtley Beale at
fly-half, the unique athletic genius of Israel Folau at full-back and the
ferocious endeavour of their captain, Michael Hooper, on the flank.
And the Wallaby scrum will have to stand up and be counted. The Kiwis have
spent much of the build-up railing against last week’s displat by the South
African referee Jaco Peyper, and deserve credit for their chutzpah if
nothing else, as many have felt that they have had the rub of the green from
officials down the years.
Flashpoint: New Zealand felt harshly treated at the scrum in Sydney
Even so, they felt that they were harshly treated, at the scrum in particular,
and Steve Hansen, their head coach, has been on the front foot in pointing
that out. Australia have long had a fault line running through their tight
scrum and will be mindful that Saturday’s referee, Roman Poite, of France,
punished them mercilessly in the decisive third Lions’ Test last year.
New Zealand have made three changes, two of them injury-enforced, with Ryan
Crotty replacing Ma’a Nonu in midfield and Liam Messam coming in on the
flank for Jerome Kaino. Conrad Smith returns at centre.
Tough of class: Conrad Smith returns to the All Black midfield
The All Blacks rarely mis-fire in successive matches, although England got
within a point, 28-27, in the second Test in Dunedin after a humdinger at
Eden Park seven days earlier. The third Test proved to be a different matter
entirely, New Zealand obliterating England, 36-13. They are looking to reach
those heights again. “We need to go up 10 or 12 notches,†Hansen said.
The world champions have lost only once (to England at Twickenham in 2012)
since claiming the title in Auckland in 2011. The Wallabies have drawn with
them twice in that time. They will have to improve even on those
performances if their Eden Park bogey is to be banished.
Danger man: Israel Folau can cause havoc from full-back
In today’s other Rugby Championship game, Argentina will be looking to claim
their maiden victory in the tournament, two years after they were admitted
to what was the Tri-nations. They lost 13-6 to South Africa at a rain-soaked
Pretoria last weekend but with Juan Martin Fernandez back in midfield will
be hoping to test the Springbok defence on home ground in Salta. South
Africa have made three changes, with prop Gurthro Steenkamp, lock Eben
Etzebeth and Toulon back-rower Juan Smith all called up.
——————————————————————————————
Match details
New Zealand v Australia (Eden Park, Auckland, 8.30am BST, Sky Sports 3)
New Zealand: Ben Smith; Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ryan Crotty, Julian
Savea; Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles, Owen Franks,
Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Liam Messam, Richie McCaw (capt), Kieran
Read. Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Steven
Luatua, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Malakai Fekitoa
Australia: Israel Folau; Pat McCabe, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Toomua,
Rob Horne; Kurtley Beale, Nic White; James Slipper, Nathan Charles, Sekope
Kepu, Sam Carter, Rob Simmons, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper (capt),Wycliff
Palu. Replacements: James Hanson, Pek Cowan, Ben Alexander, Will Skelton,
Scott Higginbotham, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Tevita Kuridrani.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Argentina v South Africa (Salta, 9pm BST, Sky Sports 3)
Argentina: Joaquin Tuculet; Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Marcelo Bosch,
Juan Martin Hernandez, Manuel Montero; Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo;
Marcos Ayerza, Agustin Creevy (capt), Ramiro Herrera, Mariano Galarza,
Thomas Lavanini, Paul Matera, 7uan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Juan Manuel
Leguizamon. Replacements: Matias Cortese, Bruno Postiglioni, Nahuel Tetaz
Chaparro, Matias Alemanno, Leonardo Senatore, Tomas Cubelli, Jeronimo de la
Fuente, Horacio Agulla.
South Africa: Willie le Roux; Cornal Hendricks, Damian de Allende, Jean
de Villiers (capt), Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Ruan Pienaar, Gurthro
Steenkamp, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de
Jager, Francois Louw, Juan Smith, Duane Vermeulen. Replacements: Adriaan
Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira, Frans Malherbe, Bakkies Botha, Marcell Coetzee,
Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Lwazi Mvovo.
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Article source: http://www.skysports.com/rugbyunion/match_preview/0,,11069_64019_1,00.html
Rugby Championship 2014: Australia fired up to end 28 years of pain at New ...
No comments:
Post a Comment