They won’t say it publicly, but the Wallabies will be kicking themselves for last weekend’s slow start because they might well have blown their best chance of winning back the Bledisloe Cup given this week’s return fixture is in Wellington. Well, that’s if we’re looking at recent history.
Indeed, around the same time the All Blacks chalked up their 50th straight win at Eden Park over Los Pumas last month, their troubles at Wellington’s ‘Cake Tin’ deepened even further a week earlier.
In one of rugby’s most unlikely statistics, the All Blacks went winless in the nation’s capital for the sixth straight Test in a run dating back to when Sonny Bill Williams was sent off against the British and Irish Lions in 2017.
Since that famous Test they’ve also dropped games against the Springboks (2018) and Ireland (2022), as well as drawing to Dave Rennie’s Wallabies in 2020.
Their stunning 38-30 loss to Argentina to start The Rugby Championship was their latest slip-up and given the All Blacks’ frailties over the past month, where they now haven’t scored a point in the last 20 minutes in their past five Tests, there’s a sense that for the first time since the 2007 World Cup that the men in black are vulnerable.
But don’t go telling the Wallabies that the All Blacks are vulnerable, with the playing group conscious not to give their opposition any more motivation.
“I don’t read too much into that,” bruising lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto told reporters on Tuesday.
“I think any team enjoys playing at home, and it’s the All Blacks in New Zealand, so it’s always going to be a tough match.
“History shows that whenever it’s been a tight contest in the first game, the second game always hasn’t gone our way. So we know that we’ve got to better. We understand that.
“It’s not going to be easy. Sold-out crowd here in Wellington at Sky Stadium. NZ back home. So, it’ll be a close game.”
The All Blacks’ record in Wellington is less than pretty. (Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)
Probed once more whether he thought the All Blacks were as beatable as they’ve ever been, Salakaia-Loto played a straight bat.
“People have been talking around stuff like that and a lot about them,” said Salakaia-Loto, who debuted for the Wallabies in 2017.
“The All Blacks in New Zealand, they’re a world-class outfit and I don’t know how many times we have to keep repeating it, but we’ve got to be good enough on the day to win and so that’s on us.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with how the All Blacks are playing or what’s going on inside their camp but we know that come Saturday we’re going to have a tough match against the World Cup finalists last year.”
He added: “I think the pressure’s probably going to come from you guys, if anything.”
By coincidence or design, rugby coaching royalty Wayne Smith arrived in All Blacks camp this week and Scott Robertson and his team will undoubtedly be tapping into the mind of the man known as ‘The Professor’ by the New Zealand rugby community.
Smith’s arrival in camp has only brightened the spotlight already being shined on Robertson’s All Blacks after a less than convincing start under his reign.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto made an eye-catching cameo off the bench against the All Blacks at Accor Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Sydney. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Either way, the All Blacks will be desperate to send Japan-bound duo Sam Cane and TJ Perenara out winners as they prepare for their final Tests on home soil.
Salakaia-Loto, who made a thundering cameo off the bench and stormed over the top of Damian McKenzie in the second half, said the Wallabies had to keep “sharpening the axe” and were expecting the All Blacks to respond.
Both teams are expected to make minor changes, with the All Blacks to be forced into at least one change following inside centre Jordie Barrett’s injury. Chay Fihaki from the Crusaders was added to the squad as cover on Tuesday.
Fortunately, they will get Beauden Barrett back after recovering from illness.
The Wallabies could tweak their forward pack by starting Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, while Dylan Pietsch is set to make his starting debut after being called in ahead of Marika Koroibete.
Christy Doranhttps://https://ift.tt/pnJTgPh Wallabies might have missed best chance to reclaim Bledisloe as All Blacks fight Cake Tin curse
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