0
Australia has lost its last seven Tests against New Zealand
- Wayne Smith
- From: The Australian
- July 26, 2010 12:00AM
THE Wallabies may have edged in front of South Africa in Tri-Nations history but against the All Blacks, they only get it half right.
Going into the Brisbane Test, Australia and South Africa were locked together at 17 Tri-Nations wins apiece against each other, with one drawn, but although the Wallabies inched ahead in that regard, they still find themselves trailing the second-placed Springboks on the IRB world rankings, albeit by less than a point now.
But they didn't need former All Blacks captain Taine Randell to tell them that their home victory over the Springboks was the easiest one they can expect in this year's Tri-Nations. Indeed, Randell, writing in the Kiwi press, went further, suggesting it would be Australia's only Tri-Nations success. "Nothing I saw from the Wallabies suggested to me they'd be anywhere near the All Blacks in their three Tests against them and they won't stand much of a chance when they go to South Africa for two Tests (both on the high veld)," Randell wrote.
How well the Wallabies cope with the altitude in South Africa might very well depend on whether they can adjust to the heights in a metaphorical sense by beating the All Blacks over the next two weekends, in Melbourne and Christchurch.
Australia has lost its past seven Tests to New Zealand and what makes it even more galling is that in five of those Tests they led at half-time before capitulating. And coach Robbie Deans isn't expecting it to get any easier.
"They are tactically pretty diverse, they're always cunning and finding new devious ploys and are very fit and relentless," said Deans yesterday of the All Blacks. "We know it will be a mental test as much as a physical one. We don't fear the opportunity that's coming -- this group is really excited about it."
Certainly, every Wallabies player would have drawn confidence from the Brisbane victory, in particular the three whose Test futures were most under a cloud: winger Drew Mitchell, number eight Richard Brown and lock Dean Mumm.
Indeed, Mitchell's career flashed before his eyes in that frozen second while he juggled the ball three times on the South African tryline before gathering it in safely to score.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225896764385
Reply With Quote
