Greg Growden Chief Rugby Correspondent | October 26, 2009


TOKYO: The Wallabies have promised to penetrate the All Blacks fortress and end a near four-hour try-scoring drought in their Bledisloe Cup Test at the National Stadium here on Saturday night.

The Australian team management need no reminder that the one-time entertainers have had a dismal trans-Tasman series, with a 3-0 drubbing so far being emphasised by the Wallabies only scoring one try against the All Blacks this season - and that occurred in the opening minutes of the first Test.

After Berrick Barnes scored in the fourth minute of the Auckland Test in July, there were no more tries in the match, or in the following internationals in Sydney and Wellington, where all their points came from Matt Giteau penalties and a solitary field goal from Barnes.

This means when the Wallabies run on this weekend for their historic Tokyo international, it would have been 236 minutes since they last crossed the All Blacks' line.

A disconcerting statistic, but it is not one which is giving Wallabies coach Robbie Deans any sleepless nights. He explained yesterday that the Wallabies were not the only high-profile side struggling to score on a consistent basis.

''It is a reflection of a couple of things, including the intensity and closeness of the competition and the law adjustments,'' Deans said.

''Overall, we scored eight tries in the Tri Nations tournament, while the All Blacks scored nine and the Springboks 10. So there's not a lot in it … but yes, we would like to be scoring more. Nonetheless this is not something which just pertains to us. Every side is finding it difficult to score, including the All Blacks and Springboks.''

However, Deans added that the Wallabies were not keen to suffer a try dearth for too much longer.

''The balance of our game really needs to improve and that's what we've worked hard at lately,'' Deans said. ''Hopefully that will be evident soon. I have no doubt that if we do get the balance of our game right, it will manifest itself in more tries.''

This has prompted Deans and his selectors - David Nucifora and Jim Williams - to ponder whether to change the team's attacking format, with the most obvious transformation being the anticipated switch between Giteau and Barnes at No.10 and inside-centre.

Deans again hinted yesterday that Barnes was likely to get more time at five-eighth. The changes won't end there, with Adam Ashley-Cooper expected to be moved to fullback, allowing Ryan Cross to return at No.13. The selectors realise that against the All Blacks it is imperative to have midfield bulk, while speed is required out wide, which makes Digby Ioane a strong possibility to take one wing spot.


But it also requires the Wallabies to be confrontational up front, more dominant at the breakdown and be able to make the right decisions when under stress.
''The most obvious point of difference between the two teams has been the All Blacks' effectiveness around the contact and their composure under pressure,'' Deans said. ''That is what we have to master and be more effective at.

''The All Blacks have been the benchmark in the game for a long time, and the reason for that is their consistency. That is what we're trying to master not only within the 80 minutes, but also between games.''

Deans is known to be disappointed in the Wallabies' inability to string two good performances together. Clearly the most distressing moment of the season was when the Wallabies wasted the momentum created by defeating the Springboks in Brisbane by falling apart in Wellington two weeks later.

When asked the reason behind the players' fluctuating efforts in Brisbane and Wellington, Deans replied: ''Reading their own press.

''Those two performances were so stark, it was evident there was very much a mental component involved. The Springboks and All Blacks are very mature and there they may have a small advantage over us. But we are chasing that.''



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