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Wallabies -vs- All Blacks
Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
Kick off times:
4:30pm (Local) Sat 31 Oct
7:30pm (AEDT) Sat 31 Oct
Head to Head:
Played 159 - New Zealand 109 - Australia 45 - Draws 5
The historic Bledisloe Cup clash in Tokyo this Saturday night (7.30pm AEDT) is a difficult assignment for the Qantas Wallabies.
And it was not made any easier by the ankle injury, sustained at training on Thursday, to vice-captain and co-playmaker Berrick Barnes.
The new Waratah was earmarked to play a big role against New Zealand, swapping with Matt Giteau at flyhalf during the game, but now he will miss the full tour.
With Barnes out, the Men of Gold’s Mr Fix-It, Adam Ashley-Cooper, moves from fullback to outside centre, giving the Wallabies Rookie of the Year, James O’Connor, another chance to start at fullback.
Taking O’Connor’s place on the bench is versatile young Queensland Reds playmaker, Quade Cooper who is not a bad player to have on the bench judging by his performances on last year’s end of year tour.
And Giteau, the John Eales Medallist, assumes Barnes vice-captain duties, ironic after the fracas that erupted after the Brumbies playmaker was originally “passed over” for the role.
It all makes the job of new Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom, to start his tenancy off with a win, that much harder.
The rugged once Waratah now Brumby via Leinster will be desperate to kick off his reign as Australia’s 76th Test captain with a victory over the old enemy.
But he meets an All Blacks team that is fired up and just as determined to get their end of season tour off with a win – as well as maintain a winning run over the Wallabies that stretches back to July 2008 when Deans recorded his only victory (to date) as coach against his countrymen – ironically at his first attempt.
Since then the All Blacks have notched up six wins in a row against Australia and if they do the same on Saturday night it will equal the run of seven wins between 1995 and 1997.
In many ways it is the start of a new era for Australian Rugby – a new captain in Elsom, the sort of captain who talks softly and carries a very big stick, just ask anyone who’s tried to tackle him or been tackled by him.
And gone from the squad, due to a mixture of injury and selection, are gallant warriors who have served Australian Rugby valiantly in the last decade – Phil Waugh, Nathan Sharpe and Al Baxter.
That noble trio may fight their way back into the gold jersey next year, they’ve certainly done it before, but for now the Wallabies have a very new look about their line up.
Names that had hardly rated a mention at international level 12 months ago are now regulars in the 22 – Brumbies prop Ben Alexander, O’Connor, Queensland Reds winger Peter Hynes, Force centre Ryan Cross, Reds scrumhalf Will Genia and most notable of all – Force flanker David Pocock.
It is the elevation of the 181cm, 101kg 21-year-old from Zimbabwe, who goes by the moniker of ‘Bam Bam’, to the starting XV ahead of the 100 cap plus legendary George Smith that has raised the most eyebrows this week – in both camps.
But for Deans the future starts now. And that the future will be bright there can be little doubt.
Deans record is too good and the young talent in the squad too impressive to say that the Wallabies won't be very strong challengers for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
But the fans and players need some success now. Can the Men of Gold deliver it in Tokyo on Saturday night ?
As All Blacks maestro Dan Carter said during the week – the key will be the breakdowns and how Pocock can nullify the great Richie McCaw in the pilfering stakes.
Heinrich Brussow managed it for the World Champion Springboks during this year’s Bundaberg Rum Tri-Nations – which played a large part in the South African’s 3-0 whitewash of the All Blacks, the first since 1949.
If Pocock can be as successful as Brussow, who co-incidentally displaced a Bok legend in Schalk Burger from their starting XV, it will play a large part in a positive result for the Wallabies.
The set-pieces will be crucial with the Wallabies needing to hold their own at scrum time and put pressure on the All Blacks lineout, which has dis-integrated spectacularly at certain times during the season – most noticeably against the Springboks.
The All Blacks have sought to remedy that by swapping coaching roles with Head coach Graham Henry now looking after the forwards, with former forward coach Steve Hansen now in charge of the backs.
But the Wallabies locks – James Horwill and Mark Chisholm, must dominate the near-new All Blacks pairing of Brad Thorn and youngster Tom Donnelly.
In something of a surprise Rodney So’oialo has returned to No.8 in the place of the impressive Keiran Read but with giant Highlanders flanker Adam Thomson in the starting XV, New Zealand do have a number of options at lineout time.
Young Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau must also continue his improving accuracy of finding the Australian jumpers.
In the end the match will come down to two factors – experience and hunger.
The All Blacks clearly have the edge on experience with names like McCaw, Carter, So’oialo, Mils Muliaina, Thorn and Tony Woodcock in the line up - even without the injured Ali Williams and Keven Mealamu.
And in Wellington the All Blacks had the edge on hunger as well after falling to the Boks the week previously.
The 33-6 reverse in that game was deceptive – with some late tries to the home side over inflating the margin.
It’s hard seeing the margin being that large again but this is a very difficult game for the Wallabies.
If the Men of Gold are to snap their losing streak against the men of black – they will have to play out of their skins and then some.
And if they do that – achieveing the Grand Slam becomes a considerably more attainable goal.
The Qantas Wallabies:
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs),
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies),
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds),
5. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies),
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, (C) ),
7. David Pocock (Western Force),
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs),
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds),
10. Matt Giteau (Western Force),
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds),
12. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies),
13. Ryan Cross (Western Force),
14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds),
15. James O’Connor (Western Force),
16. Stephen Moore (Brumbies),
17. Matt Dunning (Western Force),
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs),
19. George Smith (Brumbies),
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs),
21. Drew Mitchell (Western Force),
22. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
New Zealand:
1. Tony Woodcock,
2. Andrew Hore,
3. Neemia Tialata,
4. Brad Thorn,
5. Tom Donnelly,
6. Adam Thomson,
7. Richie McCaw (C),
8. Rodney So'oialo,
9. Jimmy Cowan,
10. Daniel Carter,
11. Sitivenu Sivivatu,
12. Ma'a Nonu,
13. Conrad Smith,
14. Cory Jane,
15. Mils Muliaina,
16. Corey Flynn,
17. John Afoa,
18. Jason Eaton,
19. Kieran Read,
20. Brendon Leonard,
21. Stephen Donald,
22. Tamati Ellison.
Date: Saturday, October 31
Kick-off: 17:30 (09:30 GMT) (7.35pm, AEST)
Venue: Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert, Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan)
Television match officials: Akihisa Aso (Japan)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)
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Was the wait worth it - Ya betta baby 
Originally Posted by Coach
