Star flanker Fraser McReight says the Wallabies will embark on the spring tour bruised but still armed with belief, having taken harsh lessons from a one-sided Bledisloe Cup campaign and knowing they won’t face any sides in the UK with the same attacking potency as the All Blacks.
asserted
they → say → Blacks
Having gone six games undefeated – the latter five under new coach Les Kiss – the Wallabies came down to earth with a giant thud during a brutal eight-day stretch against New Zealand, in which the Kiwis thumped Australia by a combined score of 93-40 in two dominant victories.
asserted
Kiwis → go → victories
The All Blacks effectively repelled the Wallabies’ attack, and were a class above with the ball, scoring 14 tries to six during the series with breakdown dominance and skill.
asserted
Blacks → repel → dominance
Dave Rennie’s side scored six tries in a white-hot opening half at Accor Stadium on Saturday, ending the contest well before half-time.
asserted
side → score → time
The humbling trans-Tasman series was a massive reality check for the Wallabies ahead of a big spring tour in November, in which they will play England, Scotland, Wales and a yet-to-be determined fourth side in the Nations Championship finals.
asserted
they → play → finals
But Australian players were attempting to keep a sense of perspective after Saturday’s game, based on the quality of the All Blacks’ performance, to ensure all confidence gained this winter isn’t stripped away.
asserted
confidence → attempt → performance
“If we were saying we’re going to go into the Bledisloe unbeaten, we’re taking that,” McReight said.
asserted
McReight → say → that
“We beat some really good teams, had some tough opposition and some tough, close games.
asserted
We → beat → opposition
They’re top two in the world and I don’t think there’s many teams that attack like that: very fast and direct and decisive.
asserted
that → ’re → that
“It was a great test for us, and we learned a lot last week, albeit the scoreline wasn’t great.
asserted
scoreline → learn → lot
Same for today, we’ll learn a lot.
asserted
we → learn → lot
You just can’t give a team 22 points – given they’re the top two in the world – can’t give them 22 points head start.”
asserted
they → give → start
McReight repeated the point about the potency of the world No.2 All Blacks when asked about the Wallabies’ belief heading into the spring tour.
asserted
McReight → repeat → tour
“No other teams in the northern hemisphere that we’re versing – I guess Scotland maybe a little bit, but not at the ABs’ level – attack like that,” he said.
“
asserted
he → verse → that
So for us, we’re versing the best and adapting to the best, so what’s next rung?
asserted
rung → verse → best
England’s first up, they love a high high-kick game, they’ve got some big forwards, quick outside backs.
asserted
they → ’ → forwards
“It is tough over there, but we really relish northern hemisphere teams and especially playing in England.
asserted
we → relish → England
In ’24 we had a great win and last year we’re in that match until the kind of 65th minute, and it kind of went away from us.
asserted
it → have → us
So the belief is there, and we’ve just got to keep working and taking lessons.
asserted
we → get → lessons
“Lessons” are a modern-day go-to for a losing dressing room, but the return of several significant starting players for the spring tour will provide a more tangible boost for the Wallabies.
asserted
return → lose → Wallabies
Coach Les Kiss confirmed Carter Gordon (broken leg), Hunter Paisami (suspension), Len Ikitau (concussion) and Ben Donaldson (groin) will all be good to tour, and Tom Hooper and Taniela Tupou will also rejoin the squad after stints with their clubs.
asserted
Hooper → confirm → clubs
Halfback Ryan Lonergan conceded the confidence of the Wallabies had taken a “pretty big hit”, but said they’d been provided with “a good wake-up call” by the All Blacks about being clinical when given chances to score.
asserted
they → concede → chances
The Wallabies had small windows to remain in the fight against the Kiwis, by scoring and building scoreboard pressure, but mostly failed to execute.
asserted
Wallabies → have → pressure
“It’s a great challenge to be able to play the All Blacks twice.
asserted
It → ’ → Blacks
Now we know where we’re at,” Lonergan said.
asserted
Lonergan → know → where
“You miss the mark a little bit against the All Blacks, they make you pay with the pace that they play at.
asserted
they → miss → that
We know that even through Super Rugby that if you’re a little bit off, particularly around that collision area, they can make you pay because they’re such good footballers.”
asserted
they → know → area
Rennie conceded New Zealand had focused on winning the breakdown, to negate the effectiveness of McReight, who he rated as “the best in the world” at poaching and disrupting a team’s recycle speed.
asserted
he → concede → speed
Having either been targeted by runners to make a tackle (he made a team high 19 in Sydney and 16 in Auckland) or with arriving players cleaning him out, McReight failed to win a single turnover in Sydney, and two successes in Auckland amounted to nought given the All Blacks had the penalty advantage.
asserted
Blacks → target → advantage
“I didn’t really get too many clean opportunities to be fair.
asserted
I → get → opportunities
I tried to make a mess of it a lot of times,” McReight said.
asserted
McReight → try → times
Of the many lessons learnt, Lonergan said an important one was being more clinical when on attack in the opponent’s quarter.
asserted
one → learn → quarter
Several try-scoring opportunities were either lost through poor skill execution, passing choices or just the ability to keep dominating contact.
asserted
opportunities → score → contact
“Previously this year, we’ve stayed quite patient and we’ve been really, really good down there in that zone,” Lonergan said.
asserted
Lonergan → stay → zone
“The last couple of weeks, we’re just missing that execution a little bit.
asserted
we → miss → execution
It’s as simple as a pass sometimes.
asserted
It → ’ → pass
Our structures down there in that zone haven’t changed much – credit to their defence.
asserted
structures → change → defence
They’ve really sent the two into that contact and slowed our ball down.”
asserted
They → send → ball
The Aporia
