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Rain gives All Blacks advantage

Kasper

Bench
Messages
3,362
August 15, 2003

THE Wallabies concede that rain soaking Auckland will give New Zealand an advantage in tomorrow's must-win Bledisloe Cup Test encounter.

Rain has fallen steadily over Eden Park today, and is predicted to continue during tomorrow's Test, which Australia must win to retain the coveted trans-Tasman silverware for the sixth successive year.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones said today his side would be forced to change its game plan to accommodate the wet conditions, while the All Blacks could retain the style that has seen them successfully defend their Tri-Nations title without a loss.

New Zealand plays an expansive game to utilise attacking weapons such as winger Joe Rokocoko, who has scored 11 tries in just six Tests, including a hattrick against the Wallabies last month.

But Jones said the home side also averaged more than 30 kicks a game, while Australia was more accustomed to running rugby.

``They're a high kicking side, generally sides that play in wet weather like to kick a lot so I can't see it changing their game style,'' Jones said of the rain.

Australia struggled with tactical kicking during its 50-21 loss in the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney.

Five-eighth Stephen Larkham was unable to find touch on a number of occasions, giving New Zealand's back three of Doug Howlett, Mils Muliaina and Rokocoko the opportunity to strike from broken play, where they are at their most dangerous.

Despite losing 19-11 in wet and windy Dunedin last Saturday, Springboks five-eighth Louis Koen showed how the All Blacks structure could be upset with good placement.

Fullback Muliaina, who was peppered with Koen bombs, is certain to be targeted by the Wallabies in the slippery conditions.

``There were a number of tries they scored from us not kicking well (in Sydney),'' Jones said.

``I think learning from South Africa you've got to kick to the right places with New Zealand and have the right sort of pressure on in those areas and when we kick tomorrow night that'll be the aim of our kicking.''

Larkham and inside centre Elton Flatley will share the kicking duties, while outside centre Mat Rogers and fullback Chris Latham are also options.

Jones said his players had been working overtime on kicking practice.

``We're not where we need to be ... it's something you've just got to keep working on, it's not our natural style of playing the game .''

The Wallabies, including No.8 Toutai Kefu who has battled a calf strain, completed a final training session at Eden Park today, and said the ground was in good shape despite the weather.

Eden Park hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the Wallabies, who've only won four of 17 Tests contested there, the last in 1986.

The match is the final hit-out for both sides before the World Cup, and a likely dress rehearsal with the teams on target to clash in the semi-finals.

But neither was looking past Saturday, with the Bledisloe on the line.

All Blacks skipper Reuben Thorne made his Test debut in 1999, so hasn't held the Cup aloft, with it residing in Australia since 1998.

``There's always pressure and all the players are aware of it, it's been there for the last couple of years,'' Thorne said today.

``The whole country's desperate to get the trophy back and we really want to be a part of it.''

Australia: Chris Latham, Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers, Elton Flatley, Lote Tuqiri, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan (capt), Toutai Kefu, Phil Waugh, George Smith, Daniel Vickerman, David Giffin, Glenn Panoho, Brendan Cannon, Bill Young. Res: Jeremy Paul, Alastair Baxter, Nathan Sharpe, Owen Finegan, Chris Whitaker, Matt Giteau, Matthew Burke.

New Zealand: Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett, Tana Umaga, Joe Rokocoko, Aaron Mauger, Carlos Spencer, Justin Marshall, Jerry Collins, Richie McCaw, Ali Williams, Chris Jack, Reuben Thorne (capt), Greg Somerville, Keven Mealamu, Dave Hewett. Res: Leon MacDonald, Daniel Carter, Steve Devine, Marty Holah, Brad Thorn, Kees Meeuws, Mark Hammett.

www.foxsports.com.au
 

ozbash

Referee
Messages
26,922
how do you work that little gem out , dingling ?

sydney,brisbane and melbourne all have a higher average rainfall than auckland.

wouldnt be the oz media jumping on the media excuse making bandwagon before the game even starts, would it ?
 

Kasper

Bench
Messages
3,362
ozbash said:
how do you work that little gem out , dingling ?

sydney,brisbane and melbourne all have a higher average rainfall than auckland.

wouldnt be the oz media jumping on the media excuse making bandwagon before the game even starts, would it ?
I didn't work that little gem out i was just posting the article for people who might be interested.
 
Messages
2,807
ozbash said:
how do you work that little gem out , dingling ?

sydney,brisbane and melbourne all have a higher average rainfall than auckland.

Really, Ozbash? Seems like every game I watch that's in NZ, it's raining.
 
Messages
760
CanadianSteve said:
ozbash said:
how do you work that little gem out , dingling ?

sydney,brisbane and melbourne all have a higher average rainfall than auckland.

Really, Ozbash? Seems like every game I watch that's in NZ, it's raining.

it didn't rain in dunedin last week
 

AliN

Live Update Team
Messages
3,676
The wet ground didn't diminish the quality oof footy shown by the two top sides.

A great game with a great result =D>
 

JoeD

First Grade
Messages
7,056
I have no idea where the writer of that article is coming from, nor eddeie jones for that matter. On 2 dry grounds we put 50 points on both the wannabies and the boks. In sydney a lot of our tries were from situations where the wannabies kicked to us and we returned them well. the guys in la la land.
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,640
JoeD said:
I have no idea where the writer of that article is coming from, nor eddeie jones for that matter. On 2 dry grounds we put 50 points on both the wannabies and the boks. In sydney a lot of our tries were from situations where the wannabies kicked to us and we returned them well. the guys in la la land.
I agree 100%, this is one of the biggest problem's with AUstralian rugby making excuses even before a ball was kick. How is a team that plays expansive rugby suppose to benefit from wet conditions?
 
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