Reece Hodge said the Wallabies will focus on not giving New Zealand freebies by dropping so much ball and he got started by diving on loose talk that the All Blacks may be “vulnerable” in Perth.
Former Wallabies flanker Phil Waugh offered some sticky commentary on Monday night on FoxSports, where he questioned whether the All Blacks’ dominance had waned after drawing with South Africa two weeks ago, and narrowly beating Argentina the week before.
He didn’t say the All Blacks were vulnerable - that was the media summary of Waugh’s comments - but it was more than enough to be happily gobbled up by the Kiwi team and media, who happily feast on such chat as typical Australian hubris.
Asked about the vulnerable line on Tuesday, Hodge played fireman for the Wallabies and hosed down any notion of the Australian team holding the same view.
"It’s no mean feat to go over to Argentina and win a Test match. They are a class team these days and South Africa have had some very close battles over the past couple of years. I definitely wouldn’t say they’re vulnerable,” Hodge said.
"We are confident in ourselves and what we’re trying to do but they’re going to be extremely confident themselves as well.
"They would have been trialling a few things ahead of the World Cup. I’m sure they’re confident that’s going to come to fruition on Saturday. I don’t think they’ll be talking about any vulnerability in the camp.”
After a disappointing start in Johannesburg, the Wallabies turned in an improved effort to beat Argentina 16-10 in Brisbane but there can be no getting carried away.
The Wallabies only scored one try, and while they defended well, Australia also continued to cough up a mountain of possession.
After 24 turnovers at Ellis Park, the Wallabies gave up another 19 at Suncorp; and the common denominator in a succession of one-sided All Black wins over the past three years has been excessive turnovers.
The Aussies have averaged 17 turnovers per game against New Zealand since, and across 11 Tests, the average score has been 30-14.
"You’d be mad not to address that part of your game,” Hodge said.
"The past couple of weeks we’ve probably let ourselves down.
"The main area of disappointment has been when we’ve forced those turnovers with the defence, we’ve given it straight back to the opposition.
"For us this week we need to consolidate that ball when we do earn the ball back through our defence and really try to hold onto it and try and create some pressure and momentum of our own with the ball.
"That’s a big focus for us this weekend and we know how dangerous New Zealand can be if you let them have loose ball.”
The All Blacks are expected to field a full-strength team in Perth after splitting up their squads to play in Argentina and at home against South Africa on consecutive weekends.
Steve Hansen was attempting to juggle travel with the fact the Crusaders had won the Super Rugby title in the preceding weeks but assistant coach Ian Foster said there’d been a noticeable improvement since they’d trimmed back the wider squad for the Bledisloe Cup.
"It certainly felt in the last few Tests we were a couple of weeks behind South Africa, for example, in preparation. They looked like they were a team who’d been together a bit more than us and kind of knew their game a bit better than ours.
"There is a positive on that side of it. Now, it does feel good to narrow it down a little bit. You can just feel the team tightening up a bit and particularly, there is always an excitement when you play Australia. They’re special games for both teams.”
Asked how the Wallabies would be different without Israel Folau, Foster played a relatively straight bat.
"I don’t know the answer to that question because we haven’t done it yet,” Foster said.
"When you go through a normal analysis you always look at strengths and weaknesses and you prepare accordingly.
"They’ve been a team who used, the aerial part of their game has been pretty big when he’s been there. It’s probably less big now that he’s not. So that part has changed.
"But the rest I am not sure a lot more has changed. It’s like anyone. When you lose a player, you find someone else and you may tweak the job description a little bit but generally the job is pretty similar.”
The Wallabies take on New Zealand at Optus Stadium, Perth, on Saturday August 10, kicking off at 5;45pm local, 7;45pm AEST, with the Wallaroos-Black Ferns kicking off at 3pm local, 5pm AEST. The Wallabies are LIVE on Network Ten, FOX SPORTS, Kayo Sports and RUGBY.com.au RADIO while the Wallaroos will be shown on FOX SPORTS, Kayo Sports and via RUGBY.com.au RADIO.
