Bledisloe Cup: Wallabies, All Blacks coaches on best behaviour
WITH coaches Michael Cheika and Steve Hansen on their best behaviour the nastiness and sledging of previous Bledisloe Cup build-ups has been noticeably missing this year.
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UNLIKE previous years, the banter between coaches Michael Cheika and Steve Hansen has been largely absent in the build-up to this Bledisloe Cup encounter.
Aside from Hansen’s absurd claim the Wallabies are favourites for Saturday night’s match at ANZ Stadium — Australia are $4 outsiders — the two free-speaking combatants have not been riling each other.
Cheika has put the onus on his players to turn up and deliver on the field while Hansen has been trying to remind anyone who will listen that the Wallabies won the previous fixture between the sides last October.
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Tensions between Cheika and Hansen have been high since the Australian coach led the side in his first Bledisloe campaign in 2015, the same year both sides contested the World Cup final.
Relations have been particularly strained in recent years as the Kiwi media baited Cheika for his passionate explosions in the coaches box, the underlying accusations of planting listening devices and Hansen having prior knowledge of the Wallabies’ team selections.
But this year there has been a distinct lack of sledge. Hansen continued to talk up the Wallabies on Thursday, saying his players would not be lulled into a false sense of security despite winning their past two matches in Sydney by scores of 54-34 and 42-8.
“(The All Blacks) lost last time to them [23-18 in Brisbane] so you don’t have to give them any mental cues,” Hansen said, presenting his evidence for Australia being favourites.
“I was just being honest. If it’s a horse race and the other horse wins the race, he’s got to be the favourite (next time). The TAB doesn’t see that, but the TAB like making money.
“I just think it’s going to be a good, gutsy Test match and I think Australia are a better side than some people give them credit for.”
Cheika said he expected the All Blacks to target his new outside centre Reece Hodge, but he was not thinking of targeting one-Test Kiwi centre Jack Goodhue.
“Maybe I’m naive, I’m thinking about our guys,” Cheika said.
“If I’m thinking about Jack Goodhue, then I’m not thinking about my fellas and how I can get them playing their best footy and let the players take the opportunities that appear for them on the field.”
Hansen said despite his side holding the Bledisloe since 2003, and Australia failing to score successive wins against the All Blacks since 2001, the Wallabies will be dangerous.
“I think they are a good side, they’ve improved a heck of a lot,” Hansen said.
“They’ve done a lot of hard work on their running lines and their core set-piece roles.
“Their scrum has got better, looking at it against Ireland (in the Wallabies’ 2-1 Test series loss in June).
“They’ve quickened up their lineout a lot and obviously their kicking game is good, so we’re going to have put a lot of pressure on all those areas to compete.
“I think the Aussies have been smart this year and prepared probably a little better for those guys that have been out of rugby for a while.”
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Originally published as Bledisloe Cup: Wallabies, All Blacks coaches on best behaviour