Bledisloe Cup 2015: Five things we learned from the Wallabies defeat to All Blacks
DAN Carter’s still got it, David Pocock and Michael Hooper must start and three more things we learned from the Wallabies crushing defeat in Auckland.
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Five things we learned from the Wallabies defeat to the All Blacks ...
David Pocock and Michael Hooper must start
Without the back-row scroungers Australia cannot win enough contested ball to trouble the world’s best teams. By the time they were harnessed together the All Blacks already had the upper hand.
Dan Carter’s still got it
With Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett, Colin Slade and Lima Sopoaga breathing down his neck, Carter faced questions over whether he was still the man to steer the All Blacks backline. The champion responded, booting seven-from-eight and reviving his running game.
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Quade Cooper in suspense
It’s hard enough being Quade Cooper at the best of times, let alone when your teammates leave you hanging. The forwards missed tackles, and lost most of the collisions, leaving the Australian with too much backfoot ball to stake a permanent claim for the No. 10 jersey.
Wrong target
Forget Cooper, the All Blacks targeted one of the Wallabies’ strongest links, captain Stephen Moore. At every opportunity they engaged, challenged and roughed-up the Australian hooker who finished the game looking like he had gone 10 rounds in a boxing ring.
The Will Skelton experiment must be mothballed (again)
Four Tests into his second coming, the giant lock is yet to make an impact. His running game has not yet materialised and, with Rob Simmons still to return, Skelton must make way.