Analysis: How Wallabies can counter All Blacks’ breakdown trap

By picking three specialist openside flankers, New Zealand has challenged to the Wallabies to continue with their ball-in-hand style. Australia would be ill-advised to tread that path in Bledisloe I, writes JAMIE PANDARAM.

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The All Blacks have adopted the theory that Australia will blink first with their strategic selections for the first Bledisloe Cup Test.

By picking three specialist openside flankers in their squad for the first time, New Zealand is throwing down the challenge to the Wallabies to continue with their ball-in-hand style, believing the hosts will be ripe for turnovers from which to counter-attack.

Australia prefers to build pressure through multiple phases and wear out defences, however in Ardie Savea, Sam Cane and bench option Matt Todd the Kiwis will be seeking plenty of pilfers in the middle channels.

Kurtley Beale must kick often and early to counter New Zealand’s scavengers. Picture: AFP

What is highly underrated about the All Blacks’ defence is their ability to also turn over possession at rucks within the 15-metre channels close to the sidelines, and it is here that hooker Dane Coles and reserve halfback TJ Perenara ply their pilfering trade well.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen’s selection of robust tackler Anton Lienert-Brown as starting inside centre is designed to shut down the ominous threat of Samu Kerevi, whose powerful midfield surges most often result in Australia’s linebreaks or at least on the front foot to continue attacking.

Ardie Savea (L) and Sam Cane (R) hunting Pumas. Picture: AFP

Expect Cane and Savea to be hovering around Lienert-Brown each time Kerevi gets ball in hand, waiting to pounce at the breakdown.

So, it is not in the Wallabies’ interests to hold the majority of possession in this game as the All Blacks hope they do.

Five-eighth Christian Lealiifano and fullback Kurtley Beale would be wiser to use the kick as a first option rather than last, playing field position and limiting the broken field opportunities for Beauden Barrett and Rieko Ioane.

But Australia must avoid kicking down Beauden Barrett’s throat. Picture: AP, Ross Setford

Australia has few backers in this contest but with the right approach they can defeat the All Blacks, who are far from the seamless attacking machine that destroyed the Wallabies on three occasions last year.

The Kiwis’ attack has been lacklustre so far in 2018 and they are again trying new combinations for the first time in the backrow and midfield.

Unlike South Africa and Ireland, who’ve successfully used a rush defence to stifle New Zealand’s attack recently, Australia will use a hold and absorb defensive strategy, and that will only work by pinning the Kiwis in their own half.

Kick first, don’t blink first.

SELFLESS ATTITUDE CAN LIFT WALLABIES

With not a minute to waste with the World Cup looming on the horizon, the Wallabies have forged a pact to put their personal ambitions aside for the betterment of the team, even if that means missing out on selection.

Australia coach Michael Cheika has let everyone in his squad know that many key positions are still up for grabs after making some shock selections for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup clash with New Zealand.

As exclusively revealed by The Daily Telegraph, James O’Connor will start at outside centre ahead of Tevita Kuridrani while Nic White and Christian Lealiifano will partner up in the halves instead of Will Genia and Bernard Foley against the defending world champions.

“I know a lot of people think it’s a tall ask for us but I know these lads,” Cheika said.

Michael Cheika hopes a team-first mentality can inspire Wallabies. Picture: Richard Wainwright, AAP

“If there’s a tall ask being made, I’ve seen what they’ve been made of in the last seven or eight weeks being together, and if I was going to ask some guys for a tall ask I'd be asking these chaps, them and their teammates.”

Even with so many players in contention for selection, White said there was no animosity in the squad because everyone had agreed to row in the same direction.

“We spoke about it right at the start when training together with the other blokes that the best thing for the team is that we drive as a unit,” White said.

“That’s kind of the job of the (number) nine to drive the team so if we’re pulling in different directions it’s just not going to work.

“It’s working really well and whoever gets the nod to go out and represent the jersey, that’s great, but they’ve got a number of guys behind them supporting them.” - JULIAN LINDEN