Bledisloe Cup: All Blacks to target new Wallabies centre pairing
NEW Zealand will launch Operation Get Kurtley in defence and Get Hodge in attack as the All Blacks seek to keep their 16-year Bledisloe Cup streak alive.
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NEW Zealand will launch Operation Get Kurtley in defence and Get Hodge in attack as they seek to keep their 16-year Bledisloe Cup streak alive.
The Wallabies’ new centre combination of Kurtley Beale and Reece Hodge is where the All Blacks see their opportunity to strike, but Hodge is confident they can repel the pressure in Saturday’s first Test at ANZ Stadium.
The Kiwis have gone for the Crusaders duo of Ryan Crotty and Jack Goodhue, who have played together for two years, to exploit the Beale-Hodge partnership.
Crotty made the All Blacks’ intentions clear around defending Beale, who is Australia’s most dangerous attacking weapon.
“With Kurtley, you have to limit his space. If he has space he will make you pay,” Crotty said.
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“Defensively we have to get our alignment right and having men on their feet so we have the ability to bring that line speed and take their time and space away.
“It’s not so much an individual thing, but more a system thing for our defence. We have to slow that ruck ball down and get off the line to stop someone as talented as Kurtley is.”
While Crotty and Goodhue have only started one Test together, Hodge said their Super Rugby partnership in back-to-back premierships for the Crusaders made them formidable.
“I expect them to target down that channel between 13 and wing, which I’ve said is the hardest place to defend because there’s such a gap there from the set-piece,” Hodge said.
“The combination has been working really well, especially defensively, throughout the week (in training), and having a really vocal 10 and 12 in Nard [Bernard Foley] and KB has really helped me out. And obviously playing a fair bit with [winger] Marika [Koroibete] at the Rebels has helped as well.
“They’re going to target us but we should be ready for what comes.
“They’re very consistent and in great form for the Crusaders throughout the Super Rugby season.
“Apart from the two games Crotty was forced to miss with the All Blacks [resting] policy, they were together the whole season.
“They’ve got a great combination between them and I think they’re a couple of guys that don’t make mistakes very often, know their role and do it very well, so it’s going to be a massive challenge for myself and Kurtley to contain them in attack. They’ll also provide a good defensive midfield and we’ll really have to be on our attack to get through.
“With me playing on the wing previously in the starting team with Kurtley, attacking-wise I’ve had a good combination with him. And also defending in the centres, I’ve been there or thereabouts with him as a combination.
“Being able to get a full week’s preparation training inside and outside each other has been really beneficial. We’re both feeling very confident going into the weekend.”
Crotty agreed that his time with Goodhue had forged great trust.
“Those connections are forged in the heat of battle,” Crotty said. “We have played a lot of rugby together the last two years and we work so hard with each other off the field. That builds trust.”
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Originally published as Bledisloe Cup: All Blacks to target new Wallabies centre pairing