MELBOURNE (AFP) – Coach Dave Rennie is confident a new-look Australia can get one hand on the elusive Bledisloe Cup with victory over New Zealand in Melbourne tomorrow, but warned the Wallabies must be at their best.
To bring home the silverware from New Zealand for the first time since 2002, the Wallabies will need to win at Docklands Stadium before repeating the feat at Eden Park in Auckland nine days later.
It is a huge task for Rennie’s inconsistent side, who were handed a brutal 24-8 wake-up call by South Africa in Sydney 10 days ago after beating the world champions a week earlier in Adelaide.
New Zealand have also lacked consistency this season, but will go into the clash full of confidence after unleashing their most complete 80 minutes of 2022 in Hamilton to crush Argentina 53-3 after four defeats in their previous six Tests.
It left the All Blacks top of a tight Rugby Championship race with two games to play, one point ahead of Australia, South Africa and Argentina. The Springboks face the wounded Pumas in Buenos Aires on Saturday, buoyed by their battling win over the Wallabies, before a return leg in Durban.
Rennie has made eight changes to his starting side, but believes they have what it takes to upset New Zealand.
“I think everything that has happened prior to this counts for little, it’s going to be about our ability to perform at our best and we need to be at our best to have a chance against the All Blacks,” he said.
“We are confident we can knock over anyone, but we have to play at our best and force the All Blacks to be below their best.”
