TRC Match Preview: Australia vs New Zealand

In the deciding match of this seasons Rugby Championship, the resurgent Wallabies will go head to head with their eternal rivals, the New Zealand All Blacks. Naturally the All Blacks are the favorites, and it has been 10 long attempts since the Wallabies last beat the Kiwis, but there is a definite sense in the Australian side that this is their year, and with that kind of self belief, anything is possible.

In the front row, Scott Sio steps in for James Slipper. Sio brought a notable improvement in the scrum against the Springboks, and he may bolster the often shaky Australian scrum. Stephen Moore captains the side, and is joined by Sekope Kepu, who will be a physical presence in open play. The All Blacks have gone with experience and solidity in the props, with Tony Woodcock and Owen Franks starting at 1 and 3 respectively. At hooker, they have gone the other way, selecting the dynamic Dane Coles, whose electric runs and powerful tackles tortured the Springboks a week ago.

There is plenty of experience for the Wallabies in the locks, with Dean Mumm and James Horwill forming a very powerful combination. Both will be excellent in the lineouts, and Mumm’s physicality with ball in hand and in the tackle will be a great asset for the Wallabies. Horwill is solid in the scrum and will offer leadership and experience Brodie Retallick and Luke Romano pair up for the All Blacks, following a strong showing by Romano against the Pumas 2 weeks ago in which he made 11 tackles and missed none. Retallick is a complete player and will be at the forefront of the All Blacks plans in attack and defence with his soft hands and crunching tackles.

Another week, and another new back row for the Wallabies, and this week we get to see the full unveiling of the Pooper combination for Australia. Michael Hooper’s immense carrying and crunching tackles will pair very well with David Pococks breakdown dominance. The clash between Pocock and McCaw is set to be earth shaking and will give referees everywhere splitting headaches. Scott Fardy give the Wallabies a good lineout presence as well. Against them, we see what is likely to be the All Blacks back row come the world cup, with Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, and Kieran Reid. McCaw makes his 141st international cap, tying Irish legend Brian O’Driscoll’s record. Quite a milestone for the New Zealand legend.

After his brilliant performance last week, Aaron Smith starts once again in the 9 shirt, but there is no place for Lima Sopoaga in the starting lineup, as Dan Carter slots in at 10. This will probably be the biggest test for Carter ahead of the World Cup, and with Sopoaga’s good form, he needs to pass with flying colors in order to be assured a spot in the squad. Nick Phipps and Bernard Foley resume their partnership, and both will need to be clicking well if they are to break this very solid All Black defense.

New Zealand start Sonny Bill Williams at 12, at he will be a major test for Wallaby Matt Giteau, who returns to the lineup after recovering from his injury. Questions remain about Guiteau’s size, but he can silence those, with a good defensive performance against Sonny Bill. Conrad Smith will be eager to right the ship, after being tormented a week ago by 21 year old Springbok Jesse Kriel, “The Snake” will want to put in a good performance to stave off increasing pressure from Malakai Fekitoa for the 13 jersey. Tevita Kuridrani will put him to the test with his power and agility, while the Brumbies center can also wear Smith down with immense physicality. A double edged sword, Kuridrani will be very hard for the All Blacks to stop.

Toulon flyer Drew Mitchell starts on the left wing, while Australian talisman Adam Ashley Cooper starts on the right. Mitchell has yet to shine for Australia since receiving his call from Michael Cheika, and if he doesn’t do it soon, he may miss out on the Wallabies World Cup squad. Israel Folau put on a counterattacking clinic last week against Argentina, and if the All Blacks attempt any aimless kicking (unlikely with Carter on the field) Folau will punish them swiftly and painfully. The All Blacks have named one of the most dangerous back threes in the world at this point in time. Julian Savea, Nehe Milner Skudder, and Ben Smith. Wow. Its great to see Milner Skudder get his first cap, (and I’d like to say that it’s about f*cking time), and coupling him with the power of Savea and the guile of Ben Smith means that the Wallabies will struggle to contain this explosive All Black backline.

Michael Cheika has resurrected Australian rugby this season. The win over the Springboks gave the Wallabies the momentum they will need to carry them into this match. They have played really well and there can be no denying that, but I suspect that they will not have enough firepower to beat this stellar All Blacks side. Expect a nail bitingly close scoreline, but at the end of the day, I just think that this All Blacks team will execute at a higher level, and any Wallabies slip ups will be punished quickly and efficiently.
The New Zealand All Blacks

Prediction: Australia 24- New Zealand 26