All Blacks Coach, Steve Hansen says the All Blacks had been "punched on the nose" by Australia last weekend, and that "they've got one hand on the cup and the All Blacks got to take it off them tomorrow."
When asked in a press conference on whether the Wallabies will enter Eden Park tomorrow with some trepidation given their poor recent record there.
Hansen says he had never met an Aussie with self‑doubt.
Radio Sports reports that on the face of it, the dropping of Owen Franks, Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane before the most important Bledisloe Cup test in four years must qualify as one of the most dramatic reactions to a loss ever made by Steve Hansen.
And yes, they have been dropped. Hansen was happy to confirm that in front of a packed press conference, perhaps to reinforce a message to all of his players that no one is safe only five weeks from the start of the World Cup.
The performances of tighthead prop Franks and outside backs Smith and Ioane have not been of an acceptable standard, and Hansen and his fellow selectors could not keep rewarding mediocrity.
And yet, for all the "panic" headlines dreamed up by media outlets in Australia reveling in the All Blacks feeling a little discomfort for a change, there is every chance the experienced trio would have sat out this test at Eden Park tomorrow even had Hansen's men won at Perth last weekend rather than slipping to a 47‑26 defeat.
Hansen wants to expose Nepo Laulala and inexperienced Crusaders pair George Bridge and Sevu Reece to something approaching the white‑hot atmosphere of a World Cup knockout match. A positive side effect is that every one of his players – especially those within his pack – is on notice a week after they were too easily pushed around at Optus Stadium.
Hansen says obviously they would like Ben Smith, Owen Franks and Rieko Ioane playing better, but they have made decisions because they have got to find out more about these other people in big pressure‑cooker situations and you don't get much bigger than this one.
He says to win a World Cup the All Blacks had to roll the dice a bit.
The All Blacks meet the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup decider at Eden Park at 7.35pm tomorrow.
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