The 39–10 Australian Wallabies’ loss to the New Zealand All Blacks in Auckland last Saturday August 2 means the Tri-Nations can be won by any of the three Rugby union nations.
Despite the thrashing in New Zealand, the Wallabies could win the competition in the final match of the nine-game series, which will be played in Brisbane on September 13. Between now and that game against the All Blacks, the Wallabies play two games in South Africa and the All Blacks one.
Though they are last in the competition, this means the South African Springboks are the favourite to win the Tri-Nations – with the three home games. As away wins are difficult, the Springboks could win all three and take an unbeatable place on the table. However, wins to the Wallabies and the All Blacks could see the competition decided in Brisbane.
The loss in Auckland was the first from six Tests by the Wallabies under their new coach, New Zealander Robbie Deans, the first foreign coach of the Australian side. The All Blacks went into the match smarting from two consecutive losses, one at home to the Springboks – their first home loss against the South Africans in Dunedin ever – and a loss to the Wallabies in Melbourne.
Tri-Nations games also count towards the Bledisloe Cup, the trophy for trans-Tasman clashes. If the Wallabies win in Brisbane, the cup competition will be decided in Hong Kong on November 1. The Hong Kong game is separate from the Tri-Nations and will be the first Bledisloe Cup game played outside New Zealand and Australia.
The competition between the Wallabies and the All Blacks has been made more interesting by the clash of the coaches – Deans was expected to replace the All Black coach Graham Henry before the international season. Henry’s retention angered many New Zealanders, who wanted Deans appointed.
When Deans was overlooked, the Wallabies appointed him as Australian coach. There was an immediate improvement in the Wallabies under Deans, widely regarded as the best coach in the world. Meanwhile, the All Blacks lost two consecutive games, prompting further fan anger.
Even Henry acknowledged that he was outsmarted by Deans in the Melbourne Test, where the Wallabies humiliated the All Blacks 34–19.
Before the Auckland Test, which was viewed in New Zealand as one of the most important All Blacks games ever, former Wallaby Greg Martin said the Australian warm-up was immaculate, with not one dropped ball during the training drills.
However, when the All Blacks performed the new Kapo o Pango haka – the war dance that was created by the side and first performed in 2005 against the South African ’Boks – the focus and intensity of the wounded Kiwis was apparent. From then on, it was almost one-way traffic until the final whistle.
The Wallabies were outplayed across the field, most alarmingly in the line-out, where they lost eight of their own, a statistic that is almost as dramatic as the score-line.
There was one glimpse of Australian flair, when flyhalf Matt Giteau threw a long pass to centre and captain Stirling Mortlock, who brilliantly beat his opposite, Conrad Smith, to set up a try for fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Games Won
Australia 2
New Zealand 2
South Africa 1
Remaining 2008 Tri Nations Matches
Saturday August 16
South Africa vs New Zealand
Cape Town, South Africa
Saturday August 23
South Africa vs Australia
Durban, South Africa
Saturday August 30
South Africa vs Australia
Johannesburg, South Africa
Saturday September 13
Australia vs New Zealand
Brisbane, Australia
