If the New South Wales Waratahs’ success is a bellwether for the Wallabies, Australia could be well-placed to end a lengthy losing run in Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand.
After finishing in 11th and ninth places in the previous two Super 15 seasons, the Waratahs were the class act in the southern hemisphere competition this year, finishing seven points ahead of the second-place Crusaders during the regular season.
The Waratahs then edged the Christchurch, New Zealand-based Crusaders 33-32 in the final to claim their first Super 15 title.
Australia, with seven Waratahs in the starting lineup and three more on bench, opens the Rugby Championship against the All Blacks in Sydney tomorrow, attempting to end New Zealand’s 11-year domination of the trans-Tasman Bledisloe Cup.
There is a long-held attitude in Australia that when the New South Wales lineup is winning, that strength should transfer into the international arena for the Wallabies. The theory is about to be tested — fully.
The New Zealanders are aiming for a record 18th consecutive Test win and are coming off a three-Test home series sweep of England in June.
In a bid to change the recent dynamics, Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie selected Kurtley Beale to replace Bernard Foley — who led Australia to three wins over France two months ago — at flyhalf in a reworked backline.
Beale played in the centers, outside Foley, for the Waratahs. However, McKenzie is relying on the 42-Test veteran’s “X-factor” to give the Wallabies something extra in attack, despite Beale having started just seven Tests in the crucial playmaking position.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen also pulled a surprise selection when he picked Ben Smith at fullback instead of Israel Dagg.
Smith started at fullback, while Dagg battled a right-knee injury in the last two of New Zealand’s Test matches against England in June, but Dagg was widely tipped to return in the No. 15 jersey.
“It was a tough team to select in many ways because we have a lot of players in good form,” Hansen said yesterday. “But in the end we selected the group that we felt could get the job done.”
Tomorrow’s match is the first of three Bledisloe Cup matches this season. The second is to be played the following weekend in Auckland and the third, which is not part of the Rugby Championship, is set for Brisbane on Oct. 8. New Zealand has held the Bledisloe Cup since 2003.
Hansen was at his combative best yesterday before his team left Auckland.
He was quoted as saying McKenzie may have selected Beale under directions from an Australian Rugby Union (ARU) anxious to keep the off-contract player from the clutches of the National Rugby League.
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