Wallabies batten down the hatches for All Blacks Test

The wounded Wallabies have bunkered down, intent on escaping the external pressure of trying to break one of the most infamous droughts in Australian sport.

The Wallabies host the All Blacks in Sydney on Saturday desperate to end New Zealand's 22-year stranglehold on the Bledisloe Cup.

Australia must win the first of two trans-Tasman Tests to keep the series alive heading to Wellington next week but are backing up from a humiliating, record-setting 67-27 Rugby Championship loss to Argentina in Santa Fe.

The fallout from the Wallabies' extraordinary capitulation from a 17-point first-half lead has been savage.

Former England Test stars Andy Goode and Ben Youngs want the British and Irish Lions to tour South Africa instead of Australia next year to ensure a competitive series.

And ex-World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Steve Hansen reckons the Wallabies have lost their edge since Rugby Australia expanded the country's Super Rugby talent pool from three to five teams, saying the easier ride to a club tended to create a "soft underbelly".

The Wallabies, though, aren't listening, instead battening down the hatches to avoid hearing the flak flying about ahead of a must-win showdown with last year's World Cup finalists at Accor Stadium.

"Everyone's going to have their opinion and there's always going to be that external noise," Wallabies prop and former captain Allan Alaalatoa said on Tuesday.

"For us as leaders and as a group, we've got to focus internally on what's important to us.

"We understand that those distractions are going to be there. People are going to say what they think of us.

"But, again, what's important for us is what we believe ourselves and executing our plan throughout the week to then go out there and then perform and then change the external noise that's happening."

Alaalatoa conceded there'd been some serious soul searching on the flight back from Argentina, as well as some stern words from coach Joe Schmidt upon their return.

He said Tuesday's training session was also as torrid a session as he could remember to start a week's build-up.

But the tough love was all necessary if the Wallabies are to compete with the All Blacks, who will also be stewing after suffering rare successive defeats in South Africa to the world champion Springboks. 

"The boys know that the All Blacks are a tough outfit, as we all know," he said.

"But a lot of our players here have played a lot of the individuals in Super Rugby, which I think is good for us.

"Our focus is on ourselves. We understand the threats that they're going to bring, but we want to pour all our attention into us delivering our system over and over again as much as we can because as delivering that for 40 isn't good enough.

"You've got to be doing that for 80."

Meanwhile, centre Hunter Paisami admitted he was unlikely to come back this week from a knee injury sustained against the Springboks last month in Perth. 

"I'm still going through some sort of return-to-play policy at the moment," Paisami said.

"So I'm still up in the air. I've got to get the knee strong and fitness first."

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store