Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Dave Rennie has invited an aerial bombardment from the Wallabies, who will look to the high-flying Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen to make history at Eden Park.
Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup opener will pit All Blacks coach Rennie against Australia for the first time since he was sensationally axed as Wallabies coach before the 2023 World Cup.
He handed 11 members of the current Wallabies squad debuts and, after heading to Japanese club rugby and then taking over from Scott Robertson this year, has watched that unit develop from afar.
“I know a lot about the players,” Rennie said.
“A big number of them started in 2020; they’ve now played 50 or 60 or 70 Tests.
“They’re a good side, they’re experienced and they’ve played a lot of footy together.
“We’re well aware of the strength of that team, and they’ll come here confident.”
The All Blacks lost their last three Tests to South Africa, who then flew to Perth and were beaten by Australia, who are on a six-game unbeaten run.
The Wallabies matched the Springboks in the scrum and lineout and created try-scoring opportunities with high kicks to Jorgensen and Suaalii, who was starting on the wing for the first time in his 25th Test.
Contested kicking was key for the Springboks, and Rennie expects the Wallabies to do similar.
But he has welcomed the prospect, given the tactic allows the All Blacks to gain possession in open play.
“We want teams to kick to us because we’ve got a mindset that we want to play off that,” Rennie said.
“I’m sure the Wallabies will play a lot more footy than South Africa, but they’ll also kick smart.”
Wallabies coach Les Kiss acknowledged as much.
“They’re bloody good too (in the air),” he said.
“I’m not sure if we’ll get an advantage, but we have to be able to compete in those moments, and we know they’re dangerous on that loose type of ball.
“It’s genuinely 50-50 and … strewth, you look at that team, it makes it tough … formidable.”
Australia haven’t won in New Zealand since 2001 and have gone 23 games, since 1986, without a win at Eden Park.
New Zealand haven’t lost a Test at the venue since 1994, Rennie admitting the pressure to extend the 53-game streak is being felt.
“We’ve come out of South Africa, we’ve got a bit of a point to prove and we’re up against a really worthy opponent,” he said.
“We know we’re going to have to be at our best, and our expectation is that brings the best out of us.”
