AFTER surrendering the Bledisloe Cup to New Zealand for a 10th straight year with a demoralising 22-0 loss in Auckland, players made the stark admission they’re not in the same league as the world champions.
The goal this year was to supplant New Zealand as the world No.1 team but, just like Australia’s Olympians, silver has become the new gold for the world No.2 Wallabies.
South Africa can leapfrog the Wallabies if they beat them in Perth on September 8 and, after two emphatic losses to New Zealand, Australia say the rest of the inaugural Rugby Championship is now all about fighting to remain the second best team in the world.
The bar of expectation has clearly been lowered after Australia were kept scoreless against New Zealand for the first time in half a century as Saturday night’s defeat added to 26 years of Wallabies’ misery at Eden Park.
However, veteran hooker Stephen Moore insisted their under-fire coach hasn’t lost the support of the dressing room, despite growing calls for Deans’ head given his dire 3-14 win-loss record against the All Blacks.
“We go through it ourselves as well. It’s a team game so we all take responsibility for what’s going on, both on and off the field. I think both of them go hand in hand,” said Moore.
“We need to make sure we carry ourselves in the right manner off the field if we want to make sure we’re getting our performances right on the field.
“(New Zealand) are without doubt the No.1 side in the world … there’s quite a way there to us in second place and the challenge for us now is to try and maintain that spot in the next period of time against the Boks and Argentina.”
Australia’s woes are set to deepen further though. Scan results on backs Quade Cooper and Drew Mitchell will determine their availability for the clash with South Africa.
Mitchell, who injured his troublesome right ankle in Saturday night’s loss, was scheduled to undergo an ultrasound on Tuesday after initial scans were inconclusive but is highly unlikely to feature against the Springboks.
The NSW winger, who left New Zealand with his right leg in a moonboot, has only just returned to the Wallabies set-up following an 18-month injury battle and could miss all of Australia’s remaining matches depending on the severity of his injury.
Mitchell is just the latest Australia winger to suffer an injury with Joseph Tomane and Cooper Vuna already ruled out, meaning Western Force flier Nick Cummins could be in line to make his debut in Perth.
Queensland Red Dom Shipperley is another option for under-pressure coach Robbie Deans if Mitchell is ruled out.
Five-eighth Quade Cooper will undergo scans on his reconstructed right knee after aggravating the joint in the Eden Park Test.
The New Zealand-born No.10 remained in Auckland after the Test, returning to Brisbane on Monday morning.
The Wallabies stocks are being tested to the limit after several key injuries.
Among those already ruled out of the Perth Test are David Pocock, James Horwill, James O’Connor, Sekope Kepu, Wycliff Palu, Pat McCabe and Ben McCalman.
Hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, whose buttock injury ruled him out of last Saturday’s Test against the All Blacks, is hopeful of lining up against the Springboks as the Wallabies aim to get their first points in the Rugby Championship.- With AAP
[ Source: Australian Times ]