Andrew Kellaway celebrates his try during the opening Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park. Photosport
Andrew Kellaway celebrates his try during the opening Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park. Photosport
Wallabies newcomer Andrew Kellaway may have poked the bear after suggesting the All Blacks have lost a bit of aura for his fellow rookies in the Australian side - despite losing the opening Bledisloe Cup clash at Eden Park.
The two sides return to Eden Park on Saturday as theAll Blacks look to lock away the Bledisloe Cup for the 18th straight year.
New Zealand led the opening encounter 33-8 on Saturday before the Wallabies made a late surge to close out a more respectable 33-25 scoreline.
Despite the defeat, Kellaway said the 'cobwebs are out' and for the younger players in the Wallabies, the intimidation factor of facing the men in black at Eden Park may have dropped heading into another test.
"There are no excuses now, not that we'd be looking for them," the 25-year-old wing told the Big Sports Breakfast.
Patrick Tuipulotu tackles Andrew Kellaway during the opening Bledisloe Cup clash at Eden Park. Photosport
"You roll out to one of those places like Eden Park – it's mercurial in its atmosphere and such a tough place to play even at Super Rugby level. We get to do it two weeks in a row.
"We've probably put out an unpolished performance on the weekend and you can almost look at it like a dress rehearsal. Now we're ready to roll.
"I think the cobwebs are out, so to speak. A couple of those boys have played the All Blacks for the first time [now], myself included. Maybe the aura has worn off a little bit.
Kellaway, who scored in last week's loss, said the pressure was on the All Blacks to make it two from two as they look to retain an impressive unbeaten streak at Eden Park. The All Blacks haven't lost at the ground since 1994 and the last Australian side to win there was in 1986.
"To be honest, the pressure is pretty much on them. You don't want to be the first All Blacks team to lose at Eden Park. There's no real pressure on our end. Hopefully we roll out there and do a number [on them]," Kellaway said.
Kellaway also joked that the returning Marika Koroibete should make an impact if named in the Wallabies side after being one of three players stood down following a late-night drinking session on the eve of the first Bledisloe clash.
"He could probably turn up half cut and he'd do a better job than the rest of us," said Kellaway of Koroibete.
"Not having him hurt us. Hopefully he's back this weekend. He's a freak. If he gets a bit of time and space we'll be riding that wave behind him."
