All Blacks: Distracted Wallabies ripe for the picking

The home of Queensland football has provided the back drop for three of the All Blacks most stirring Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations victories. Photo / Getty Images

A star going AWOL, dissention in the ranks and friendly-fire threatening to disable their backline general - the Wallabies bid to annex rugby's Tri-Nations trophy for the first time in a decade appears to have lurched into dangerous territory.

James Horwill could hardly have envisaged a more disruptive build-up to tomorrow night's assignment against their most feared opponents at Suncorp Stadium, an All Blacks side only burdened with standard expectations of winning - and preferably in style -- especially now the World Cup is less than a fortnight away.

Once he got over the shock of being installed as Rocky Elsom's successor before the team returned triumphantly from Durban last Wednesday, Horwill has been busy rallying the troops.

The aftermath of James O'Connor's suspension was followed by allegations of a bust up between the misbehaving wing, Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale in Paris last November. Then there was doubt over halfback Will Genia's health after he was laid out by Radike Samo at training on Tuesday, and then chest bumped by Rob Simmons yesterday.

"Yeah, it's kept me on my toes," said Horwill, who at least confirmed his relationship with Elsom remained harmonious.

"We've spoken most days about different things, we're still good mates," said the second rower, who has also confided in the legendary John Eales, the last Wallabies captain to hold the Tri-Nations trophy aloft in 2001.

A month after leading the Reds to Super rugby glory, Horwill would dearly love to emulate his fellow Queenslander's moment of glory and break the Wallabies Tri-Nations drought with a win that would cause anxiety levels to spike across the Tasman.

However, history suggests a near full-strength All Black side are well equipped to repeat their Bledisloe Cup-retaining efforts at Eden Park on August 6.

Ironically the old Lang Park also resembles a fortress for the All Blacks - they haven't lost there since trans-Tasman tests were moved across town from Ballymore in 1996.

The home of Queensland football has provided the back drop for three of the All Blacks most stirring Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations victories, although the Crusaders contingent had unhappier memories after experiencing two losses there this season.

Daniel Carter, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Brad Thorn and Owen Franks have an opportunity to avenge those defeats. Zac Guildford, Mils Muliaina, Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu are also reinstated after not being required for the experimental line-up beaten 18-5 in Port Elizabeth last weekend.

That loss to the Springboks has been condoned, given it was a fact-finding mission to finesse the World Cup squad announced here on Tuesday.

But a rare defeat to the Wallabies - the All Blacks have won 11 of 13 tests since Robbie Deans switched sides in 2008 - will be harder to sell to a rugby public desperate to see McCaw lift the Webb Ellis Trophy at Eden Park on October 23, 24 years after David Kirk became the first World Cup-winning captain.

The Wallabies have been careful not to provide any added motivation to an All Black side where competition is already intense among contenders for positions in the back three.

Ultra-confident before they aimed to put one hand on the Bledisloe Cup at Eden Park, there has been a distinct lack of bravado after that 16-point defeat on August 6.

Kurtley Beale's pre-test boast that the Wallabies were capable of "ripping any team apart" has been superseded by Genia's cautious optimism.

"We really learnt our lesson in Auckland in terms of how to approach a game against a side that's the benchmark in a lot of areas," he said.

"Sometimes we get caught up with saying too much and talking about it too much rather than just going out and doing it."

In contrast to the Wallabies controversy-laced lead-in the All Blacks have quietly gone about their business, freed from the usual demands of defending the haka or McCaw's behaviour at the breakdown.

Even Sonny Bill Williams - a high-profile omission from the 22-man squad - seems to have taken his rejection with good grace.

Obviously popular at a promotional event in the central city today, Williams made light of his non-selection by joking the only downside was the All Blacks try-count would suffer without his offloads.

- NZPA