Wallabies have to be dominated up front, says McCaw

Richie McCaw says of tonight's clash: "We have to impose ourselves. It is do-able." Picture / Fotopress

No Waugh? Richie McCaw just wanted to make sure he heard right the first time. His eyes did not glow at Phil Waugh's omission from the Wallaby loose trio, but you sensed he was not displeased.

Then, as if he did not want to make any great deal of the decision, the All Black vice-captain justified Eddie Jones' choice of John Roe on the blindside flank alongside playmakers George Smith and David Lyons.

Lineouts were such a crucial and contested part of the modern game that Waugh's inclusion would have reduced their specialist targets to Daniel Vickerman and Nathan Sharpe and left them without someone to challenge the All Blacks towards the tail of the lineout.

But then McCaw's thoughts turned to the way the Wallabies have succeeded in Sydney against the All Blacks, most notably in the 2003 World Cup semifinal.

"The two opensiders have worked for them in the past," he said.

"If the Wallabies get over the advantage line as they did then and last year, and we are having to retreat to everything, those two [Smith and Waugh] will always be a problem.

"They are always sniffing around and being a nuisance, but if we get on the front foot it does take them out of the play somewhat.

"In the World Cup they got over the gain line all the time and Smith and Waugh were a menace. I was scrambling all game and everyone felt like that."

At Newlands last week McCaw felt the All Blacks contributed to their own demise by trying to push passes in traffic, losing the 50-50 possessions.

The team had played as though their form of the Lions series would carry on automatically. They did not work hard enough to build pressure.

"We let them off the hook by turning the ball over after one or two phases."

Clue one about the All Black requirements tonight in Sydney.

Clue two was no big secret either: the need for the tight five to bring more authority. It was not something they had achieved as regularly as New Zealand would like against the Australians.

After some strong toil in the Lions series there was a lull last week against the Springboks. They did not have the edge they needed against the huge Bok pack, an edge they will need tonight if they are to shut down the Wallabies.

"They've already had a talk about that," agreed McCaw. "They were disappointed about things at Newlands. They know it is not just a case of turning up. They have to work bloody hard all night.

"We have to dominate up front. Every time we say we can do it but rarely do. "They [the Wallabies] are deceptive, a smart team. While the Boks are big bullies, the Wallabies play to their strengths and cover their weaknesses well."

No matter the play, the Wallabies always seemed to be in position, especially when Stephen Larkham played, but his absence would not make much difference because the Wallaby systems remained intact.

They played off George Gregan and tonight's five-eighths Matt Giteau. They were the key to the Wallabies' timing, dictating the flow of the game, particularly from quick ball.

"We have to knock their runners over behind the advantage line because, like any team, if they do not breach that line from first phase they can struggle."

McCaw said the Wallabies were also not afraid to kick. When they felt their possession was poor, they would kick and ask their opponents to make the play back at them. It was a formula based on their strong defensive systems.

There was a widespread belief among teams that the way to defeat the Wallabies was to get at their tight five.

"It is always the same.

"We have to impose ourselves. It is do-able, and if it happens then we can get into the test.

"We did not get set in Africa and suffered. We played our best in the last 20 minutes, but the game had gone then. We must start the way we finished last week."