Wallabies revisit scene of rare success

The next time an Aussie has a crack about the All Blacks' record at the World Cup it could at least be pointed out that New Zealand have won rugby's holy grail since the last time the Wallabies won at Eden Park.

Granted it is not much of a comeback, but there is no escaping the Wallabies have a nasty blemish in their test record.

Not only have they not won in New Zealand since 2001, a watershed 23-15 victory at Carisbrook, the Wallabies have also left empty-handed from Auckland's home of rugby on seven occasions since September 6, 1986.

On that overcast and drizzly day, Australia weathered a storm of surprisingly creative New Zealand attack for the opening half-hour before taking control, with many onlookers believing an Enrique "Topo" Rodriguez tackle inspired the 22-9 Bledisloe Cup-sealing triumph.

The Argentine-born prop made a huge hit on All Blacks hooker Hika Reid, driving him back as the Wallabies were camped near their own goal line.

"We got back to the scrum and we could hear (tighthead prop) Gary Knight swearing at Hika and the rest of the team and we all felt about two inches taller," Rodriguez told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

And it is that kind of inspirational hit that Rodriguez believes is needed if the Wallabies are to break their losing streak on Saturday.

"In a match it's about 80 per cent team focus and 20 per cent individual," he said.

"They should commission those hits and ask the players. They should say to players, 'You give me one in the first three minutes, then you give me one 10 minutes later, and you 10 minutes after that'."

Australian Super 12/14 sides have also found Eden Park an unforgiving venue.

O f the 15 games played there by Australia's four franchises, only the Brumbies have emerged triumphant over the Blues -- twice.

Rodriguez and another survivor from the 1986 win, second five-eighth Brett Papworth, said a key to their victory lay in the tour schedule.

' 'We'd been on tour there for six weeks or more and dead set thought we'd win by the time we got to that game," Papworth told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"These days all these one-off tests they play makes it very hard."

Rodriguez agreed, adding: "We'd been on the road there for so long and we'd played on the fields, we knew the players, we were used to the refs, we'd eaten the food.

Meanwhile, neither expected to be dining out on a rare victory come Saturday night.

"Twenty years ago we had a very, very good forward pack that, if anything, was dominant. And we had a bloody good side, we had some real world 15 players. Now, not so much. Right now, how many of our guys would even get a spot in the Kiwi team?" Papworth asked.

"I think we've got a bit of a size fetish in the forwards at the moment, which in my view isn't necessarily the way to win a test match.

"To me they're (New Zealand) fitter, quicker, they get more to the breakdown quicker, their body height is lower and that's the end of the ball game.

"They (selectors) get very hung up on lack of size amongst our frontrowers. On that basis Keven Mealamu wouldn't get a look in in our team, and he's an unbelievable player."

Twenty years ago the starting teams at Eden Park were:-

New Zealand: Kieran Crowley, John Kirwan, Joe Stanley, Craig Green, Arthur Stone, Frano Botica, David Kirk (captain), Mike Brewer, Jock Hobbs, Mark Shaw, Gary Whetton, Murray Pierce, Gary Knight, Hika Reid, Steve McDowell.

Australia: Andrew Leeds, David Campese, Andrew Slack (captain), Brett Papworth, Michael Lynagh, Nick Farr-Jones, Steve Tuynman, Simon Poidevin, Jeff Miller, Steve Cutler, Bill Campbell, Mark Hartill, Tom Lawton, Enrique Rodriguez.

Result: Australia 22 (David Campese, Andrew Leeds tries; Michael Lynagh 4 pen, con) New Zealand 9 (Kieran Crowley 3 pen).

- NZPA