Wallabies sights turn on Spencer

By CHRIS RATTUE at the World Cup

The Wallabies believe the All Blacks' inside back defence will be their Achilles heel in Saturday night's World Cup semifinal.

Wallaby hooker Brendan Cannon, one of three players available for media interviews yesterday, almost fell over himself detailing the respect the Australians have for the All Blacks and the haka.

But powerful centre Stirling Mortlock was more revealing in saying the new inside-back combo was vulnerable on defence.

The Wallabies swap their sunny Coffs Harbour base today for Sydney. They will arrive as serious underdogs - the Australian TAB rates them $3.30 win chances and the All Blacks at $1.30.

It's hardly the status a world-champion Australian sports team expects on home soil, but it is warranted after the Wallabies struggled against hopeless Scotland and the All Blacks trounced South Africa in the quarter-finals.

Not everyone is writing them off, though. Outstanding Wallaby No 8 Toutai Kefu says: "The Wallabies will know they can beat this mob."

The 1999 World Cup star, missing this time through injury, identified Carlos Spencer's defence, the lineout, and Joe Rokocoko's inexperience as areas to expose. He also said Mils Muliaina might be weak taking bombs.

Kefu demanded the Wallabies kick the ball out from inside their quarter line so they can attack the All Blacks lineout and reduce the counter-attacking threat of the dangerous back three.

On Spencer, he wrote: "I consider him a suspect defender. At the Blues, their halfback Steve Devine would move to five-eighths on occasions to make the first tackle. What does that tell you?

"Spencer can also take himself out of the line, like he did against Wales, looking for intercepts, rather than wanting to make the hit.

"You have to get forwards running at him, but that can be easier said than done. It requires a solid set-piece base."

Wallaby back coach Glen Ella attributed the team's backline problems to a lack of concentration.

"We're making space, we just need to finish. The last pass has gone astray," he said.

And there is no doubting the power they possess in Mortlock, Lote Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor, while fullback Mat Rogers is tricky on his feet.

Spencer will feel the heat if the Wallabies have their way. He has hardly made a tackle in the tournament, and glaringly missed a shocker against Wales.

Mortlock praised the attacking work of the All Blacks backs, then made it clear the Wallabies sense defensive frailties.

On running at Spencer, Mortlock said: "It's often easier said than done. Their backrow certainly defend very well around Carlos and cover that up.

"I think if you tend to target him too much you end up running into their backrow all the time and they are extremely good at pilfering the ball at the breakdowns.

"But certainly if we get the chance we'd be silly not to try and have a go at him, although it's not necessarily the way we'll go for the whole game.

"The All Blacks backline hasn't been tested a lot through the World Cup campaign. Hopefully we can not make so many errors and really test their combination.

"Certainly Carlos, Aaron Mauger and Leon MacDonald as a trio haven't been tested a lot and if we get a chance, then hopefully we can make some inroads there."

Mortlock, who has made a comeback from a major shoulder injury, revealed he had made a pact with teammates not to swan dive again when scoring.

Meanwhile, Cannon said the Wallabies used the haka as a "moment in time" to focus on their tasks.

Cannon said: "We have enormous respect for each other ... [it's shown] by the way we confront the haka these days.

"Four or five years ago the Wallabies did different things ... but in my time there's been no winking or blowing kisses. We don't turn our back on it because in some ways that is disrespectful.

"It's a privilege for us to stand there and observe something that is so special to their culture.

"We're ready for the challenge that will start with the haka and continue for the next 80 minutes."

* Lock David Giffin has been cleared of a thigh injury and will be on the Australian bench ahead of Dan Vickerman.

Full World Cup coverage