SYDNEY - The All Blacks sent a collective shudder through Australian supporters with their thumping of the Springboks yesterday, but Wallabies legend David Campese is not ready to concede defeat in this weekend's Bledisloe Cup test.
While broadcaster Mike Carlton told Channel Seven's Rugby Zone programme yesterday he was "terrified" about
the Wallabies' chances against New Zealand at Telstra Stadium on Saturday, Campese said things would be far different than they were in Pretoria, where the All Blacks won 52-16.
"Australia has had the wood on the Kiwis lately," he said in reference to some last-minute wins by the Wallabies over the All Blacks in recent seasons.
He said All Blacks first five-eighths Carlos Spencer had been able to dictate play yesterday, while the Springbok backs "just waited to see what would happen".
The Wallaby backs would be "in the All Blacks' faces" in defence, he predicted.
Former Australian prop Chris Handy said the All Blacks had "outplayed, outmuscled and out-thought the Springboks." Former All Black lock Andy Haden said the All Blacks had got their set pieces right and singled out lock Chris Jack as "the guts of the tight five".
He said the outside backs needed quick ball and halfback Steve Devine had been able to provide it.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones described the All Blacks as "reasonably impressive".
He singled out their ability to lead at one stage 22-9 while winning only 40 per cent of possession as a "pretty good test performance".
Jones has been criticised for not been able to settle on a test combination and said yesterday that injuries had affected that, admitting the team had not executed their game plan well against the Springboks.
They had to improve their lineouts and the backs had to react better to rush-up defence.
"We need to get a little bit deeper out wide," he said.
- NZPA
