Bledisloe loss sees Aussies look north
The Wallabies went down 32-19 in Tokyo in the final Bledisloe Cup match of the year to extend their run of consecutive defeats to the All Blacks to seven.
But, with a midweek game against Gloucester looming followed by a Test against England on Saturday – before they arrive in Dublin to tackle Ireland at Croke Park – Robbie Deans has been quick to shift focus.
“We’ve got an exciting opportunity ahead of us now,” said Deans.
“This was our last southern hemisphere outing (of the year) and we have a great tour ahead of us, which we’re really looking forward to.
“We’ll be better for this performance. We’re back playing rugby, which we hadn’t done for two months, so that’s a good launching pad now for us to push on to the UK.”
The Australians were leading 16-13 at the break after Peter Hynes scored while New Zealand’s opening try-scorer, Sitiveni Sivivatu, was in the sin-bin for a dangerous tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper.
But a confidence-boosting win as a Conrad Smith try swung momentum the New Zealanders’ way and Daniel Carter punished Australian ill-discipline with another fine display of accurate goal-kicking to finish with a 22-point haul.
“This was the end of our domestic season and for a lot of reasons we had a score to settle there. But it didn’t happen, obviously, and we look at England now and get into our tour,” said new Australia skipper Rocky Elsom.
New Zealand also depart Tokyo tomorrow to head to Cardiff for a date with Wales next weekend. But they will have to do without Sivivatu and Tony Woodcock, who have both been ruled.
Wing Sivivatu and prop Woodcock were hit with one-week bans after being cited for separate offences.
Sivivatu was reported by citing commissioner Scott Nowland for his dangerous tackle on Ashley-Cooper.
Woodcock, meanwhile, was cited for striking Australian substitute George Smith in the final minute of the game.
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