Chance in Melbourne

If we are going to beat the All Blacks this year then it will be in Melbourne tonight. The All Blacks have travelled from a tough match in South Africa. Take my word for it, you get some serious jet lag when you fly back this way from South Africa. The Wallabies are rested after having last weekend off, the Wallabies would also like the current situation they are in with the press and public actually saying nice things about them for once. The Wallabies have also had a serious step up in form after their very good showing in Capetown.

So it is all set tonight for a great match, we have a rested, confident Wallaby team playing a home match against the All Blacks. As we all know it has been a few seasons since the Wallabies have faced the All Blacks with such a positive outlook.

As Nick Farr Jones was saying during the week, it is a very important match. If the Wallabies win, it will give them a huge lift going into the World Cup. If the All Blacks win then the current status quo remains, they continue onto the World Cup as red hot favourites.

Room Full of Mirrors

After living in Roy and HG's room full of mirrors for a few years the Wallabies finally had a go on the weekend and gave the Boks a real go. We saw a hint of a much improved Wallaby forward pack in the second Test against Wales. It was like stepping back in time on the weekend, for so long we have seen the Wallaby scrum get shunted around the field, it was a shock to see them rock solid against a very good Bok pack.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see the forwards really getting stuck in and having a go in defence, cleanimg out etc. Vickerman and Sharpe were sensational, I thought Vickerman in particular put in a performance that is the best of any international lock this season.

So you see I can certainly stick the knife in when the Wallabies lose, but they lost on the weekend and like everyone I really enjoyed the match the committment was sensational.
Just watching on the weekend I was thinking hang on, if the Wallabies play like this they will give the All Blacks a go and also come back into reckoning for the World Cup.

My mate Stormin Norman in Coff's is a mad All Black's supporter and he was a bit quite after the weekend. He watched the All Blacks stutter a bit against Canada and then watching the Wallabies he may have been having flashbacks to 1991 and 2003 World Cups when the Wallabies knocked out the All Blacks who were unbackable favourites in both matches.