"He's more of an organising 10 – very astute, very experienced test player. "Their hand has been forced," Foster said of Foley's inclusion.
Recalling veteran first five-eighth Bernard Foley for his first test in three years – and first match since May – in the absence of injured playmakers Noah Lolesio and Quade Cooper will grab headlines but widespread changes to Rennie's pack are more notable for the way the Wallabies will attempt to challenge the All Blacks. Rennie wants to spark a drastic change in performance, and he's wielded the selection axe in order to achieve it. The Wallabies ushering in eight starting changes presents the polar opposite image to the All Blacks. Hoskins Sotutu will play his first All Blacks test of the year. It's a big game in the Rugby Championship, everyone is on the same starting line with two rounds to go so it's a big weekend to make a bit of a statement and build a bit more consistency." "We feel we're getting there," Foster said in Melbourne on Tuesday of the All Blacks' quest to notch successive wins for the first time this year. The only other change is on the bench where Akira Ioane joins Dalton Papalii. Hoskins Sotutu's first appearance of the season at No 8 combined with Scott Barrett's move to the blindside and Bordie Retallick rejoining Sam Whitelock in the second-row were entirely expected while Ardie Savea remains at home for the birth of his third child, and Shannon Frizell sits out this week with a minor rib injury. While All Blacks coach Ian Foster has largely opted to stick with his continuity approach that's gleaned mixed results, Wallabies counterpart Dave Rennie reacted to his side's 24-8 loss to the Springboks by changing half the team.įollowing the All Blacks' 53-3 domination of the Pumas in Hamilton, where they ran in seven tries to emphatically rebound from defeat in Christchurch the previous week, Foster's three enforced starting tweaks essentially projects a steady as she goes mantra. Victory on Thursday night for the All Blacks would stretch their dominance of the Bledisloe Cup to two decades, and maintain their hopes of a once unlikely Rugby Championship title as all four teams sit on 2-2 records.
Two teams in similar fluctuating spaces have adopted contrasting approaches to the opening Bledisloe Cup test in Melbourne.Īt a decisive point in their volatile campaigns one of the All Blacks or Wallabies, who share the same 3-4 ledgers this season, will take a quantum leap towards regaining the lost art of consistency.
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