Australia will go into Saturday's third Bledisloe Cup hit-out with the All Blacks knowing they are in the midst of their leanest try-scoring season of the professional era.
The Wallabies have scored just twelve tries in ten Tests in 2012, an average of 1.2 a game. In comparison, the All Blacks have scored 33 tries in nine Tests at an average of 3.67 a match.
Since the advent of professionalism in 1996, the Wallabies have averaged 3.17 tries per Test and the only other year they scored less than two per match was in 2009.
Wallabies utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper believes improved defensive systems in the international arena is the reason for the try drought but injured flanker David Pocock admits that it is a concern, not just for the Wallabies but also the game as a spectacle.
"It's a competitive football market in Australia," Pocock told YahooSport.
"Whilst in other countries, they love scrums and lineout battles, people in Australia want to see tries."
Pocock believes Australia's inability to convert pressure into tries had been the difference against New Zealand in 2012.
"It's all about taking opportunities," he said.
"The past four or five games against the All Blacks, there's only been a try in it."
Statistics support Pocock's claim, with the All Blacks averaging 1.5 tries a Test against the Wallabies this year, compared to the Wallabies' one in two matches against their trans-Tasman rivals.
Comments
melkdave says...
Same can be said of most international teams atm,profesionally drilled defences,have cut down the time and space players have to work in dramatically in inrecent seasons ,and espically this season.Line speed and good 1stup tackling ,have been key factors in this,which explains why there is more kicking today,though thankfully the up and under is not as prevelent as in past years,and the grubber seems to be making a comeback To beat defences today ,you need good running lines,offloads and to break the defencive line at pace .Which means quicker passing/handling
Posted 15:08 18th October 2012