Burgess up against 'the best'
Under-fire Wallaby scrum-half Luke Burgess is relishing the upcoming challenge against New Zealand on Saturday, a team he believes are the best in the world.
Under-fire Wallaby scrum-half Luke Burgess is relishing the upcoming challenge against New Zealand on Saturday, a team he believes are the best in the world.
In only his fourth Test played for Australia, Burgess was criticised for his display in the number nine jersey against South Africa last weekend where his service was particularly bad, although he's expected to start against the Kiwis in Sydney.
The energetic 24-year-old has also been branded a “cheat” by All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen following Australia's 19-6 win over the world champs, claiming Burgess' feeds into the Wallabies' scrum were done so illegally in order to get quick ball for the backs.
But looking ahead to Saturday's Bledisloe Cup opener at ANZ Stadium, Burgess says he is ready for the biggest challenge of his short Test career against “the best” side in world rugby.
The Waratahs star wasn't involved in the World Cup last year, but he felt even though New Zealand were knocked out in the quarter-finals and lost to the Springboks in Dunedin two weeks ago, they are still the number one ranked team in the world.
“I've always thought they had the potential to be the world's best. Just because they didn't win the World Cup doesn't mean they're not the world's best or have the world's best players,” Burgess told the media.
“So I do think they're actually the best team in the world.”
Burgess sensed the majority of his team felt the same way.
“We're all prepared for a massive challenge,” he said.
“I think everyone [in the team] holds New Zealand in very high regard, purely because of their heritage and their tradition.
“They've always been fantastic.
“You can never discount the quality of a New Zealand rugby team. Just because of recent results doesn't mean anything.
“I'm expecting nothing short of a massive wave of intensity and aggression – the standard sort of features of New Zealand rugby that I've experienced over the last couple of years will be there.”
He believes the ELVs further highlight the All Blacks' strengths.
“Through the Super 14, you could see all the New Zealand teams being excellent exponents of those rules, so I don't think it will be any different this weekend.”
Burgess was in the stands at the Sydney Football Stadium in 1994 when a youthful George Gregan made “that tackle” to deny Jeff Wilson of a certain try and reclaim the Bledisloe Cup.
But when asked to recall his childhood memories of Bledisloe Cup battles past, Burgess admits some of his idols hailed from across the ditch.
“We used to go to a Thai (restaurant) in Maitland (in Newcastle) and then go home and sit in front of the fire and watch it,” Burgess recalled.
“I've got vivid memories of snuggling up to the fire and watching those guys bash each other so I've always wanted to put myself in that situation.”
“But yeah I did idolise Byron Kelleher and Justin Marshall, they were fantastic half-backs.”