Wallabies great suggests ‘mental’ tactic against the All Blacks to open ‘a couple of fresh wounds’
Drew MItchell (inset) has outlined a tactic involving subs like Angus Bell that he wants the Wallabies to adopt
Drew Mitchell has explained the “mental” tactic that could quickly cause the All Blacks some fresh pain next weekend when they host the Wallabies in Auckland.
Australia head across the Tasman as the Rugby Championship’s leading team heading into Round Five. They are on top of the standings on 11 points, one ahead of New Zealand and South Africa, and two clear of Argentina after four rounds of matches where each team has won two and lost two.
The Wallabies must now play at Eden Park, the Auckland venue where the All Backs have an unbeaten 51-game run stretching back to 1994.
However, with Scott Robertson’s side coming off the back of a record 10-43 loss to the Springboks in Wellington, Mitchell has suggested that Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt should consider starting some of his best replacements to turn the heat up even further.
“The start is now even more crucial…”
The Wallabies have been enjoying some excellent second-half flourishes this year when their subs are on the pitch, namely in the wins over South Africa in Johannesburg and Argentina in Townsville.
They came up short last weekend versus the Pumas in Sydney but even in that fixture, they briskly reduced a 7-28 margin to only lose 26-28 – an improvement that again highlighted the impact of subs such as loosehead Angus Bell, utility forward Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, scrum-half Tate McDermott, out-half James O’Connor and two-try winger Filipo Daugunu.
Mitchell, who won 71 Test caps between 2005 and 2016, now wants head coach Schmidt to reshuffle his team and start some of these in-form replacements in the hope of Australia enjoying a fast start in Auckland and ratcheting up the anxiety for a confidence-shaken New Zealand.
Appearing on The KOKO Show with fellow Wallabies great Matt Giteau, Mitchell said: “To the last point we were talking about, around some of those guys off the bench starting, because New Zealand didn’t have the greatest second half last week, if you maybe put pressure on them early all of a sudden you could maybe open up a couple of fresh wounds from last weekend and a couple of those doubts creep in where the start is now even more crucial.
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“You come out in the first 20 and a Bell, these guys go out there and they find themselves, let’s just say for example if could be 14-0 after 20 (minutes) or something in a perfect world for us and then all of a sudden they [New Zealand] start to think, ‘ah s***, here we go again’.
“So, for the mental side of it, do we even more so consider starting some of those guys off the bench who have been going really strong for us to start the game?”
Giteau admitted he likes seeing Bell in the second half of matches, but the idea of piling pressure on the All Blacks did hold appeal. “I like Bell in the second half, there is a huge impact when he comes on,” he said.
“But that first Test against South Africa, the All Blacks were 14 points up real quick, their first couple of plays worked and you just build and feed off that. Like any good team, if you get into a good lead, you just keep the foot on the throat. If we are able to start fast, yeah [to starting the subs]!”
Mitchell added: “It’s a tough one, tough because of how long it has taken us to win there (in Auckland) but tough after their result last weekend.
“It was a huge rebound by the Springboks, but it means now the All Blacks go back to their cultural home of rugby at Eden Park, they will want to put a bit of a statement performance out there.”
Giteau was optimistic about the Wallabies. “That 40 minutes showed some (All Blacks) vulnerability. If we can attack and perform well enough, I believe we can get the job done.
“It’s not going to be easy. That first half, the All Blacks were probably two or three passes away from icing that game (against the Springboks).
“They were attacking super well, (Leroy) Carter’s first try was so good, side-to-side attack. So they have got it in them, and if I watched that first half and didn’t watch the second, I would have reckoned All Blacks were going to win this by 10, 13. I didn’t see that [10-43] coming.”
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On a lighter note, Giteau quipped that New Zealand boss Robertson has probably binned the breakdancing antics emblematic of his trophy-winning campaigns in charge of the Crusaders. “Razor will be feeling some heat. I don’t think there would be too much breakdancing going on at the moment, I reckon,” he quipped.
“You take Robertson out of the conversation, who is the best dancer? I have seen Rassie (Erasmus) having a few drinks. I imagine Felipe (Contepomi) can do the tango.”
Giteau’s suggestion prompted Mitchell to reflect on Schmidt: “I’m going to throw it out there, he would be good at something like the waltz. He’d have really smooth moves.
“He’s not a freestyle, standalone dancer. He’s just leading his partner around the dance floor and would be really upright.”