Australian rugby will serve up quantity on Saturday, with the first quadruple header at Accor Stadium providing a smorgasbord of the sport that is entering a golden runway through to two World Cups and a home Olympics over the next six years. The quality of the main dish, though? That remains to be seen.
The return Bledisloe Cup match for the Wallabies is the showpiece in a glorious afternoon of Australian union beginning with the Wallaroos’ clash against Scotland, followed by two sevens showdowns against the men’s Fiji side and New Zealand’s women.
The carnival spirit of the afternoon, however, will be cancelled if the Wallabies are tortured like they were against the All Blacks in Eden Park last week. The 17-14 half-time margin made way for a 50-19 humbling, just the ninth time in Australia’s proud rugby history their men’s XV have copped a half-century. The win was the All Blacks’ 12th in a row against the Wallabies, quashing optimism that had built steadily over the first three months under coach Les Kiss.
While many of those in attendance on Saturday will be counting down to the World Cup next year, the Australian camp is still counting up. Fly half Harry McLaughlin-Phillips is likely to come off the bench to make his international debut and become Wallaby No 1,001.
The 22-year-old will only get the opportunity due to what is now a run of injuries that would be funny if it was not so tragic. Ben Donaldson picked up a quad niggle this week, meaning Declan Meredith will wear No 10, with McLaughlin-Phillips his deputy.
Go back further and there is the broken leg to Carter Gordon and a succession of injuries to Tom Lynagh. The latter suffered a new knee issue this week that means he will miss the coming Australia A tour of the US. McLaughlin-Phillips will join Tane Edmed – another to have been on the Wallabies’ recent No 10 merry-go-round – in the States instead.
The instability at pivot can be traced all the way back to Noah Lolesio’s neck injury against Fiji in the match in Newcastle last year, before the British and Irish Lions series. Lolesio’s claims for a return are hindered by his club commitments in Japan, where his club in Aichi remain in the second division in a season that does not start for two months.
The situation is a building crisis, given the way the All Blacks’ third-choice fly half Damian McKenzie eviscerated the Wallabies in Eden Park last week. To either assuage fans’ concerns, or cause them further alarm, Kiss revealed on Thursday he has spoken to 37-year-old Kurtley Beale more than once this week.
“He knows the role that he’s got, and we’ve also got James O’Connor as well sitting there, [Bernard] Foley,” he said. “Those boys have been through the mill. We know what we can expect from them, they know what to expect from this environment. The other boys get a great chance just to learn what it’s all about.”
The comment shows Kiss is prepared to suffer short-term pain, in the hope for long-term gain. The late-blooming Meredith, 27, was largely a passenger when he came on for the final 13 minutes last week, but he is yet to prove he is an international-quality No 10. He was dropped in August after three Tests.
Kiss defended going back to him instead of bringing in a more experienced player. “This is an opportunity for other guys to be feeling it, tasting what Test rugby is about,” he said. “Declan is serving the team in a big way on and off the field and doing a good job for us. [It’s a] great opportunity for him to grow again, that’s how we’re seeing it.”
The All Blacks have made eight changes to their 23, but only three to their starting side, including one due to injury. The approach highlights their commitment to this contest even if the Bledisloe Cup has already been secured for another year. It also gives those on the fringes of the squad, one year out from the World Cup, the chance to impress.
Bruising centre Timoci Tavatavanawai is likely to see action behind midfield standouts Quinn Tupaea and Jordie Barrett. The trio presents a formidable test for the Wallabies’ makeshift midfield of Isaac Henry and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, following injury to Len Ikitau and the suspension of Hunter Paisami.
Kiss admitted it will not be easy to ensure the pair are in sync. “We’re not afraid of these challenges in this [match],” he said. “We need to be able to lean into it, explore what this looks like and smells like.”
