Favourites All Blacks brace for vengeful opponents Wallabies

 The New Zealand All Blacks rugby team huddle during a team training session in Sydney, Australia, 19 August before their first Bledisloe Cup game against Australia’s Wallabies on Saturday – Reuters

Reuters: World champions New Zealand must battle the loss of some of the game’s greats and a desire for revenge from their opponents as they prepare for the start of the Rugby Championship this weekend.

But even in the face of change and some adversity, the All Blacks remain favourites to regain the title they lost to Australia last year after and impressive first hit-out of their revamped side with a 3-0 series win over Wales in June.

New Zealand travel to Sydney to face Australia on Saturday for what promises to be a feisty meeting of old foes, before South Africa host Argentina later in Nelspruit.

New Zealand defeated Australia 34-17 in last year’s World Cup final and there has been plenty of chatter since between coach Steve Hansen and counterpart Michael Cheika after the Wallabies suffered a humiliating 3-0 loss to England in June.

It is likely, therefore, the All Blacks will face a vengeful, hurting Australia, who have brought back a number of their overseas-based, experienced players to bolster the squad that competed against England.

In contrast, Hansen is rebuilding following the retirement of players who have become synonymous with All Black jersey over the past decade in influential captain Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Keven Mealamu, Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

The recent Super Rugby competition, won by the Wellington Hurricanes, was a great indicator of the depth of New Zealand rugby though and Hansen’s biggest decision may be over who to pick at flyhalf between Beauden Barrett and Aaron Cruden.

It’s a problem his coaching counterparts in the competition would be delighted to have and Cheika irked the New Zealand coach last week when he suggested this would be a difficult poser for Hansen.

“It’s good of the Australian coach to start picking our team,” a testy Hanson told reporters when his side arrived in Sydney on Sunday.

“I’d say he’s got enough problems of his own, probably. But we’ll pick ours and he can pick his and he’ll have a lot to say, no doubt.”

Australia’s loss to England has seen a cavalry call from Cheika as they face their longest losing streak in 11 years.

Defeat against New Zealand on Saturday would be a fifth in a row, their worst run since they lost seven tests in succession in 2005.

The Toulon pair of Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell, as well as Bordeaux’s Adam Ashley-Cooper and Will Genia from Stade Francais have 352 test caps between them and will bolster the decision-making significantly.

South Africa had a wobble in the home series with an injury-depleted Ireland in June, claiming a 2-1 success in unconvincing fashion.

They are still finding their feet under new coach Allister Coetzee, who is trying to gradually move the side away from the forward-dominated style of play that has characterised the team.

“Lots of other international sides understand that they have to match South Africa’s physicality and we’ve got to be a bit smarter and more accurate now,” Coetzee told Barbarians News recently.

“I believe in a balanced style of play. We don’t want to go all-out attack and neglect our forward style, our dominance at set-piece and the maul, but we want to be more effective.”

The Boks have their own wish for revenge over the All Blacks having been edged by their great rivals in the World Cup semi-finals last year.

Argentina showed at last year’s World Cup, where they finished fourth, how competing in the Rugby Championship since 2012 had polished the rough edges of their game.

The majority of the squad comes from the Jaguares Super Rugby franchise that endured a difficult maiden season in the competition, but with coach Daniel Hourcade back at the helm they have high hopes of continuing their international improvement.