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Michael Cheika breaks down where it went wrong for Wallabies - 'We needed to create doubt'

August 18, 2019

The Wallabies were brought back down to earth with a 36-0 drubbing by the All Blacks at Eden Park

Michael Cheika isn't writing his Wallabies off as a World Cup force despite the harrowing 36-0 loss to the All Blacks that stretches their Bledisloe Cup anguish into an 18th year.

Cheika could only acknowledge the quality of the All Blacks at Australia's Eden Park graveyard on Saturday and the fickle nature of Test rugby.

The result came a week after their own sublime display - the record 47-26 win in Perth.

Having raised hopes they could lift the trans-Tasman prize for the first time since 1992, the Wallabies were overwhelmed by the motivated hosts on Saturday.

In wet conditions, New Zealand's physicality went to a new level, scoring five tries and providing evidence they aren't the declining force some had suggested.

Australia failed to score for just the second time in any Test since 1973.

It's no surprise the other was at Eden Park, when New Zealand prevailed 22-0 in 2012, another chapter in Australia's 33-year drought at the venue.

Their only bigger loss to New Zealand was the 43-6 humbling in Wellington in 1996, also in the wet.

"I'm not worried. Footy's that kind of thing where you know what your team's building, what they've got," Cheika said.

"You get punched in the face sometimes, you get hit hard, and it's how you get back up.

"In 2015, we took a lot from the game here (a 41-13 Bledisloe Cup decider loss) that helped us get ourselves right for what was ahead - the World Cup."

Steve Hansen, in charge of the All Blacks for the 100th time, was on his feet more than once in the coaching box, betraying the pressure he was under this week.

New Zealand dominated the collisions, like Australia had done a week earlier.

It gave halfback Aaron Smith the sort of platform to control the game opposite Nic White had enjoyed in Perth.

An early New Zealand penalty goal to Richie Mo'unga was followed by Australia's best period, camping on attack much of the opening half hour.

All they had to show was two penalty shots from five-eighth Christian Lealiifano. Both were missed.

On a night not suited to expansive rugby, the Wallabies chanced their arm and paid the price when Reece Hodge's spill was pounced on by a speedy Mo'unga, who raced 60m untouched.

The knife was twisted soon afterwards when Smith backed up a 70m counter-attack to push his team to a 17-0 halftime lead.

Cheika said the early failure to convert opened the door for the world champions.

"To give us a show here, we needed to put the opposition in a bit of doubt and that was through points early on.

"We had a lot of good momentum early on but it's about being vigilant all the time, because if you're not vigilant that one time, they'll get you.

"We got close on several occasions, both with some kicks and also with the ability to score a try to create more doubt, which we didn't do."

New Zealand hooker Dane Coles was shown a yellow card for a dangerous judo-style flip to clean out White just before the break.

However, the match was summed up by two subsequent scrums when a seven-man All Blacks pack sent the Wallabies skidding.

Sonny Bill Williams' muscular on return at inside centre was rewarded with a try when he burst onto Smith's short pass.

The last two New Zealand tries went to young wingers Sevu Reece and George Bridge, who were both surprise selections ahead of accomplished pair Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane.

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