Wow! The new Wizards of Oz

There were rumblings down under that this might be a game too far for the world champions in Brisbane. The Wallabies had scored nine tries against them in their two Rugby Championship matches, but come up short.

The first of their three Bledisloe Cup meetings ended in a record 54-34 defeat in Sydney, where the All Blacks scored eight tries to kick-off their march to another title. A week later in Dunedin it was five tries each as New Zealand came from behind in the dying moments to eventually win 35-29.

Two draws against the Springboks and two wins over the Pumas earned Michael Cheika’s Australian side the runners-up spot in the Rugby Championship and the transformation from Round 1 to Round 6 had many astute judges to mark them out as a team capable of breaking a seven match losing run against their biggest rivals in the final Bledisloe Cup clash.

They changed from chumps to champs to become the real wizards of Oz with their dramatic victory at the Suncorp Stadium. They moved up to third in the World Rugby rankings and will arrive in Cardiff for the clash with Wales at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, 11 November full of confidence.

So how did the seemingly impossible happen and what was the reaction? Here are a few key facts to bear in mind ahead of the Under Armour Series opener – a game that has just become an even greater attraction!

MATCH FACTS
Australia 23 – Tries: Reece Hodge, Israel Folau, Marika Koroibete; Con: Bernard Foley; Pens: Reece Hodge 2
New Zealand 18 – Tries: Waisake Naholo, Rieko Ioane; Con: Lima Sopoaga; Pens: Lima Sopoaga 2
 

WALLABY SKIPPER MICHAEL HOOPER
“We’ve talked for a long time about building our results and building our training weeks. There is an overwhelming sense of satisfaction after that.
“We said it would go down to 80 minutes and it did. We didn’t win any comps tonight, but it will go a long way in building this team.
“New Zealand kept standing up as they always do and it was a great Test match. It was great to hear the crowd believing and carry on like that – it feels great to be Australian tonight.”  

STAR OF THE SHOW
It takes some performance to upstage Wallaby full back Israel Folau, but not even his 32^nd Test try in 62 games could rob wing Reece Hodge of the limelight. The power and workrate of the back row trio of Michael Hooper, Sean McMahon and rookie Jack Dempsey might have been critical, but when it came to points on the board it was Hodge’s sixth minute interception try from 70 metres and two second half penalties that made the difference. His second penalty was from 53 metres and forced the All Blacks to push for a converted try to win the game in the final two minutes. Hodge’s big boot once saw him kick a 70 metre penalty in a game in Sydney, albeit wind-assisted. That caught the eye of the NFL scouts, but his head wasn’t turned. All he wanted to do was play for the Wallabies – and beat New Zealand!

WHAT A SEND OFF FOR STEVE MOORE
Australia’s veteran hooker was given 20 minutes off the bench to bid farewell to home fans in his final Test on Australian soil before handing up his boots at Test level at the end of the year. What a way to finish! There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Moore’s family came onto the field at the end and the crowd were treated to a 15 minute montage of his career that currently boasts 125 caps . . . and now six wins over New Zealand to go with 12 against Wales.
“That’s one of the better performances that I’ve been a part of to be honest. I’ve been part of a lot of teams, but that was really good.
“I thought everyone did their job really well and everyone contributed. We knew it was going to be a big game and, for this group particularly, it’s a really important result we’ve been working towards.
“We’ve been talking a lot about the improvements and at some point you have to get an outcome. That said, we’ve just got to keep a lid on it.
“We haven’t won the trophy. They still won the series and that’s disappointing, but this group has taken a step forward.”

MAKE IT A DATE
The game against New Zealand is a sell-out, so why not pick up a ticket to see the Wallabies face Wales in the opening game of the 2017 Under Armour Series on Saturday, 11 November. The stakes have been raised and Wales will need all the backing they can get. More than 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the game.
Here are the four matches that face Warren Gatland’s Welsh team in November and December:

Under Armour Series 2017 – BUY TICKETS HERE
WALES v AUSTRALIA – Saturday, 11 November 2017 (17:15)
WALES v GEORGIA – Saturday, 18 November 2017 (14:30)
WALES v NEW ZEALAND – Saturday, 25 November 2017 (17:15) SOLD OUT
WALES v SOUTH AFRICA – Saturday, 2 December 2017 (14:30)

Official Hospitality Packages are available from 02920 822 413 or visit www.wru.wales/hospitality and official travel packages can be purchased from the WRU’s official travel supplier, Gullivers Sports Travel by visiting www.gulliverstravel.co.uk

The WRU’s official resale marketplace, which gives clubs the opportunity to re-sell a limited selection of their allocated tickets to the general public, can also be found at www.seatwave.com/wru