Coach Dave Rennie says the All Blacks will give the Wallabies “the respect they deserve” in their two-match Bledisloe Cup series.
Unlike Bok boss Rassie Erasmus, who made 13 changes to his starting XV for Sunday’s 42-38 defeat in Perth, Rennie has no intention of significantly rotating his side for the Tests at Eden Park in Auckland on 10 October and Stadium Australia in Sydney a week later.
“We’re still big on earning the right to play and so the Bledisloe Cup matches are important to us and important to the Wallabies as well,” Rennie said after naming his 34-man squad. “So we’ll pay them the respect they deserve in regard to picking the best squad possible.”
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The All Blacks will be without captain Ardie Savea, whose season is over following shoulder surgery, as well as injured flyhalf Ruben Love.
New Zealand will also head into the series looking to rebound from three successive defeats to the Boks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, while Australia are unbeaten in five Tests under coach Les Kiss.
Rennie, who coached the Wallabies from 2020 to 2022, knows first-hand how difficult it is for Australia to win at Eden Park, where New Zealand have not lost since 1994.
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“I never felt there was a lack of mindset or determination,” Rennie said of his time with Australia. “In those sorts of games you have got to be at your best and win key moments.
“International rugby now is tight, there are so many good sides that are all pretty close. You have to get it right and win those key moments.
“So we are expecting that to be a tough battle in Auckland.”
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Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The post Rennie won’t rotate like Rassie appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Coach Dave Rennie says the All Blacks will give the Wallabies “the respect they deserve” in their two-match Bledisloe Cup series.
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