Sonny Bill Williams has urged Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to back himself and show more defensive aggression in the Bledisloe Cup rematch in Perth on Saturday night.
Suaalii had a uncharacteristically quiet Bledisloe debut at Eden Park last weekend and the All Blacks held him in check in their 33-24 win.
And fellow code-hopping superstar Williams offered some constructive criticism on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts as Australia chase an unlikely Rugby Championship trophy.
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“He’s a world class operator from a physicality point of view,” Williams said.
“He knows how to tackle, but it’s the system that they’re in… looking at how they can actually bring a bit of pressure.
“Someone maybe stepping out, taking it upon themselves… when I was in the All Blacks, with Ma’a Nonu for example, sometimes he’d be a little bit tired, so I’d jump out at 13, 12, we’d chop and change defensively.
“I think there’s room for that with Len Ikitau and Joseph.”
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The world champion Springboks – and most northern hemisphere teams – look to push up and apply line speed in defence.
The Wallabies, however, have a more passive ‘soak’ defensive system where connection is the name of the game.
“I’m not saying that Joseph can’t make those calls,” Williams said.
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“I just think the centres, the outside backs, need to have that free rein so they can shut it down or get up and put a bit more pressure.
“Sometimes they’re a little bit tight. So it’s taking a couple of metres and being able to push up a bit squarer.”
Williams, the two-time Rugby World Cup champion, believed the Wallabies were the better team for large stages at Eden Park.
“I was really, really nervous. I felt a lot of the time there was opportunities for your outside men, just to get up and put a lot more pressure on.”
The Wallabies are looking to give prop James Slipper the send off he deserves in his 151st and final international.
Scott Robertson’s All Blacks, meanwhile, will be desperate to preserve their traditional dominance.
Defeat by Australia, their traditional punching bag, would be another crushing blow to New Zealand egos and put Robertson and his staff under renewed pressure.
The Wallabies are in a happier place under Joe Schmidt despite their 2-3 losing record in the tournament.
The blowout losses of Schmidt’s first season in charge are only a year removed but now seem from a long bygone era.
Fans have packed out their home matches this season for more valiant defeats than wins but most hold hope that, finally, the tide had has turned for the 2027 Rugby World Cup hosts.
But for a late yellow card and the capricious refereeing of Andrea Piardi, Australia might have left Eden Park as winners and with a shot at reclaiming the Bledisloe for the first time in 23 years.
As it was, they left with a 10th successive loss to the All Blacks and a sense of being aggrieved that may prove useful in squaring the ledger in Perth.
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“If we could get a win this week, at worst, we’d finish second,” Schmidt told reporters.
“That would be incredible compared to last season and the season before that.
“I do think there’s growth in the team and I can’t guarantee that’s going to be linear but I can pretty much guarantee the effort’s going to be there.”
Australia will be stronger for the addition of lock Will Skelton, who has made the trip from France, and loose forward Rob Valetini, recalled on the bench after missing Eden Park with a calf niggle.
With flyhalf James O’Connor benched after a full game at Eden Park and some costly errors with the boot, Schmidt has gambled on Tane Edmed coming good in the No.10 jersey after his shaky starting debut in the Sydney defeat by the Pumas.
Robertson has also thrown caution to the wind, dumping centre Billy Proctor in favour of Quinn Tupaea and giving Leicester Fainga’anuku a place on the wing for his first Test since the 2023 World Cup.
With a heavy injury toll from Eden Park, New Zealand appear as vulnerable as they ever have which, for the Wallabies, may make them as dangerous as ever.
WALLABIES (15-1): Max Jorgensen, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Filipo Daugunu, Tane Edmed, Jake Gordon, Harry Wilson (c), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Will Skelton, Nick Frost, Allan Alaalatoa, Billy Pollard, James Slipper
Reserves: Josh Nasser, Tom Robertson, Taniela Tupou, Jeremy Williams, Rob Valetini, Ryan Lonergan, James O’Connor, Josh Flook
ALL BLACKS (15-1): Will Jordan, Leroy Carter, Quinn Tupaea, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Damian McKenzie, Cam Roigard, Peter Lakai, Ardie Savea, Simon Parker, Tupou Vaa’i, Scott Barrett (c), Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Tamaiti Williams
Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bower, Pasilio Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Rieko Ioane, Ruben Love
