Cheika: I will not drop Cooper, Foley

“We just wanted to play footy and they brought that kind of edge but we weren’t going to back down”.

Both of Dagg’s tries came in the first half, handing the All Blacks a 15-9 lead at the break after Bernard Foley and Reece Hodge replied with penalties for the visitors.

The Wallabies did well to not leak any points during Coleman’s absences but let a try in just after he returned.

Any nation that plans to keep New Zealand from scoring a try all game isn’t going to have much success. The Wallabies were limp and ineffective in defence last week, missing more than 40 tackles, a sure sign of a side who are completely out-of-sync emotionally as much as technically.

Instead of challenging defenders or trying to create any doubt in the line, his default reaction is to shovel the ball on, which creates issues in the midfield as players get cramped or forced across field.

“In the same game you can go to two or three lineouts where they’re driving and the same thing happened”.

Cheika has admitted he bungled the Wallabies’ mental preparation for last weekend’s test by needling the All Blacks at the start of the week, hoping to deflect pressure from his players but instead building expectations of their performance. His forwards got him some momentum and he was able to use his feet and make plenty of metres when running the ball.

They last won the cup in 2002, a time not even vice-captain Michael Hooper can remember.

Centres Tevita Kuridrani and Samu Kerevi, whose selections have been based on their ability to get beyond the gain line, have consistently failed to do so and been error prone.

Their best weapon was the high kick, competed for by fullback Israel Folau, but with a stuttering set piece they had few opportunities.

Dane Haylett-Petty needs to either be playing fullback or not be in the team at all – his defence on the wing is awful.

It’s not Quade Cooper against the All Blacks, it’s 23 Australians versus 23 All Blacks.

Stephen Moore is a great Super Rugby player, but he is definitely over the hill and his lineout throwing is questionable, although that could be due to the jumpers. “We were left with the anger of the last match and know that we have a team to beat anyone”, said captain Agustin Creevy.

“I think for a guy who hasn’t played for a long time, he went pretty well”.

Or maybe the whole problem with this team is the coach.

SBW has had his say on #michaelcheika and the #Wallabies!

The Wallabies have a week off this week, before reconvening in Brisbane next week ahead of their first Test against the Springboks and Cheika said it would be “game on”.

South Africa’s Tendai Mtawarira will equal two-time World Cup victor Os du Randt’s record as most-capped prop for the Springboks after being named in the starting line-up for the Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Salta on Saturday.