All-conquering All Blacks beatable: Sharpe

BRISBANE, Australia (AFP) –

Wallabies skipper Nathan Sharpe, seen here in 2011, is unbowed by New Zealand’s formidable winning run and said Friday the All Blacks were beatable in Saturday’s third and final Bledisloe Cup Test in Brisbane.

Wallabies skipper Nathan Sharpe is unbowed by New Zealand’s formidable winning run and said Friday the All Blacks were beatable in Saturday’s third and final Bledisloe Cup Test in Brisbane.

The All Blacks have strung together 16 straight victories against all-comers and are one Test win away from joining the 1969 All Blacks and 1998 South African Springboks with 17 successive victories.

Few pundits give the Australians a chance of upsetting the World Cup champions this weekend but Sharpe, the injury-hit Australia’s fourth captain this year, said the Wallabies were up for the challenge.

“Every team is beatable,” the 111-Test lock told reporters. “We have to play the best game we have played this year — and by a way as well.

“It’s close to the best preparation for a long time that I can remember. If we can translate that into a performance on the field tomorrow night, we’ll give ourselves a shot.

“We like a challenge and it fits the Australian psyche a little bit. When the backs are to the wall the guys like to show their character.”

New Zealand have already retained the Bledisloe Cup, symbol of trans-Tasman rugby supremacy, which they have held since 2003, following 27-19 and 22-0 victories in August.

The world number two ranked Wallabies were the last side to beat the rampaging All Blacks (25-20) at this weekend’s Brisbane venue 14 months ago.

But the Australians have been forced to field far below their best side and are without injured leading stars Will Genia, David Pocock, Quade Cooper, James O’Connor, Stephen Moore and James Horwill.

Further compounding the Wallabies’ woes were new injuries to winger Digby Ioane (knee), prop Ben Alexander (wrist) and backup hooker Saia Faingaa. Australia have been forced to use 12 debut players this season.

Sharpe, 34, who had planned to retire after this year’s Super 15 competition, was asked to delay his retirement plans to lead the Wallabies on their end-of-year trip to Europe next month given the catalogue of injuries to senior players.

New Zealand’s All Blacks coach Steve Hansen gestures before the start of their match against Argentina’s Los Pumas, during the Rugby Championship fifth round, at La Plata stadium, September 2012. Wallabies skipper Nathan Sharpe is unbowed by New Zealand’s formidable winning run and said the All Blacks were beatable in Saturday’s third and final Bledisloe Cup Test in Brisbane.

Robbie Deans, who has led the Wallabies to just three wins in 17 encounters with New Zealand since he became Australian rugby’s first foreign coach in 2008, has urged his side to take the game to the All Blacks on Saturday.

“Nothing we bring will be of any surprise to them this weekend,” he said.

“They’ve taken their game to another level, there’s no doubt about that, as evidenced by the numbers.

“We’ve got to be better… and that’s what we’re chasing.

“At some point, to do well against them, you’ve got to take the initiative. You can’t wait for it to land in your lap.”

But Kiwi Deans knows New Zealand will also be “desperate” this weekend.

The Wallabies denied them a record-equalling 17th Test win in Hong Kong in 2010 and they will be mindful of falling short again, while it will also be hooker Keven Mealamu’s 100th Test.

“We have looked at Australia and we know they have had hardships, quite a few injuries but they have got one or two back and they have got what would probably be the biggest forward pack they have ever put on the park,” All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said.

“We know that when we get our opportunities we will have to take them.”

It has been a difficult time for Hansen after the death of his father, Des, 78, this week from the effects of a stroke.