New Zealand, favourites to win the Tri-Nations decider against the injury-plagued Wallabies here on Saturday, are wary of the threat posed by under-siege Australia captain George Gregan.
Australian critics of the 32-year-old scrum-half are calling for his scalp as the side endures their worst losing streak in nearly 25 years, but All Black captain Tana Umaga said that type of pressure could prove a rallying call for the Wallabies.
”When everyone’s giving you grief and your back’s against the wall, you become insular and you rally the troops around you,” Umaga said on Wednesday.
”No one backs him this week and that’s a very dangerous thing for us.”
The All Blacks need to win this weekend to claim the Tri-Nations trophy for the sixth time in 10 years. If bottom-of-the table Australia win it will hand the crown to South Africa.
Gregan, who will equal England prop Jason Leonard’s record of 114 Test caps when he runs on the field, leads a side that has lost its past four internationals and faces its first-ever Tri-Nations whitewash.
This could be his last Test, but Umaga said the Wallaby number nine remained one of the quickest scrum-halfs to a ruck and manipulator of defences around the fringes.
”A lot of people forget the good things that you’ve done and they narrow it down to the last two weeks,” he said.
”With his never-say-die attitude he’s a competitor.”
All Black assistant coach Wayne Smith agreed the criticism would make the Wallabies more dangerous.
”I would say that because of the man it probably inspires him more than anything,” Smith said.
”If you asked most Kiwis they would say they hope it is his last Test. He’s a winner, isn’t he?
”He’s probably the greatest Wallaby ever. He’s been involved in some of their greatest Test match victories. He’s a warrior and you never get on top of him. He has a huge spirit and you can’t say much more than that about him.
”Form comes and goes but he has a soul and depth and spirit that has seen him come to the top a lot of times before. The drums have been beating for him for a decade probably, from time to time. He just keeps fronting.”
A stream of injuries have forced have forced five changes plus five positional changes from the Wallabies starting line-up in their last Test against South Africa in Perth.
And although the Australians have been written-off in many quarters because of the injuries, Umaga pointed to the outstanding performance of Drew Mitchell in his debut against the All Blacks three weeks ago.
”There are a number of players that we don’t really know that much about,” Umaga said.
”Look at the way that Mitchell carved us up in Sydney and now they’ve got a few other players who can do the same.
”When you’ve got a settled side and you play against them a number of times, you learn the intricacies of that team.
”It’s these players that you don’t know about that can really take you apart.” – Sapa-AFP