‘They’re a well-oiled side’: Rennie hails Wallabies’ growth ahead of Bledisloe battle

All Blacks and ex-Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has hailed the growth of his former team, saying Australia’s win over the Springboks in Perth was mostly “clinical” and admitting it gave the Kiwis a timely reminder of the quality they’ll face in the opening Bledisloe clash next week in Auckland.

Rennie’s comments came as the Wallabies received a positive update on the injury status of star centre Len Ikitau, who could still potentially play in the Eden Park clash despite early fears he’d sustained a serious ankle problem in Perth.

Ikitau hobbled off Optus Stadium in the second half and was later seen in a moon boot, sparking concern the star centre had suffered a syndesmosis injury, which can require 6-12 weeks recovery and even surgery.

Combined with the likely loss of Hunter Paisami, who is facing suspension after being cited for a high tackle in the dramatic win over the Boks, and the returns of Taniela Tupou and Tom Hooper back to their clubs in Paris and Exeter, the absence of Ikitau would be a massive blow for the Wallabies’ hopes in the opening Bledisloe.

New Zealand have not lost to Australia at Eden Park since 1986, or any other Test side since 1994.

But after Ikitau had scans on Monday, and ahead of Les Kiss naming his squad on Wednesday, the feeling around Ikitau’s injury was more positive, with informed sources saying the star centre believed it wasn’t the worst-case scenario and he may be able to manage the ankle injury and keep playing.

Ikitau had clean-up surgery on the same ankle in July and missed two Tests against Japan in August.

Rennie, who coached the Wallabies between 2020 and 2022, took over as All Blacks coach this year and said he was excited to come up against his old team from the other side of the Bledisloe trenches.

In nine trans-Tasman games with Australia, Rennie had one win, one draw and seven losses; with the 24-22 victory in 2020 the last time the Wallabies beat New Zealand.

“It’s exciting. I had a lot to do with a number of the guys that are going to be playing in the opposition, (they are) good men,” Rennie said.

“But we’ll put that aside for 80 minutes on the weekend. I guess I got a little bit of insight into them, but it’s a strong side, a lot of experience now, and with a lot of belief in what they’re doing. It’s been a great start for Les and his group, and I’m sure they’ll come to Auckland with confidence.”

The chaotic finish dominated headlines, but Rennie was quick to point to the quality of the Wallabies’ performance in the first 65 minutes, at which time they led South Africa 42-17.

“I thought they were excellent, and I’m not surprised. It’s a good message for our boys to understand the quality of the Australian side and what we’re going to face at Eden Park,” he said.

“They’re a pretty well-oiled side now. There’s a lot of guys who’ve played a lot of footy together, so got really strong combinations, and then got some genuine X-factor.

“They’ve got a pack that works hard, and if they can get you down in the 22, they’re very patient, and they can play underneath you. So they’re going to ask a lot of questions, but they can also play real high tempo, and you look at their outside backs, they’re all electric.

“Really they put the Springboks out of the game. It might have been interesting in the final score if they hadn’t gone down to 11.”

Having been in the gold corner for four Bledisloe Cup losses at Eden Park, Rennie said there was no problem with the Wallabies’ mindset or determination.

“In those sorts of games, you’ve got to be at your best and you’ve got to win key moments,” he said.

“A lot of games over the last six or seven years, there’s been a couple of blowouts, but a lot of them have been tight and have come down to key moments. We found that out in Africa as well.“

Rennie is also dealing with injury, and along with rising playmaker Ruben Love being ruled out of the Wallabies’ games, the big news was Ardie Savea’s season being over due to a shoulder injury that needs surgery. The Kiwis aren’t short on no.10 options, with Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett in the squad.

The contingency planning for the Wallabies’ midfield would be Isaac Henry and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii returning to the centres, and Jordan Petaia may also be an option to play a role after joining the squad last week in Perth.

But Kiss will be crossing his fingers that Ikitau is available, given his proven importance.

Meanwhile, Rugby Australia are seeking answers after Italian referee Andrea Piardi was forced to speak to his television match official on a mobile phone due to issues with his communications device during the closing stages of Sunday’s Test victory against South Africa.

The issue comes just over a year before Australia host the Rugby World Cup. As host nation, RA utilised its regular supplier of referee communications for one-off home Tests, Gravity Media. RA has used the company to supply this technology for more than 10 years without incident.

Gravity Media is also listed as one of five companies approved to provide referee communications services at its tournaments, including next year’s World Cup.

In a statement provided to this masthead, RA acknowledged the technological difficulties for the match officials on Sunday.

“Rugby Australia acknowledges that match officials’ communications were affected by a technical issue during Sunday’s Test between the Wallabies and South Africa in Perth.

“Further information is currently being sought from the relevant third-party service provider to understand the cause of the issue and ensure appropriate measures are taken to prevent a recurrence.”

Referee communication issues had also plagued the Springboks’ last Test against New Zealand in Baltimore. Referee Karl Dickson was forced to stop the game for eight minutes and 53 minutes midway through the first half, with officials unable to communicate with each other.

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