but is this the best possible team we can field, do you think?

Well, yeah, yeah.

Look, it is.

It is.

You know, because of that, the fact that you mentioned, the injuries, the forced injuries You know, that, it makes me nervous though, and as an Australian rugby fan, long suffering against the All Blacks.

You know, the All Blacks have got a pretty consistent side moving into this test.

They've absolutely wanting to finish off this Bledisloe series positively.

What do they need to do tomorrow, the Wallabies, to avoid that from happening again?

But what do we need to do?

Oh, look, I mean, uh, we can't boil the ocean.

I know that much.

But listen, we, we, we had, we had a, we had a fair bit of confidence in the Springbok r- result because of the forward dominance and a, a, a considered back line that was performing well and, and, and getting to where they needed to be on the field.

On, on the match at Eden Park, you know, the kick strategy looked a bit disjointed.

We looked like we were probably in the second half not able to rise to the occasion.

These are all things that you think a cohesive, consistent team should be able to accomplish.

And how soon can we call Marky Mark?

So I'm just wondering what you thought perhaps triggered that second half sort of blowout, for want of a better word.

It is a good observation, and it's probably a good description of Boat.

You know, losing Lenny Couture in the centre field didn't help.

Joseph Kusasuli was moved in off the wing.

Now, that is not the anecdote to all of our problems, but having that disruption early in the test match...

The defence was disjointed, absolutely.

There was a couple of players that came up out of the line, disconnected in defence.

I'm just wondering whether or not that was pressure that was put on him or just the lack of the Wallabies able to get any decent front foot ball that allowed him to orchestrate in the way that he did against the Springboks.

So I'm just wondering what you thought perhaps triggered that second half sort of blowout, for want of a better word.

Yeah, it is a good observation and it's probably a good description of Boat.

You know, losing Lenny Couture in the centre field didn't help.

Joseph Kusasuli was moved in off the wing.

Now, that is not the anecdote to all of our problems, but having that disruption early in the test match, The defence was disjointed, absolutely.

There was a couple of players that came up out of the line, disconnected in defence.

And when you've got an all-black side that's getting multiple opportunities to assess where the best attacking channels are and maintain possession and keep ruck speed moving forward, ultimately, you're going to be on the back foot more often than not.

I'm just wondering whether or not that was pressure that was put on him or just the lack of the Wallabies able to get any decent front foot ball that allowed him to orchestrate in the way that he did against the Springboks.

Under Les Kiss, uh, has he started implementing that since he's been in control? Have you seen a, a switch, a change in, in what they're trying to do under his watch for life?

Look, I think, I think coaches rarely unlock enigma codes, and a lot of it's timing.

Les Kiss has got a bit of timing on his side.

We had Dave Rennie, you know, into, into Joe Schmidt.

Nucleus of that team have now had back to back to back to back poor, into good, into, into indifferent experiences, shared experiences, and cohesion is building.

You know, this back row combination for the Wallabies is soon to be the most capped combination in Wallaby history.

So, you know, you've got some IP taking the field, and you've got Les Kiss who seems to be giving the players a little bit of freedom to operate inside themselves, but also under the umbrella of a style of play and a structure that's looking familiar to Australian fans, which is, you know, bravery, problem solving, intellect on the field, athleticism without being, you know, the biggest or fittest or strongest team on the field, but coming together as a unit and making sure that everything they're trying and tweaking is working.

Your thoughts.

Given what you just spoke about there, Justin, about Eden Park, I, I'm loathe to say this, but are they in any way vulnerable?

Yeah, they are.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

I, I think that, that series has taken a lot out of that, that group.

It's, it's been great for nostalgia and, and the nuances of, you know, the, the old school of touring.

A lot of games, a lot of injuries has been spat out.

Um, have you got your head around Hunter P- Paisami and his four-game ban for that shot in the game in Perth with South Africa? It, it rocks us with a bit of depth.

But where are they at at the moment? Are they, given what you just spoke about there, Justin, about Eden Park, I'm loathe to say this, but are they in any way vulnerable to

Yeah, they are.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

I think that series has taken a lot out of that group.

It's been great for nostalgia and the nuances of, you know, the old school of touring.

A lot of games, a lot of injuries have been spat out.

Have you got your head around Hunter Paisami and his four-game ban for that shot in the game in Perth with South Africa? It robs us with a bit of

But where are they at at the moment? Are they, given what you just spoke about there, Justin, about Eden Park, I'm loathe to say this, but are they in any way vulnerable to,

Yeah, they are.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

I think that series has taken a lot out of that group.

It's been great for nostalgia and the nuances of, you know, the old school of touring.

A lot of games, a lot of injuries have been spat out.

Have you got your head around Hunter Paisami and his four-game ban for that shot in the game in Perth with South Africa? It robs us with a bit of depth.

Yeah.

Uh, there's ample opportunity to be distracted around, um, you know, Australia, uh, Wallaby, uh, All Black test matches heading into Bledisloe.

Don't be the first people to, to throw out.

They're dealing, they're dealing with Dave Rennie and Tana Umaga, our new, still reasonably new coaching, so too are we.

Uh, but, you know, Les Kiss, Les Kiss is probably more familiar with his, his personnel than Dave Rennie necessarily is.

He, he went to New Zealand, he went to Australia, came back New Zealand.

Tana Umaga sure has got that past All Black aura.

That they could put a good team on the back foot, and that's where the opportunities will come.

When you run through this Wallabies team, what are those still areas, Justin, that you still have a little bit of concern over where maybe perhaps you don't have the depth or maybe there are still a few questions?

Well, look, our line-out copped a hit.

You know, Josh Canham's a late replacement.

He's injured.

He was injured in the captain's run, I think, yesterday.

So a late change.

Luka Nsokaloto comes into the starting side at second row with Jeremy Williams.

Again, discussions around that, any concerns around that? Yeah.

When you run through this Wallabies team, what are those still areas, Justin, that you still have a little bit of concern over where maybe perhaps you don't have the depth or maybe there are still a few questions?

Well, look, our line-out copped a hit.

You know, Josh Canham's a late replacement.

He's injured.

He was injured in the captain's run, I think, yesterday.

So a late change.

Luka Nsokaloto comes into the starting side at second row with Jeremy Williams.

Again, discussions around that, any concerns around that? Yeah.

Oh.

Oh.That's good That is special stuff.

So we, um- [laughs] We've got the, the Nations Championships on at the moment- Yeah ... which is a new, a new, uh, tournament style.

Yep.

Um, can you explain it for the people at home exactly just, like, how it works? Yeah, we can do top line, 'cause- Yeah, top line.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ... you know, you get into the weeds.

But, but, but every two years, let's start there.

Yeah.

isn't it?

Well, look, you're right.

I didn't even mention it last night.

Look, it's not the referee's responsibility to coach a team into how to have appropriate technique at scrums and create static moments to explain to front rowers to then reset it.

They do that pre-game.

They come into the sheds.

They talk about how they want to see a scrum and a maul executed.

But if you were to sit down with your colleagues and your former players and you were halfway through Super Rugby season now and you had to name a Wallabies 23 or a Wallabies starting 15, would it be a lengthy discussion or would you have that team pretty much locked in?

isn't it?

Well, look, you're right.

I didn't even mention it last night.

Look, it's not the referee's responsibility to coach a team into how to have appropriate technique at scrums and create static moments to explain to front rowers to then reset it.

They do that pre-game.

They come into the sheds.

They talk about how they want to see a scrum and a maul executed.

I probably don't have enough time to go into full depth here in terms of how that squad would look, but if you were to sit down with your colleagues and your former players and you were halfway through Super Rugby season now and you had to name a Wallabies 23 or a Wallabies starting 15, would it be a lengthy discussion or would you have that team pretty much locked in?

Justin, when you look across the four Australian super rugby franchises, who are maybe some of, through five rounds, who are some of the young talent that have impressed you that are in time going to continue to introduce themselves to the wider rugby public, not just within Australia, possibly even at an international level?

Yeah, look, it's a great question.

And, you know, youth, we're always looking for the next best, youngest thing.

We're guilty, Australia particularly, of looking at someone, examining them, and then quickly trying to rediscover the next star before we've even really understood the talent and potential of people who are right in front of us.

And the end of this story means that I'm talking about people like Kai Oates, for instance, 26 years old, a product... of the Lloyd McDermott program here in Australia, has played age group representative.

He's a First Nations player and he's producing at 26 some great rugby.

Now, you know, next star, you think, well, he's too old to be a next star.

Is that going to benefit Australia and New Zealand when we get back into the international season? Do you think that is now the blueprint that's going to be adopted internationally, the Southern Hemisphere way?

Uh, Justin, when you look across the, um, four Australian Super Rugby franchises, who are maybe some of, through five rounds, who are some of the young talent that have impressed you that are, you know, in time gonna continue to introduce themself to the wider rugby public, not just within Australia and, you know, possibly even at an international level?

Yeah, look, it's a, it's a great question and, you know, youth, we're, we're always looking for the, the next best youngest thing.

We- we're guilty, Australia particularly, of looking at someone, examining them, and then quickly trying to rediscover the next, the next star before we've even really understood the, the talent and potential of, of people who are right in front of us.

And the end of this story means that I'm talking about people like Kai Oates, for instance, 26 years old, a product, um, o- o- of the Lloyd McDermott program here in Australia, has played age group representative, he's a First Nations player, and he's producing, at 26, some great rugby.

Now, you know, next star you think, "Well, he's n- he's too old to be a next star," but there's no reason why players can't come in at an age quotient middle of their 20s and start performing.

In a very good Brumbies outfit, he's showing up very regularly.

A- a- and, and also people like Jabreseni- J- Jack De Brissin, you know, journeyman, sure, been around, got enough Super caps.

Is that gonna benefit Australia and New Zealand when we get back into the international season? Do you think that is now the blueprint that's gonna be adopted internationally, the Southern Hemisphere way?

It is-- You, you get the sense an Aussie team could win this comp.

[chuckles] Yeah, look, well, okay, any team could still win the comp, by the way.

We're not gonna just wax lyrical about that fact.

But ab- there's no, there's no reason at the moment why, you know, consistency, cohesion.

You got players now.

Let's th- let's remember that now players are getting Super caps.

Teams are taking the field with, with 200 or 300, 400 Super caps now combined instead of sort of two and a half years ago.

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