Wallabies bristle at 'dead rubber' gibe

Stinging from suggestions it's merely an exhibition game, the Wallabies and All Blacks have promised as ferocious a Bledisloe Cup battle as ever in Hong Kong on Saturday night. Unable to wrestle the coveted Cup back for at least another year after the All Blacks seized an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the annual series with victory in Brisbane last month, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans turned on journalists on Thursday when asked how his team was feeling heading into the so-called "dead rubber".

"I'm still waiting for you blokes to identify who said it was a dead rubber," Deans bristled. Deathly silence ensued before the New Zealand native Deans followed up with "so it's not a dead rubber ... who said it was a dead rubber?
"There will be passion. There will be intensity. There is no love lost between these
nations and whenever you pull your nation's jersey on, you don't do it lightly.
"So regardless of whether there's silverware up for grabs or not, there are things
that are up for grabs that are of far more value."
Deans' sentiments were shared by a host of key Wallabies, including star playmaker
Matt Giteau, and All Blacks hardman Ali Williams.
"Whether we were playing a game of cricket or whatever, I don't think it would
matter," Giteau said.
"Obviously you've got a lot of pride when you're representing your country. And also
just playing against New Zealand, there's that rivalry that's always been there.
"So whenever you play them, there's no such thing as a dead rubber."
Rookie No.8 Richard Brown, who was named Thursday to make his Wallabies starting
debut, noted that Hong Kong Stadium was "all grass, isn't it?"
"You all play on a patch of grass and, where it is, is not going to really matter.
It will be an intense game."
Williams, one of the fiercest competitors in world rugby, guaranteed the All Blacks
were out to inflict more pain on the Wallabies, pain which Deans conceded still
lingered from the last-up 28-24 defeat six weeks ago.
"Obviously there's not so much at stake but it's still an All Blacks-Wallabies
battle and there's no love lost there," Williams said.
"So the boys will be into it, excited and we definitely want a victory, to come out
on the right side, not the wrong side.
"It doesn't change anything. There's no dead rubbers in a game of rugby.
"I don't think there's less pressure on us. As a team, we focus on game by game and
there's no difference really with this one.
"There may be a bit of rust, but any great encounter brings out the best in people
and I'm sure this won't be any different, two sides going for it and, as the game
wears on, it will get better and better.
"I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be exciting actually."
New Zealand captain Richie McCaw said a series draw was not the way the All Blacks
wanted to retain the Bledisloe Cup for a seventh successive year.
"Obviously, we're lucky that the Bledisloe is locked up. But certainly you'd feel
like you earned it more if it was 3-1, as opposed to 2-all," McCaw said.
Brown's inclusion as replacement for Wycliff Palu (knee) is one of five changes to
the Wallabies line-up.
Dean Mumm will start as blindside flanker following Rocky Elsom's departure to
England and Mark Chisholm replaces James Horwill (foot) in the second row.
Luke Burgess (knee) was recalled at scrumhalf after almost three months on the
sidelines, pushing Sam Cordingley back to the bench, and Drew Mitchell is covering
for winger Lote Tuqiri (knee).
Inside centre Berrick Barnes (shoulder) returns to the bench after missing the last
two Tests, with Deans retaining skipper Stirling Mortlock and Ryan Cross as his
centres pairing.
Australia: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Ryan Cross, Stirling Mortlock (capt),
Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess; Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Al Baxter,
Mark Chisholm, Nathan Sharpe, Dean Mumm, George Smith, Richard Brown. Reserves: Adam
Freier, Matt Dunning, Phil Waugh, David Pocock, Sam Cordingley, Berrick Barnes,
Lachie Turner.