Scott Barrett wanted to stand up at the All Blacks’ match review session on Monday and apologize to his team-mates for his sending off on Saturday night in Perth. Forget about it, he was told. We got your back.
It’s not that the All Blacks condone Barrett’s poorly executed shoulder that struck Wallabies flanker Michael Hooper in the head area in Saturday’s record 47-26 victory by the Wallabies. Far from it. Hooker Dane Coles actually took a not-so-subtle dig at his team-mate’s technique on Monday when he spoke to the media at the team hotel in Auckland.
But the back-to-back world champions understand that this is a time to gather in tight as they look for a response to the shellacking they received on Saturday night in the wild west. It was the most points conceded by the All Blacks in a test and kept alive the Wallabies’ hopes of reclaiming the Bledisloe Cup for the first time since they lost it in 2003.
To do so, though, they will have to repeat the dose in the rematch at Eden Park on Saturday night – aground the All Blacks haven’t lost at since 1994 and where the Wallabies haven’t won in 18 attempts since 1986.
It shows Barrett clearly hitting the back of Hooper’s head with a powerful forearm, and the little Wallaby flanker reeling away in instant pain.
That is backed up with quotes from former Wallaby-turned-TV analyst Rod Kafer, who said: “This was a deliberate act, attacking a player’s head with a shoulder and elbow in a vulnerable position.
“No question, it’s a red card.
“You go into games trying to unsettle the leaders of an opposition team, it’s pretty standard.
“And looking back at the game, it didn’t surprise me to see those two illegal acts on the Wallaby captain — it may well have been part of the tactic going into the game.”
SOURCE – STUFF
