Wallabies accept All Blacks invitation for post-Bledisloe beer

[Nergal]

 

AFTER a week of hostilities, the Wallabies and All Blacks are set to bury the hatchet on Saturday night with Aussie captain Michael Hooper revealing his side had accepted a Kiwi invite into their dressing room for a post-Bledisloe Cup beer.

Simmering trans-Tasman tensions erupted on Thursday when All Blacks coach Steve Hansen accused the Wallabies of snubbing Sam Whitelock’s centurion capping ceremony after New Zealand’s 38-13 win in Sydney.

Fox Sports vision revealed several Wallabies players approaching Whitelock to offer their congratulations before retreating to their changing room but that didn’t appear enough of an effort for Hansen’s liking.

Australia coach Michael Cheika bit back, stating: “there’s always respect there and to say that we lack respect is a little bit of a stretch from Steve Hansen.”

But the tense mood had turned on Friday, as Wallabies captain Hooper said his side would take up a Kiwi offer for a post-match beverage, following another ceremony to mark All Blacks prop Owen Franks’ 100th Test.
All Blacks manager Darren Shand put that changing room proposal to the Wallabies after the match at Auckland’s Eden Park.

“I don’t know how they’re doing it (marking Franks’ ton), but we’re going into the change room after the match and I’m sure everyone will pay their respects to an amazing career that he’s had so far,” Hooper said.

“I’m sure he’s got more in the tank.

“Every 100th cap is a great opportunity and we’ll have an opportunity to do that (congratulate Franks).

“I know individually a lot of players paid their respects (to Whitelock).

“But that was last week, Owen Franks is tomorrow night.

“It’s Whitelock’s 101st tomorrow.”

The Wallabies need to win at Eden Park to keep the three Test series alive.