Michael Cheika says Wallabies will bounce back despite losing Bledisloe Cup

[Nergal]

 

WALLABIES coach Michael Cheika has conceded his team aren’t yet at the standard to match the All Blacks.

But the under siege coach believes the Wallabies will be better for the difficult run and expects his side to bounce back in the Rugby Championship.

Less than 24 hours after losing the Bledisloe Cup for a 16th straight year — after the All Blacks took an unassailable 2-0 series lead with a 40-12 win at Eden Park — the Wallabies arrived back in Sydney on a gloomy Sunday afternoon, which aptly reflected the despondent feeling of the group.

“Obviously, still very disappointed,” Cheika told reporters at Sydney International Airport.

“Going over the game itself, the same things stand out as they did on the day itself.

“Just the reaction to the turnover part of the game really hurt us, both with the ball in our hands and with the other team with the ball as well.

“It’s something that we’re going to have to improve markedly on for the next game.”

Indeed, the All Blacks took advantage of the Wallabies’ mistakes, scoring half of their 12 tries across the two Test matches from turnover ball.

And try as hard as they might have — the Wallabies led at half time in the first Test (6-5) and were firmly in the match at Eden Park at the same point (trailing 14-7) — the All Blacks ran all over their opponents in the second half to seal emphatic victories.