Rugby
1News

All Blacks can improve 'hell of a lot' for 'pesky bugger' Wallabies

August 10, 2021

The halfback said the team are "nowhere near the finished product" of what they want to be this year. (Source: Other)

All Blacks halfback Brad Weber said the team are taking positives out of their Bledisloe Cup win over the Wallabies but know they have plenty to improve on both this week and over the season.

Weber came off the bench in Saturday's 33-25 win in Auckland as the All Blacks held on against a Wallabies comeback, which saw the Australians pile on 17 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes of the game.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster called the finish "disappointing" after the match.

"You can throw out a lot of excuses," Weber said on the final 15 minutes of the Test.

"I'm not sure if it was any one thing - it was probably more a combination of a lot of things together.

"But it wasn't all good stuff."

Weber credited the Wallabies resilience as part of the equation though.

Brad Weber.

"They're pesky buggers, they don't go away," Weber said.

"We learned that in Super Rugby as well - even when you think you've got them toast, they just keep coming.

"It was a pretty timely reminder."

Foster vowed after the match there would be things to "work on" this week but Weber said there's also focuses on the entire season when it comes to their progress.

"There's a hell of a lot of improvement," Weber said.

"We're nowhere near the finished product. We're only one Test into the Rugby Championship so we keep building and growing our game plan.

"Hopefully, we'll be a scary beast by the end."

The All Blacks and Wallabies return to Eden Park this week where a victory will see the New Zealand team lock away the Bledisloe Cup for another year.

With that said, Weber sent a warning to the Wallabies.

"We're always trying to be a bit ruthless - that last little bit wasn't up to standard so if there's ever a week to bring that out, it's this one."

SHARE ME

More Stories