Wallabies Look For Early Onslaught Against All Blacks

Australia aim to make a flying start against the All Blacks in Sydney this weekend and kick-start their quest to end New Zealand's 15 years of Bledisloe Cup domination, captain Michael Hooper said

Sydney, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Aug, 2018 ) :Australia aim to make a flying start against the All Blacks in Sydney this weekend and kick-start their quest to end New Zealand's 15 years of Bledisloe Cup domination, captain Michael Hooper said.

The Wallabies head into Saturday's fixture, which also doubles as the Rugby Championship opener, as underdogs after failing to win the trophy since 2002.

The hosts have started the three-Test series poorly in recent years but Hooper said the Wallabies were fired-up and ready to show they are a team on the rise against the world champions.

"I'm going to come out all guns blazing," he told reporters.

"We're ready, we're good to go... bring it on." Sydney has been a happy hunting ground for the New Zealanders in recent years, defeating Australia 42-8 in 2016 and 54-34 last year.

"We owe the Sydney crowd something," said utility back Matt Toomua, who will start on the bench.

"Unfortunately we haven't done well here in a little while, so it's time to give them something to cheer about." The Wallabies will take heart from their 23-18 win over the All Blacks in the final Bledisloe Test in Brisbane last October, which followed a narrow 35-29 loss in Dunedin two months earlier.

While Australia have not won back-to-back Test matches against New Zealand since 2001, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen insists they deserve to be favourites on the back of the Brisbane win.

"I think Australia are a better side than people give them credit for," he said, predicting "a good gutsy Test match".

"They've improved a heck of a lot. They've done a lot of hard work on their running lines and their core set-piece roles, their scrum has got better and they've quickened up their line-out a lot."