Desperate times, desperate measures

Zinzan Brooke looks back at Australia's Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations victory over New Zealand and wonders whether South Africa will be able to stop the Wallaby sporting juggernaut.

I think it's time for me to try to become a naturalised Australian - I'm sure there is some Aussie blood somewhere along the Brooke line!

Last week, the All Blacks had everything going for them, everything was stacked up for them.

They were down in Dunedin, the Australians came in off a loss and Jonah Lomu scored a well taken early try - but they still could not do it.

New Zealand never got going, they looked lethargic and never managed to get any continuity.

Another cup? That will be Australia then

But that is the game and the way the dice roll.

The All Blacks had opportunities to score points but they never looked like they had the ability to penetrate and by the end the Australians were playing with them.

In Test matches you have to wait for the opportunity and, when you get it, you have to punish the small errors and kill off the opposition with a score.

The Wallabies have so much confidence at the moment that they are always patient and never panic, they know that an opportunity will present itself and they know how to take advantage of it.

They did the same thing against the Lions and they know they have the ability to turn a game on its head.

Australia's success stems from the amount of rugby they are playing.

Once the Wallabies finish the Tri-Nations, but for a few club games and then a tour, they are finished.

They have the mix and amount of rugby just right, they are always fresh and all the players know that they are playing 15 big games at most.

In stark contrast look at the Lions. They have only just finished their tour but will be back out on the field in two weeks.

The other aspect of the defeat that summed up the game from an All Black perspective was the final play.

Old hands: Eales and Van der Westhuizen

New Zealand had already lost the Bledisloe Cup when they got the late penalty and they should have been playing for the Tri-Nations and the bonus point - but no.

Now they are a point behind Australia and will have to go to Sydney and score four tries in a win, unless South Africa can do something in Perth.

I think they can and it is very dangerous to write off a Springbok - they are so passionate they would run through brick walls.

I have been impressed by their young guys, players like the hooker Lukas van Biljion, the big winger Dean Hall and Conrad Jantjes at full back.

And with Joost van der Westhuizen and Mark Andrews coming to the end of their careers they will not be lacking in motivation.

But, on the other hand, Australia know that if they win they have more or less won the Tri-Nations.

They do not make mistakes, their big players front up, they are at home and they are on a bit of a roll.

It is Australia for the Tri-Nations and New Zealand for the wooden spoon.

Now where is that proof of my lineage?