Wallaby captain's message for Ireland

His message came from the Orient, which ought to have meant it was shrouded in mystery. But in truth, Stirling Mortlock’s words could not have been clearer and more precise for an expectant Irish audience.

Back home, Ireland’s coaches had just watched New Zealand turn around a calamitous first half performance – and a 14-6 deficit to Mortlock’s Australians – to end up 19-14 winners in the Bledisloe Cup Test in Hong Kong on Saturday.

And as the twinkling lights of the old British colony shone out above him, Mortlock offered Ireland’s rugby men a complete template on how to confront these All Blacks, something Declan Kidney’s men will do at Croke Park on Saturday week.

Mortlock’s words could have been tailor made as an instruction manual for every Irish player who will line up against the Tri-Nations Champions in 12 days time. As a list of do’s and don’ts, it was highly revealing and to the point.

“Discipline let us down a number of times” he said. “We gave them possession and territory through penalties and that hurts. The majority of the guys were on their feet (at the breakdowns) but we still let it slip a few times. And when we did, the All Blacks pounced on it.”

The key to Australia’s impressive first half, by the end of which they led 14-9, was slowing the New Zealanders’ ball at the breakdown, which the Wallabies contested fiercely and in numbers. Trouble was, holding on on the floor, handling the ball and delaying its release were offences heavily penalised by Irish referee Alan Lewis.

It was no coincidence that after Lewis had finally warned the Australian captain that he’d had enough of the illegalities, New Zealand began to start winning quicker ball from broken play. That, together with the change in half backs which saw Piri Weepu replace Jimmy Cowan and Dan Carter restored to outside half at Stephen Donald’s expense, turned the tide. Thereafter, the All Blacks looked much more like their old selves.

Ireland’s problem is how they ape the Wallabies’ impressive first half ability to frustrate the All Blacks at the breakdown and thereby and negate much of Richie McCaw’s influence without conceding all the penalties the Wallabies carelessly leaked.

Declan Kidney will have pondered that one all weekend.

If you play it strictly by the rules at the breakdown, McCaw will kill you. If you don’t, the referee might. Finding some compromise is going to occupy the best brains in the Irish coaching set up.

Unfortunately for Ireland, what Hong Kong also showed is that New Zealand are much more direct and penetrative with the highly physical Ma’a Nonu at 12. His bruising presence and zip lifted those around him when he came on after 48 minutes and, injuries permitting, he will surely line up against Ireland on Saturday week.

The return home yesterday (SUN) of first choice hooker Andrew Hore, due to an ankle injury, could help the northern hemisphere sides. Keven Mealamu may be better in broken play but he’s not as reliable a line-out thrower or set piece tactician.

The All Blacks start with a Test against Scotland in Edinburgh this Saturday before crossing the Irish Sea to Dublin. They travel fully expecting Ireland to be their toughest test of the month-long tour and on paper, they should be.

But unless they can find a way of shackling the massively talented and influential McCaw, then making history by becoming the first Irish team ever to beat New Zealand in a Test, may again prove beyond the men in green.