Wellington - The Wallabies want the Bledisloe Cup just as much as their Kiwi opponents, coach Michael Cheika said on Friday.
Australia has not held the Cup since 2002 and are looking to break a 15-year winless drought in New Zealand to even things up in the current series, after a 42-8 loss to New Zealand in Sydney.
The teams face off again on Saturday at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
Last week, New Zealand fullback Israel Dagg described the Bledisloe series as 'life and death' for the All Blacks and when asked whether the Wallabies felt it was up there with a World Cup, Cheika was frank.
“As happy as they are about winning it, we're hurting about not,” he said. “People's intent can never be judged always by just what happens in the end and sometimes it doesn't mean that you want something any less.
“We've got to be better. We understand that what's inside of us about wanting to win that trophy and probably New Zealand people enjoy that.
“They'll be able to laugh at us or give us a boot if we don't win it, you know what I mean? “But that's not going to change how much we want to win it. For this generation or for this season's team or for the seasons after.”
Meanwhile Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore bristled at the suggestion that the Bledisloe Cup was more significant for the All Blacks. “Of course... It's no less important to us than them,” he said.
Moore said the opening loss had made every player look at themselves as well as the entire team. “I think after a performance like that it really forces you to look hard at your performance, probably more individually than collectively,” he said.
All Blacks captain Kieran Read said they would be prepared to adjust to whatever conditions came about when it came to trying to score points.
“If it's like this tomorrow night, we'll have to adjust,” he said. “Hopefully it's clear as the forecast is meant to be but you've just got to adapt to whatever's thrown at you. You're not going to start the game and expect things to be like it was last week.
The Wallabies did their captain's run slightly differently in Wellington, with the full dress rehearsal at Porirua early on Friday, before the kickers went to acclimatise to Westpac Stadium around the middle of the day, a process that could prove crucial in the second Test.
African News Agency