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SYDNEY - Fresh from his dream start against the All Blacks, coach Robbie Deans is embracing the task of breaking the Wallabies' 22-year rugby drought at Eden Park.
The Wallabies are on a nine-match losing streak in Auckland since they toppled the All Blacks 22-9 in 1986, with their latest visit ending in a 34-27 defeat in 2006.
Deans will assemble his side again today for training at their Sydney beachside base where they will prepare until Thursday, excited about the next challenge.
"We haven't won there (in New Zealand) since 2001 and the All Blacks haven't lost at Eden Park since 1994, so that's a great opportunity," said Deans, whose Wallabies chase their first win on his home soil since the 23-19 triumph in Dunedin seven years ago.
"In terms of the way we approach it when a side hasn't lost at an arena since 1994 you've got to consider how to challenge them at the venue.
"We will include the players in some of those discussions because some of them have played there recently."
Saturday's 34-19 win at ANZ Stadium banished the All Blacks' recent Bledisloe Cup dominance, having won six of the previous seven transtasman clashes.
Deans suggested fielding eight newcomers to Bledisloe Cup combat in that match actually worked in the Wallabies' favour.
"Maybe it was an advantage for us to have eight players that hadn't played the All Blacks, probably because they came in with no baggage, no background of failure, so they simply aspired," Deans said.
That aspiration to break their Auckland hoodoo suffered a blow yesterday when rugged loose-forward Rocky Elsom was ruled out with a foot ligament injury after playing a starring, try-scoring role in a loose forward trio who dominated their opposites.
Leading candidates to replace him on the side of the scrum when Deans names his team tomorrow are Dean Mumm and Hugh McMeniman.
But Elsom's loss will be balanced by the likely return of captain Stirling Mortlock, whom Deans expects will be passed fit after being sidelined with concussion.
One of the newcomers to the transtasman rivalry, second five-eighth and man of the match Berrick Barnes, articulated the Wallabies' positive attitude towards next week's daunting assignment.
"There's a lot of guys in this team with no baggage, we will be going over there with a fresh look," Barnes said.
"I've only played there a couple of times, its a pretty intimidating venue, no doubt there will be a packed house of Kiwis there ready to support them."
Barnes hailed Deans' early contribution to their five unbeaten tests under his watch.
"He's singing the Aussie anthem now, I reckon he's almost a part of us," Barnes joked.
"We've got the utmost respect for him and I think that is showing in the way we're playing."
Deans meanwhile tipped a much-improved All Blacks showing at their Auckland fortress and an icy welcome for him in his first Wallabies test in his homeland.
"I'm not too sure, things might be a bit frostier than they were," Deans quipped.
- NZPA
