We won't be bullied, says forwards guru

The Wallaby volume has been turned down in the media, bragging public comments have been reduced, although veteran forwards guru Alec Evans has managed to fire a few salvos.

Evans' reputation took a hit with his pack when they were outgunned during the opening 32-12 Bledisloe Cup defeat in Christchurch.

The manner of that loss hurt most for Evans, who has been drafted into the Wallabies again after earlier stints at the initial 1987 World Cup and with the Australian side which annexed the 1999 tournament. There was optimism that Evans could reproduce the progress he drew from the Reds scrum this season in the Super 14 where rookie props Rodney Blake and Greg Holmes impressed.

But that progress disappeared in Christchurch when the Wallabies were caned in the scrums and had their game plan strangled.

Blake was unavailable for that test because of an ankle injury and his stand-in Guy Shepherdson was punished by Tony Woodcock. Coach John Connolly may also have made a selection error in not picking the very experienced Jeremy Paul at hooker to guide his new props.

The Wallabies are still stung by that embarrassment and even though they redeemed themselves against the Boks, the doubts from Christchurch remain.

It has been up to Evans, his forward assistant Michael Foley and Connolly to repair the damage.

"We're not going to be bullied around this time," Evans defiantly told the Brisbane Courier Mail this week.

That thinking is a turnaround from Christchurch when Connolly more prudently declared that the scrums would be a journey into the unknown for his rookie front row.

That unravelled for the Wallabies and grisly memories of their scrummaging surrender last year in Europe were revived.

Loosehead Holmes has been retained from Christchurch but the selectors have brought in the seasoned Paul and the bulky Blake for the second Bledisloe Cup match.

The Wallabies have no alternatives if this combination disintegrates but Evans was upbeat about the outcome on Saturday at Suncorp Stadium.

His forwards were no worldbeaters yet but were learning fast.

"They are not playing any more as a front row, second row and back row which just assembles at scrum time," he said. "They are building as an eight-man pack, especially in the scrum."