The All Blacks are claiming underdog status ahead of the Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies next Saturday.
Coach Steve Hansen claims Australia will start as favourites to win the Bledisloe Cup despite naming a powerful All Blacks side for the Rugby Championship.
Hansen’s evidence is last year's dead rubber third Test in Brisbane which Australia won 23‑18 for just their second victory in the last 19 Bledisloe Cup Tests.
But former Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock has rubbished the All Blacks attempts at underdog status for the looming Bledisloe Cup series.
Mortlock says they could choose probably two All Black teams and they'd still be a force to be reckoned with.
He says it is pretty laughable that Steve Hansen could put it out there and claim that they're underdogs.
The Wallabies meet the All Blacks at 10.05pm next Saturday in Sydney.
[Source: TVNZ]
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