Traditional Mongolian Wrestling
Mongolian wrestlers compete at a traditional wrestling competition.
Will All Blacks Jeome Kaino, Kieran Read and Richie McCaw be in for some traditional forward wrestling at the ANZ stadium?
“The Wallabies will deploy Michael Hooper and David Pocock against the All Blacks on Saturday with both named in a shake up to the starting side…
Coach Michael Cheika has found room for both of his star flankers, with Pocock to play at number eight and Hooper at the openside. Cheika believes was inevitable given their irrepressible form.
"I think they forced my hand, really. The both they both played in game one or game two, either as a starter or off the bench, I think they forced my hand into seeing if this can work. I believe it can. The way we've set up our team accordingly will go to supporting that,"
It is a pairing Wallabies fans have been craving but hasn't been without its flow-on effects, with Cheika tailoring other aspects of the squad to help accommodate the alterations.
Cheika said he had no concerns playing both opensides would leave his side short of size and running options. He backed both Pocock and Hooper to take on the All Blacks line with vigour, while Horwill will be expected to do his share of grunt work as well as take a leading role in the line-out.
So what’s Steve Hansen’s take on it?
For every strength the pairing brings to the Wallabies, the All Blacks will find a weakness. Given the way his side was set upon by the Springboks back row in South Africa, Steve Hansen was hardly surprised with the selection news.
"Whilst that gives [the Wallabies] strength in some areas it probably weakens them in others. So we've just got to make sure we take advantage of those weaknesses and make sure that we don't allow them to have a field day at the breakdown," Hansen said.”
The Highlanders Mongolian Fan Club back Hansen all the way. The All Blacks will certainly have to wrestle with the Wallabies come Saturday but he’ll have the big picture nutted out.
"Go the All Blacks."
ps The wrestling was during the Naadam Festival in Ulan Bator, Mongolia Wednesday, July 11, 2012. Mongolians celebrate the anniversary of Genghis Khan's march to world conquest on July 11 with the annual sports festival featuring traditional Mongolian events including wrestling, archery, and horse racing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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