WHEREVER the Wallabies go overseas, they are criticised as being wannabes.
As the Australian team began their preparations for Saturday's Test in Durban, the players found themselves reminded, by the All Blacks, of a horrendous record - their failure to win a Tri Nations Test away from home during the past seven years.
As All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen began his journey back to New Zealand after the delights of their 19-0 Newlands triumph over the Springboks last weekend, he could not resist a dig at the Australians.
While predicting that the Springboks would "bounce back" this week because all "their critics will be into them", Hansen said the Wallabies had some important issues to overcome.
"Australia are under their own pressure; they haven't won away from home for 15 games [in the Tri Nations] and that's a monkey they have to get off their own back," Hansen said.
It is more a huge ape - the Wallabies last enjoyed victory in South Africa eight years ago, while there has been no joy in New Zealand since their 23-15 triumph in Dunedin in 2001.
In that time, the Wallabies have repeatedly lost their way - especially in South Africa, where they have won just two of their past 15 Tests against the Springboks.
The Wallabies, who will spend most of the week training in Cape Town before heading to Durban, have already attempted to ward that one off, with skipper Stirling Mortlock saying yesterday: "I don't think South Africa is as much a bogy to us as simply a reality that the Boks play much better at home than they do overseas … much like us, really."
The composition of the Australian Test team, not scheduled to be announced until tomorrow, remains unsettled.
Second-rower James Horwill has only just begun full training following a leg injury, while there was a whisper Rocky Elsom could be a remote chance of playing in Durban despite his ankle woes. Sam Cordingley has regained favouritism to be the Test halfback, ahead of Brett Sheehan.
While Springboks winger Bryan Habana is no chance of playing because of a hamstring strain, South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has once again intensified the pressure on the referee by arguing that pre-match meetings between coaching staff and the man in charge would eliminate any doubts over recent rulings concerning the breakdown.
The Springboks have repeatedly complained about the refereeing during this year's Tri Nations, believing they have been treated unfairly in the tackle. The up-and-down performance by Australian referee Matt Goddard last weekend only amplified their anger. Skipper Victor Matfield repeatedly questioned Goddard during the Cape Town Test.
"It's an unfair contest at the moment," De Villiers said. "You almost have to become illegal to be legal. It's hard to go that way because then a different referee could bring out a yellow card for your players. At the moment, the players and the referee are not on the same page. It's an IRB rule, but I don't know why we can't discuss these things before the game. Both coaches should be there the day before a game to speak to the referee. These days, there are so many different interpretations of the laws. All you want is clarity from the ref. You want to know beforehand, you want him to tell you, 'This is how I see it'."
De Villiers is as determined to be as forward at the selection table, despite being criticised last week by South African government officials for not picking enough black players for the All Blacks Test. "I was appointed to make rugby decisions," he said. "I promised to be honest and focus on rugby. We never said it was going to be a perfect world.
"If you look at the Bible, Joseph started out in the pit and ended up in the palace. There was [a heck of a lot of shit] in between. We are never going to take our eye off our goal. If we are distracted by small things, how the devil can we win a Test?"
