Coach Michael Cheika wants a more "violent" approach to tackling from the Wallabies as they seek to fix their defensive deficiencies in the second Bledisloe Cup Test.
Wallabies lock Rory Arnold chasing All Blacks flanker Liam Squire Photo: Photosport
Cheika's assistant Nathan Grey and his complicated defensive system have come under fire this week following the 54-34 belting from New Zealand in the opener in Sydney.
Grey's blueprint asks players to defend in different channels than the ones they attack in and is designed to hide the likes of Kurtley Beale and Bernard Foley from the frontline.
It failed miserably in Sydney but that has largely been blamed on execution and a lack of cohesion than on the structure itself.
Cheika said part of the problem was also down to weak tackles.
"The No.1 is when you make the tackle, you've got to make it - nice and solid, slow the momentum of the game down by making a solid tackle," he said.
"That comes from being committed to the tackle itself.
Michael Cheika Photo: Photosport
"Many times we had the right numbers, we just need to go and make the tackles.
"I think they've been defending pretty sideways all season in their (Super Rugby) teams and I want them to get defending more forward.
"Even our own ball, around our ruck stuff ... (we need to be) a bit more violent in that area. Not just looking to get the ball back, but getting into it."
Tevita Kuridrani has been brought back into the starting line-up, replacing Samu Kerevi at outside centre in a change that will go some way towards repairing Australia's backline defence issues.
"Last week wasn't really where it should be," Kuridrani said.
"Playing against the All Blacks ... you need to be spot on.
"I think Cheik was really happy with my impact when I came off the bench last week, the energy that I brought to the team and probably defensively he was happy with the way I controlled our defence."
-AAP
