Wallaby reacts to the return of All Blacks enforcer Ethan de Groot

Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa has reacted to the return of Ethan de Groot ahead of this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney, with the All Blacks’ “number one loosehead” overcoming a neck injury in time for this series.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Fletcher Newell would miss the first of two Bledisloe Cup Tests after suffering a calf injury. But it’s not all bad news for the New Zealanders, with coach Scott Robertson calling up George Bower and de Groot.

De Groot played 12 matches for the Highlanders in Super Rugby Pacific this season before being named in Robertson’s first All Blacks squad for the year. The Australia-born rugby talent started both Tests against England in July and came off the bench against Fiji in San Diego.

The 26-year-old played against Los Pumas in Wellington but was later ruled out of both Tests against the Springboks a couple of weeks later. New Zealand were beaten in both matches over in the Republic, going down 31-27 in Johannesburg and 18-12 in Cape Town.

As the All Blacks look to bounce back, the loss of Newell is significant but so is the return of de Groot. Alaalatoa, who is one of the Wallabies’ most experienced players, was full of praise for the All Blacks front-rowers on Tuesday afternoon.

“It is a big loss with Fletcher being out because he’s been good for them not only at international level but at club level (with the Crusaders),” Alaalatoa told reporters.

“But then they bring in someone that’s experienced with Ethan de Groot who’s been around for years and been their number one loosehead.

“That’s the thing about the All Blacks is they’ve got great depth in their squad and no matter who they field they’re going to be really good.

“As a front-row, we understand what’s coming, but again, pouring our focus on being better ourselves.”

As Alaalatoa mentioned, the challenge that awaits the Wallabies on Saturday afternoon promises to be a tough one, but the team are focusing on themselves. Australia have a lot to reflect on following their record 67-27 loss to Argentina earlier this month.

The Wallabies conceded 50 points in the second half, which was the first time they’ve brought up a half-century of points against them in a single half of Test rugby. It was also the team’s heaviest defeat ever, surpassing the 61 points the Springboks put on them in 1997.

During that same press conference, Alaalatoa spoke about how “tough” that result was for the Wallabies and why it was good for the playing group to go on a break for a few days before regrouping in Sydney last weekend.

The Wallabies were solid for one-and-a-half of their two Tests over in Argentina, but a passage of poor play will cost any team at that level. Test rugby is brutal like that, so the men in gold are striving to build on that performance leading into the Bledisloe and beyond.

“It’s been great learning for us. We’ve seen pictures of us throughout both games when we’re delivering on the things we say we want to deliver on our game plan,” Alaalatoa explained.

“The result that comes on the back of that and the territory that we get on the back of that, and it’s just painting those pictures, seeing those pictures, and then when we go away from our system… are when it hurts us.

“Really trying to get an understanding of what it’s like when we’re in system and everyone’s in flow… (that has) been the tough learnings for us over the last 48 hours, but it’s been a really good two days of prep so far for us.”