SYDNEY, 7 August 2004 — Australian captain George Gregan said there will be no room for sentiment when the Wallabies host New Zealand in today’s pivotal Tri-Nations clash at the Olympic Stadium.
Gregan will equal David Campese’s Australian Test record of 101 caps while 1999 World Cup winner Matthew Burke makes his final appearance on home soil.
But Gregan said the result was more important than any personal milestones and he had warned his players not to get carried away with emotion.
“We’re all professional enough to put that on the shelf,” Gregan told a news conference yesterday. “There’s plenty of motivation from a team perspective.”
New Zealand can clinch the title for the third successive year today if they win with a bonus point but an Australian victory will open the series up with the South African leg still to play.
New Zealand, ranked No. 1 in the world, go into the match as favorites after beating the Wallabies 16-7 in atrocious conditions in Wellington three weeks ago, dominating possession and territory.
But All Blacks coach Graham Henry remains wary.
“This is the heart of Australian rugby and it’s going to be a big Test for us,” Henry said.
