FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - European Champions Cup - Northampton Saints v La Rochelle - Franklin's Gardens, Northampton, Britain - January 21, 2023 Northampton Saints? Lukhan Salakaia Loto Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
(Reuters) - Australia must make a much better start if they are to have any hope of beating the All Blacks in the final round of the Rugby Championship in Wellington this weekend, lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto said on Tuesday.
The Wallabies gave up four tries in the first 25 minutes and trailed 28-14 at halftime in the first test against their neighbours in Sydney last Saturday before battling back in the second half to lose by only three points.
Salakaia-Loto, who was returning from injury, played a big role in the fightback with a barnstorming performance off the bench and is likely to get a start in the second row on Saturday.
"We weren't happy at the weekend and we want a result this weekend but we understand that there's a process to that so we've got to take it day-by-day and keep sharpening the axe," he told reporters in the New Zealand capital.
"We definitely can't be giving up 28 points in the first half, that's for sure," he added.
"We've got to start well and we've got to just keep taking moments when we can and taking our opportunities because coming up against sides like the All Blacks, South Africa, Argentina, they already present limited opportunities for us.
"So when the opportunities do arise, we've got to be clinical. For us, just starting well is the big thing and then just keeping that pressure on ..."
The All Blacks have not won a test at the Wellington Regional Stadium in their last five attempts going back to 2018 but Salakaia-Loto, who played when the Wallabies earned a 16-16 draw in 2020 at the ground, was not reading much into that.
"It's the All Blacks at home in New Zealand and it's always going to be a tough match," he added.
"Every team goes through spells like these and whether it's Auckland, Wellington or Dunedin, wherever you play, they're a world class outfit.
"We've got to be good enough to win on the day so that's on us. I don't think it has anything to do with how the All Blacks are playing or what's going on inside their camp but we know that come Saturday we're going to have a tough match against the World Cup finalists last year."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
