Wallabies aim for best display by far

Skipper Nathan Sharpe has declared the wounded Wallabies must produce their best performance of 2012 – by a long way – to upset the record-seeking All Blacks on Saturday night.

New Zealand have not been beaten since their last visit to Brisbane 14 months ago and, at Suncorp Stadium, are aiming to equal a record 17-Test winning streak.

The All Blacks easily swept aside Australia in their two opening matches of the Rugby Championship and are at full strength for the dead rubber, third Bledisloe clash while the home side have been crippled by injuries.

But veteran lock Sharpe, playing his last Test on Australian soil, stressed the world champions remained beatable and his $6 underdogs had the opportunity to pull off one of the biggest upsets in Wallabies’ history.

“There’s no option for us. That’s what it is and we’re looking forward to it,” said Sharpe on Friday. “The good thing for us is we get the opportunity to beat them and that’s what we want to do.

“Every team is beatable.”

Sharpe said his under-strength team – buoyed by a gritty backs-to-the-wall 25-19 win over the Pumas in Argentina in their last match – could rise to the occasion and turn their unconvincing form on its head.

“We have to play the best game we have played this year – and by a way as well,” the 111-Test stalwart said.

“We know that and we’re aware of that and we’ve had a great week of preparation so, if we can translate into a performance on the field tomorrow night, we’ll give ourselves a shot.

“It’s close to the best preparation for a long time that I can remember.”

While it will be his last game at home, Sharpe – the only man in the Australian team to have sipped from the Bledisloe Cup way back in 2002 – isn’t letting the emotion of the situation seep into his thoughts.

“I’m not too focused on the individual side of things,” he said. “I’d just love to win it, that would be great for Australian rugby and I’d be happy to be a part of that.”

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