Rugby was about facing up to tough challenges and meeting the All Blacks in a Bledisloe Cup Test was one of those challenges, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said on Monday.

Acknowledging the 30-year drought at Eden Park Cheika told rugby.com.au it was a challenge to be taken with both hands.

QUICK TAP: AARON SMITH STANDS DOWN FROM BLEDISLOE CLASH

"It's a great opportunity and it's going to be a tough environment but that's where you want to be. "It's a great opportunity and it's going to be a tough environment but that's where you want to be. "If you don't want to be there, playing those games, where do you want to be in footy?" he said. It wasn't good having everything comfortable and rosy all the time, he said. "It'll certainly be tough there but I'm so looking forward to getting over there and getting into it, it'll be great," he said. Captain Stephen Moore said these were the games that you played for, the opportunity to go out and play the best teams. "In terms of our game, I think we just need to go there and execute our game plan, which we didn't do last time we went over there.





"That's the challenge, to go over there under pressure and do what you say you're going to do and that's how we'll train this week," he said. "That's the challenge, to go over there under pressure and do what you say you're going to do and that's how we'll train this week," he said. Cheika believed Australia had developed further since their 29-9 loss in Wellington when the sides last met. But with 11 new players having been added to the side this year it was necessary for some patience around their performance. "I know that no-one wants to hear it and everyone thinks it's an excuse when a coach puts it out there but they [combinations] take time, they take time to build. "Yes we want to win very game along the way as well so, yeah, it's tough but going through the tough times is good for you as well," he said. "To build consistency of high level play you need to work at it." Cheika also said the Wallabies needed to have a system to replace older players similar to what the All Blacks had achieved with their transition this year. "They've planned well from back in the day and they've got themselves in a situation where their depth is growing and we're on a strategy to grow our depth as well. "It won't be identical, obviously, because we've got different ways of doing things but that's what we're investing in now and we're planning on that bearing fruit for us further down the track," he said.

Tell us in one word how excited you are for the #NZLvAUS double header in Auckland this Saturday! #TeamAllBlacks pic.twitter.com/pDPai6EpqN— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) October 17, 2016