Wallaby Conditioning

[TOCC]

first and foremost, its good to see Dean working the players hard, im excited about the prospect of the QLD players coming back fitter and faster(as should all players).

Secondly, i agree that the Wallaby players are pretty soft these days, there not lacking in enthusiasm or effort but they do seem to lack in endurance and in the crunch times of the match. Im putting this down to lack of games, realistically anyone out of the top 22 in Australia will play only 13 high tempo matches a year.

 

[the gambler]

I just got an email from a mate in the squad confirming he has tickets for a few of the games for me... :thumb

But more importantly this is what he said at the end of it...

we have been getting flogged over here in preparation for the tour so i think you'll see a pretty fit and determined side come HK and beyond. its starting to get pretty exciting.

two weeks til HK.

 

[naza]

I just got an email from a mate in the squad confirming he has tickets for a few of the games for me... :thumb

Tell your mate there's a case of beer in it for him for every uppercut he gives that seagulling softcock Nathan Sharpe.

 

[RugbyReg]

I just got an email from a mate in the squad confirming he has tickets for a few of the games for me... :thumb

But more importantly this is what he said at the end of it...

we have been getting flogged over here in preparation for the tour so i think you'll see a pretty fit and determined side come HK and beyond. its starting to get pretty exciting.

two weeks til HK.

hmm, well I guess we can assume its not Lote, otherwise it would have been:

I have been getting flogged over here in preparation for the tour so I think you'll see a pretty fit and determined me come HK and beyond. I'm starting to get pretty exciting.

two weeks til I hit HK.

 

[fatprop]

No looking back for Wallabies winger Peter Hynes



Bret Harris | October 14, 2008

AFTER waiting five years to make his Test debut, Queensland Reds winger Peter Hynes is certainly making up for lost time, featuring in all nine of the Wallabies' matches so far this season.

Hynes, 26, made his Super rugby debut for the Reds against the Hurricanes in 2003, but it was not until New Zealander Robbie Deans took over as Wallabies coach that he was recognised by the national selectors.

Hynes is one of just four players to start every Test under Deans, along with five-eighth Matt Giteau, second-rower James Horwill and loosehead prop Benn Robinson.

"Once I made the squad I was just hoping to get a game," Hynes said. "Once you get a taste for it you just want to play more.

"You never take it for granted. Each week my goal is to start and play as well as I can. Fortunately, this year I've started every one which has been great."

Hynes has scored two tries for Australia, in the 34-19 win against the All Blacks in Sydney and the 40-10 win against France in Brisbane, which is two less than equal leading try-scorers, Horwill and outside centre Ryan Cross.

But Hynes does not believe a winger should be judged solely by the number of times he crosses the try line.

"It's always great to get a couple of tries, but it's not the end of the world" he said.

"There's a lot of stuff that apart from tries that wingers do that gets overlooked.

"Lote (Tuqiri) has only scored two tries as well. Does that mean he hasn't played well? He's had an extremely good year.

"In a sense you get marked on how many tries you score, but I don't think that's reflective of how you play."

What Deans saw in Hynes, which many others did not, was the tremendous amount of work he does off the ball.

"Robbie likes wingers who have a high work-rate," Hynes said. "It's something I've always tried to do. It's good. You're not just stuck on the wing. There's always a job to do."

Hynes's game, like all of the Wallabies, is still evolving under Deans' coaching.

"Robbie is very good on little details," Hynes said. "He is very hands-on, particularly with the backs. He is always throwing ideas out there. Why don't you try to kick like this, catch like this.

"Those little things make a big difference in a game. A new technique for catching a high ball for example. Those things really help and they flow into the game.

"It's those points that can turn a game. Little skills and little tricks and stuff along the way make all the difference."

Hynes is looking forward to playing the All Blacks again in the opening Test of the six-match spring tour in Hong Kong.

"Everyone says we've got nothing to play for but Australia has got a lot to play for," he said.

"We can even up the series. We might not win a Bledisloe, but we can even up the series and use this as a building platform for next year.

"At the end of the day it is still a Test against the All Blacks. It's a Bledisloe. It might be on foreign soil. I think that's irrelevant.

"We are going there with the intention of winning and fixing up the little things in our game that let us down in Brisbane.

"We are really going to get stuck into these blokes. There is no doubt about that."

Having waited so long to play Test rugby, Hynes wants to wear the gold number 14 jersey as much as possible on the tour, which includes Tests against Italy, England, France, and Wales.

"If I can play six straight matches, that would be fantastic," he said.

"My only goal at the moment is to play the first game against the All Blacks and win it. It doesn't get any better than that."

Hopefully the workrate of all the backs increases to match Hynes and Barnes.

 

[Virgil]

True, but on paper both the Boks and the ABs have better sides. I mean, how many Wallabies would get into a combined side? 3 or 4 max?

According to Sean Fitzpatrick, none would

 

[Gagger]

Spring Tour tougher than WC

From Foxsports.com

October 14, 2008

CENTRE Berrick Barnes rates Australia's upcoming Spring Tour as a tougher assignment than a rugby World Cup and believes it's the Wallabies' big chance to win back respect on foreign soil.

The Wallabies kickoff their tour against New Zealand in Hong Kong next month, desperate to square the four-Test Bledisloe ledger, after losing by four points in Brisbane.

From Hong Kong, the Wallabies head to Europe to face Italy, England, France, Wales and the Barbarians on successive Saturdays.

Barnes, who missed the final two Tri Nations Tests with a shoulder injury, said a win against the All Blacks on November 1 could go a long way to setting the tone for the tour.

"We've obviously got a big point to prove, we've got to wait another year to have the chance to get back the Bledisloe," said Barnes, who resumed heavy contact training after a shoulder injury had kept him out of the last two Tri Nations clashes.

"It's an exciting challenge. The only tour I've ever been on is the World Cup (in France) so this is probably going to be tougher than that in some respects, you don't get any easy games on this trip.

"We're playing six Test matches in a row and I think obviously a lot of it will depend on how well we start this tour."

Barnes admits that while history isn't on the Wallabies' side he believes the squad's doing every thing under coach Robbie Deans to get the results which have alluded Australian teams going to Europe in the past.

"This is a chance for us to win back some respect and that's probably the biggest thing and the most important factor for us," he said.

"This is the best preparation we've had. We've just done the hardest training block that I've ever been involved in.

"It's certainly been a tough three weeks and I know we're all going to be the better for it. We've just got to bring what we've got to the ground and hopefully that's enough for us."

Fellow centre Ryan Cross, who like Barnes is embarking on his first European tour, agreed.

"Obviously we're good at home against the European teams but going over there we haven't gone so well where they're comfortable," Cross said.

"The past four weeks (in camp) have been good, fitness levels are good and everyone's fresh and ready to go, so I think there's no excuses this time."

Good to hear

 

[RugbyReg]

The hardest training that Barnes has been involved in? That's interesting from an NRL perspective.

 

[Blue]

The hardest training that Barnes has been involved in? That's interesting from an NRL perspective.

Interested to know if NRL training is still generally considered to be harder than say S14?

 

[Gagger]

exactly. Usually the story is that union is soft. Perhaps more of the Saders regime kicking in?

 

[fatprop]

The hardest training that Barnes has been involved in? That's interesting from an NRL perspective.

Interested to know if NRL training is still generally considered to be harder than say S14?

The trainers all interchange between codes & sports these days, but the Crusaders and All Blacks have always have had that gaunt bloody fit look.

 

[Virgil]

The hardest training that Barnes has been involved in? That's interesting from an NRL perspective.

Interested to know if NRL training is still generally considered to be harder than say S14?

The trainers all interchange between codes & sports these days, but the Crusaders and All Blacks have always have had that gaunt bloody fit look.

As do their supporters

 

[Scotty]

The aforementioned Steve Nance trained both the Broncos and the Wallabies (and also the Cowboys, I think).

 

[Mainlander]

The hardest training that Barnes has been involved in? That's interesting from an NRL perspective.

Interested to know if NRL training is still generally considered to be harder than say S14?

The trainers all interchange between codes & sports these days, but the Crusaders and All Blacks have always have had that gaunt bloody fit look.

As do their supporters

Well thank you for that Virgil :lmao: I'm sure if Crucial was on this board he'd have something to say about that being a Cantab basher and knowing me personally.

One of the things I found quite strange at the beginning of the test season was just how many of the Oz players had run out of steam not long after the 60 minute mark in the first couple of tests, Thought the ELV would have meant the guys were a lot fitter than the NH old rules guys and should have blown them away with a massive blow out at the end because of this supposed superior fitness but if anything the NH guys were in better shape at the end.

 

[whocares]

The hardest training that Barnes has been involved in? That's interesting from an NRL perspective.

Interested to know if NRL training is still generally considered to be harder than say S14?

The trainers all interchange between codes & sports these days, but the Crusaders and All Blacks have always have had that gaunt bloody fit look.

As do their supporters

Well thank you for that Virgil :lmao: I'm sure if Crucial was on this board he'd have something to say about that being a Cantab basher and knowing me personally.

One of the things I found quite strange at the beginning of the test season was just how many of the Oz players had run out of steam not long after the 60 minute mark in the first couple of tests, Thought the ELV would have meant the guys were a lot fitter than the NH old rules guys and should have blown them away with a massive blow out at the end because of this supposed superior fitness but if anything the NH guys were in better shape at the end.

Well with a full season of international rugby behind them they should have been fitter

 

[formeropenside]

Well, Dunning still looks like he could stand to lose a few pounds.

EDIT: on looking at the picture closely, are his eyes even open?

Matt primed for a tight spot
By Jon Geddes
October 16, 2008
POWERHOUSE prop Matt Dunning is ready to face the greatest test of his strength and mental endurance on Australia's upcoming spring tour.

The gruelling six-week campaign will be the 115kg forward's own personal version of Survivor as he sets about outwitting, outlasting and outplaying his rivals in the most physically demanding position on the field.

This season Dunning took the brave step of switching from loosehead prop to tighthead, a position with no place to hide and where mistakes can be punished unmercifully.

"I guess the hardest thing is that you have pressure on you in every scrum. You have more force going through your body and it is more draining," he said.

Dunning has enjoyed the move even though he had found he can't do as much around the paddock and definitely had more running in his legs when he was playing loosehead.

"Obviously you get depressing moments at tighthead because you can get shoved around a bit and you have bad scrums," he said.

"You will make mistakes at tighthead and you just have to fight your way out of it sometimes. You can't get upset, you just have to put it behind you and wait for the next one."

The Wallabies are scheduled for six tough games against New Zealand, Italy, England, France, Wales and a star-studded Barbarians outfit over consecutive weeks. Little wonder he admitted this trip will be the biggest challenge of his rugby career.

"In the World Cup you play a lot of games back-to-back, but you also play a lot of minnows. In the Tri-Nations you play no more than a maximum three games in a row," he said.

But the Wallabies' tough training sessions have been tailor-made for Dunning as he prepares for what lies ahead. "It's been about getting good physical condition like a mini pre-season," he said.

 

[fatprop]

I think the major difference is that Aus last year, defended like demons, but weren't dynamic enough in attack.

This year they are still expected to defend well, but to hit another gear at a turnover with everyone creating options for the ball carrier.

And they clearly aren't fit enough to do it for 80 minutes.

 

[Moses]

exactly. Usually the story is that union is soft. Perhaps more of the Saders regime kicking in?

I read that Thorn broke the Crusaders bench press record on a warm up set when he came back from the Broncos..

 

[formeropenside]

Well maybe the players were being worked a little too hard:

Forwards falling like flies
By Darren Walton
October 16, 2008 AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans will be forced to field a new-look back row for the Bledisloe Cup clash with New Zealand after receiving more injury bad news.

The luckless Hugh McMeniman and rookie Peter Kimlin were both ruled out of the Hong Kong showdown - and almost certainly the first Test of the European Spring Tour as well - after breaking down during another demanding team training session.

Scans revealed ligament damage after McMeniman rolled his ankle, while Kimlin strained his quad in what Deans described as two slices of "momentary bad luck".

"These things happen when you're pushing the boundaries," Deans said.

The absence of the versatile pair - who can both play lock or blindside flanker - further depletes the Wallabies pack, who have already lost key second-rowers Dan Vickerman and James Horwill and breakaway Rocky Elsom.
And with powerhouse No.8 Wycliff Palu only "straight-lining" in his slow recovery from a knee injury, Deans has little alternative other than to partner Mark Chisholm with Nathan Sharpe in the second row against the All Blacks and forge an untried back row.

Test newcomer Richard Brown is favoured to start at No.8, with Dean Mumm to play blindside flanker.
As ever, George Smith or Phil Waugh will be the openside flanker for the fourth and final trans-Tasman derby of the year.

Putting on a brave face, Deans said "you've always got 22 fit blokes that we'll name and they're all here because we believe they offer us something".

"So whoever does get the call-up will be excited about that and it will be a great opportunity for them."

The All Blacks lead the 2008 series 2-1 and are assured of retaining the Bledisloe Cup for a seventh straight year, but Deans bristled when a journalist said New Zealanders were treating the match - being played at a neutral venue for the first time - as a dead rubber.

"There's no such thing as a dead rubber when you pull on your country's jersey," he said.

"Who suggested it's a dead rubber? Which one in particular? Names ... give me facts."

Kiwi Deans is not only desperate to get another one over the All Blacks, but eager to make a positive start to what shapes as a torrid block of six internationals on successive Saturdays.

After the All Blacks, come Italy in Padova, England at Twickenham, France in Paris, Wales in Cardiff and the Barbarians at Wembley.

"Six Tests back-to-back, from our perspective. Essentially it's a World XV we'll be playing in the last game," Deans said.

"It's going to be a good tour. There's some good destinations we play at, there's some opponents who have historically given Australia a lot of challenge.

"But that's a great opportunity for us and for this group in terms of growing."

The super-coach suspected his entire 34-man touring squad would be required to step up.

"There will be many challenges coming our way and obviously there will be some attrition and, if there's not, we won't be going hard enough," Deans said.

"You just give everything you've got in each instance and then respond to the fallout."

Deans will give star winger Lote Tuqiri until the last minute to prove his fitness for the tour as he continues to recover from minor knee surgery.

"Lote is seeing a surgeon again tomorrow. He's done a lot of volume work because we're obviously trying to maintain his base.

"But he obviously hasn't been running a lot, so hopefully he'll get the all-clear and then he'll literally hit the ground running at that point. Obviously it will be a matter of how he responds to that.

"We won't pick him until he's 100 per cent."

Thats not a dreadful starting pack per se (except for Chisholm, maybe Mumm could go into the second row, but who plays 6 then?) - BUT the quality of the reserves is not great. Who's the backup 6, Baxter? TPN?

 

[RugbyReg]

Gotta be TPN. Last man standing.