Monday’s rugby news has McKenzie’s Wallabies ready to entertain, Mortlock skeptical, some injury-enforced changes and the Wallaroos out of the World Cup.
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McKenzie confident
Ewen McKenzie believes that the Wallabies will be able to showcase their improvement this Saturday against the All Blacks, after one year under his leadership. Emphasising that the upcoming match would be a completely different affair to the 47-29 loss last year, McKenzie said, “It’s different because we have a base game that everyone knows, respects and we know works.”
Link also said that, in the wake of the success of Australian teams during the Super Rugby competition this year, the Wallabies will bring a more confident, attacking style into the Bledisloe Cup. [/one_half]
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Mortlock questions improved Wallabies
While acknowledging that the Wallabies will bring a much more confident and physical team into the Rugby Championships, former Test captain Stirling Mortlock has lamented the fact that these improvements will not be enough to beat the All-Blacks.
“Even when you have that physicality and that presence, when you rip in at the breakdown and do have momentum for large periods of time of the game, they usually find a way to still be in the game, if not leading,” he said. Mortlock – who was in the Wallabies’ last Bledisloe Cup-winning team in 2002, did say it was the first time he gave the team a good chance since 2011. [/one_half]
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Two squad changes forced
The Wallabies squad has been hit by two hamstring injuries during preparations for the Rugby Championships. Winger Joe Tomane and prop Laurie Weeks have been ruled out of the squad for up to three weeks and will miss the opening two Bledisloe Cup games.
“We’re going to continue to take a pragmatic approach and give guys with issues the chance to focus solely on their rehab before re-joining the squad,” McKenzie said. Waratahs prop Paddy Ryan and Melbourne Rebels winger Tom English have been called into the squad as replacements. [/one_half]
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Wallaroos bow out
The Australian women’s team have unfortunately been knocked out of the World Cup, losing their final pool game to France 17-3 on Saturday. Wallaroos coach Paul Verrell emphasised his pride in the team’s defence under pressure, adding, “We always knew that taking on France in Paris was going to be a tall order considering the wealth of experience and success France has had in recent times.”
France now progress to the semi-finals alongside Canada, Ireland and England. Notably missing from that list are the four-time defending champions New Zealand, unable to overcome their loss to Ireland earlier in the tournament. [/one_half]
