Cockerill responds to Wallaby's remarks about Genge
England’s pack are seeking a “gladiatorial” contest at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday after Richard Cockerill outlined the physical onslaught awaiting Australia.
The Wallabies landed an early blow in the series by clinching the first Test 30-28 and will take an unassailable lead if they keep their foot on English throats at a ground where they have amassed 10 successive victories.
Eddie Jones’ tourists crumbled in the final quarter at Perth’s Optus Stadium and Cockerill is determined for a traditional pillar of strength to reassert itself.
“We are very much sleeves rolled up and gum-shields in. We are coming here to win the game and we are very much up for the battle,” forwards coach Cockerill said.
“The forward battle is going to be key and let’s look forward to it. We’re an English pack and we want to get in the middle of it.
“It’s about making sure that the battle of wills is really strong and we make sure that we don’t blink first.
“Last Saturday we got what we deserved in the end, so we’ve just got to be better at what we do, be more consistent and do it more often.
“We want it to be gladiatorial. We want it to be physical. That first clash is going to be great. Let’s go and see it. That’s what the game is all about.
“Let’s enjoy the physical parts, the feisty parts and – within the laws of the game – let’s get into it.”
The collision between props Ellis Genge and Taniela Tupou was already shaping up to be the pivotal duel even before Australia’s explosive tighthead lit the fuse by declaring the rivals are united by a desire to “smash” each other, adding that “I want to give it to him”.
Combative Leicester captain Genge sets the emotional intensity for England and acts as the heartbeat of their pack, while a player dubbed the ‘Tongan Thor’ performs the same role for the Wallabies.
“Tupou has not played for a little while so he’d better turn up and perform if he is going to start challenging Ellis before the game,” said Cockerill, referencing the calf injury that forced Australia’s tighthead to miss the first Test.
“When Genge gets the ball, they are going to want to whack him. When Tupou gets the ball, we are going to want to whack him.
“Tupou is exceptionally explosive with ball in hand. It should be a good set-piece battle between him and Ellis. It all sets it up for a nice, tasty evening.
“Ellis will get on with his game. We know those battles are going to be crucial. The physical battles up front are always crucial. We look forward to it. Bring it on.”
Cockerill was part of the team that crashed to England’s heaviest ever Test defeat in a 76-0 mauling in 1998 that was the lowest point of an event dubbed the ‘Tour of Hell’.
The former Leicester hooker says he has “deleted that from my memory”, although he recalls that the Australia supporters whose task it was was to perform press-ups whenever a try was scored “soon got bored of doing press ups”.
Suncorp Stadium is considered the ‘spiritual home’ of the Wallabies and their 10-Test winning run includes victories over New Zealand, South Africa and France. Cockerill, however, insists there is no mystery to the venue.
“It is just a game. It is just a pitch. Ninety per cent of our lads wouldn’t even know about their record. In fact, I didn’t even know. We just get on with the game,” he said.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments