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'I don't think it matters': World Cup edge not relevant for Wallabies
The injury-hit Wallabies will be aiming to end their Spring Tour on a high when they take on Wales in Cardiff this weekend.
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Wallabies captain James Slipper doesn’t think a win over Wales this weekend will give his team a psychological edge ahead of their World Cup showdown in 10 months’ time.
Wales and Australia have been placed in the same group at the 2023 World Cup in France, and both sides are in desperate need of a win following a run of harrowing losses.
The Wallabies have lost three matches in a row in what has turned into a Spring Tour of injury carnage.
Although the tight losses to heavyweights France (30-29) and Ireland (13-10) were commendable, the Wallabies’ first ever loss to Italy heaped huge pressure on coach Dave Rennie.
Wales also lost to Italy earlier this year, but it was last week’s defeat to Tier 2 nation Georgia that has put coach Wayne Pivac in the firing line.
Sunday’s (AEDT) clash between Wales and Australia in Cardiff is set to be an intriguing affair given the pressure on both nations, but Slipper doesn’t think the victor will have an advantage come the World Cup.
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“I don’t think it matters,” Slipper said.
“You look at the World Cup, you’ve essentially got to win seven games in a row. The pressure is at the maximum.
“And to be fair, both teams could be totally different (by then). We don’t know what players will be backing up from this game to the next game.
“I do prefer having momentum going into the World Cup, so that’s why getting results on this tour would have been great.
“But I feel like the way we’ve played and competed has given myself confidence in the playing group.”
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Former skipper Michael Hooper became the seventh player sidelined following last week’s loss to Ireland after the veteran flanker developed post-match concussion symptoms.
It meant Rennie had just 25 available players to choose from this week to make up his match-day squad.
“The bus seems a little bit empty,” Slipper said.
“But everyone survived captain’s run, which is nice.”
Five-eighth Ben Donaldson has been handed his first Wallabies start among a host of changes, while Fraser McReight replaces Hooper in the No.7 jersey.
Rennie has put his team on alert for a fierce Wales effort following their shock loss to Georgia.
“They’ll be hurting,” Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said.
“We’ve reflected on that. We’re hurting as well because we put a lot into last week’s effort and came up short.
“But you’re right, we’re well aware how much they’ll be hurting after that loss. They’re probably getting it in the media here and they’ll want a response. So we fully understand the intensity required.”
Wales have won their past three games against the Wallabies, dating back to 2018.
Comments on RugbyPass
A distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
1 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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