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'It's not a dead rubber': Wallabies centurion 'hungry' to cap off redemption story with victory in Bledisloe IV
Wallabies milestone man James Slipper has shot down suggestions Saturday night’s test with the All Blacks is a dead rubber now that the Bledisloe Cup has been lost for another year.
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Trailing 2-0 in the four-match series heading into the final trans-Tasman showdown of the year, the Wallabies remain desperate to pull off a face-saving victory at Suncorp Stadium.
Assuming he’s named in Dave Rennie’s team on Thursday, Slipper will be playing his 100th test in front of family and friends in Brisbane and he for one can’t bear the thought of a repeat of last Saturday’s record-breaking 43-5 loss to the All Blacks.
The Tri Nations trophy also remains up for grabs for the Wallabies – not to mention pride.
“It’s not a dead rubber,” Slipper said on Tuesday.
“We obviously respect the jersey we play in. We’re playing for our country.
“It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, you’ve got to prepare like it’s your last test and this week’s no different.
“We’re really hungry, we’ve been training hard and we’ve just got to go out and play a game that we’ve been training to do.
“There’s no such thing as a dead rubber in test-match rugby. Win or loss, it’s always on the record books and we’ll be going out there to win this weekend.”
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Slipper maintains Rennie’s faith in youth is the way to go for the Wallabies, despite Australia suffering its heaviest defeat to New Zealand in 117 years in Sydney.
The All Blacks are set to inject a raft of fresh faces into their side for the fourth and final Bledisloe Cup clash of the year in Brisbane this weekend. #AUSvNZL #BledisloeCup https://t.co/qva3dBWSB9
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 3, 2020
“We just really let ourselves down on the weekend and it feels like we’ve undone a lot of good work, which hurts,” the veteran prop said.
“But direction-wise, we’re definitely in the right direction. We’ve just got to be clinical and make sure we play our best games when it’s needed. Be more consistent.”
Racking up 100 tests will complete one of rugby’s great redemption stories for Slipper.
The 31-year-old was frozen out by Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn in 2018 after twice testing positive to cocaine and then being banned for two months.
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But he has turned his career around after catching a lifeline from the Brumbies.
“I wasn’t thinking about reaching a hundred caps. That couldn’t have been any further away from the thought process at the time,” Slipper said.
“Thinking back to when I had the change at the Brumbies, I just wanted to play consistent rugby.
“That was my goal. I just wanted to contribute to whatever team I was playing for and I feel like I’ve done that.
“Yeah, if I think back two years ago, I definitely didn’t see 100 caps on the horizon.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments