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‘We are up for it’: Michael Hooper echoes Eddie Jones’ warning for All Blacks
Following the Wallabies’ tough 31-34 loss to Argentina in Sydney last weekend, coach Eddie Jones walked into the post-match press conference with a smile on his face.
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The legendary coach wasn’t happy with the result – of course he wasn’t, far from it in fact.
Jones, who replaced Dave Rennie in the role at the start of the year, was just incredibly confident that the Wallabies could turn their fortunes around ahead of this year’s World Cup.
It all starts with the All Blacks.
Mid-way through the press conference, Jones throw a cheeky jab at the New Zealanders ahead of the opening Bledisloe Cup Test in Melbourne later this month.
“If I was the All Blacks, I’d look out,” Jones told reporters at CommBank Stadium.
Jones coached the Wallabies to their last Bledisloe Cup series triumph back in 2001, and again when they retained the trophy a year later. While the odds appear to be stacked firmly against the current group, he’s ready for Australia to shock the rugby world.
But that’s still over a week away. After the opening two rounds of The Rugby Championship, all four SANZAAR nations have a bye week.
The week off should give Wallabies co-captain Michael Hooper enough time to recover from an injured calf which ruled the veteran out of the Pumas Test.
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Hooper agreed with the sentiment of coach Jones’ post-match warming to the All Blacks, saying that winning and losing is a matter of “small adjustments.”
“We are up for it,” Hooper said on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby. “We know we need to improve but these aren’t crazy margins, it’s Test match rugby.. it is little margins that make a big difference.
“That first game in Pretoria and now, definitely not the results we want or think we’re capable of but we make some small adjustments, we’re a team that’s only been together – to make an excuse, you hate making excuses but I will – a short amount of time.
“We start putting more meat on the bone, it’s going to start getting better and get better quick.
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“The challenge for us is to really maintain that belief and confidence and Eddie is a pro at driving that belief and keeping us on track with that.
“In terms of New Zealand, they’re going to be on regardless, they don’t need any fuel to fire.”
The Wallabies and All Blacks are coming off two very different starts to The Rugby Championship.
New Zealand opened their account with a comfortable win over Argentina in Mendoza, before hosting world champions South Africa in Auckland.
The All Blacks, especially in the first quarter of the Test, looked like a team possessed. Led by the likes of Will Jordan and Shannon Frizell, the hosts raced out to an early lead.
Eventually, the Springboks beast was slain 35-20 at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium.
“They’re smart, hey? They are just so deliberate with how they want to play on the field,” Hooper added, speaking about the All Blacks.
“I missed the first half and I’ll get to that, but I got to watch the second half on my tiny, little phone… they absorb pressure and absorb pressure, and South Africa looked like they were coming back and starting to get their traditional game going.
“But the ability of New Zealand to get a turnover somehow and play down and get the ball down to the other end, apply pressure, make South Africa give away a penalty and then they’re in the corner, it was super impressive.
“It’s such an exciting challenge for us.”
The Wallabies take on fierce rivals New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 29. That is the first of two Bledisloe Cup Tests.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
2 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
2 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
2 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
2 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to commentsWell done guys both teams will be ready to play knockout rugby.
1 Go to commentsSurprised that Ramos isn't starting at 15. But what a squad of galacticos!
2 Go to commentsWhy is it a snub? What journalistic garbage is that? Sure the guy is a great player, but there are plenty of loose forwards and not all of them can be Springboks. Also, I know of no-one who doubts Rassie’s judgment. South Africa has a conveyor belt of loose forwards that just keeps producing, so the competition is intense. I certainly wish him well, but there is no entitlement and there is no snub.
17 Go to commentsSkelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
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