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Michael Hooper's demands for Wallabies clash against Uruguay

By Online Editors
Michael Hooper. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Be muscular from the opening whistle but careful with your hands throughout.

It’s the mixed message the Wallabies will take with them onto Oita Stadium where they can get their Rugby World Cup campaign back on track with a convincing win over Uruguay.

Captain Michael Hooper is demanding a convincing response to last week’s loss to Wales and is wary they’re coming up against committed opponents at a venue that has been compared to a sauna.

Humidity at the enclosed stadium skyrocketed for last Wednesday’s match between New Zealand and Canada drained the players and resulted in a slew of handing errors.

Hooper said a different carrying technique may be the instruction if the ball takes on soap-like qualities.

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“Keep the ball away off the chest, minimise how slippery and wet that ball gets, especially after a couple of phases,” he said.

“You try and grasp it early and keep it off the chest. The jerseys will be very wet so keeping it off there is important. Just catch the ball. It’s as simple as that.”

The Wallabies have made it a priority to start more strongly than in both pool matches so far.

A second-half fightback was enough to haul in Fiji but they ran out of time against the Welsh after ceding an 18-point deficit.

The four-point loss in Tokyo has gnawed away at Hooper and he is thankful at a chance to take out frustration in the opening collisions.

Back-row comrade Jack Dempsey and four other starters have the additional motivation of making their first appearances of the tournament.

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Tough No.8 Dempsey said he and blindside flanker Lukhan Salakaia-Loto have made a pact to impose themselves on the Uruguayans through powerful carries and crashing defence.

“We are after a fast start. As a backrower you can definitely have a hand in getting a quick start and getting a bit of a roll on,” he said.

“As ball-carrying backrowers you have more of a say than a prop because you can get the ball in your hands early and set the tone.”

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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