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‘We will win’: Wallabies focused on the bigger picture before France Test
The Wallabies have started their new dawn under coach Eddie Jones with four losses from as many starts, but they aren’t panicking.
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The Aussies, just like 19 other teams, are focused on the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France.
With about two weeks to go until their World Cup opener against Georgia in Paris, the Wallabies are preparing for their final warm-up Test – and it’s a tough one.
Looking to turn their losing streak around before rugby’s showpiece event, the Wallabies will take on World Cup hosts France at Stade de France on Sunday evening.
Coach Jones has picked a youthful side for their clash with Les Bleus. There are a dozen players in the match day squad who have played less than 10 Tests in Wallaby gold.
Two players are also in line to debut off the pine this weekend. Western Force halfback Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa and prop Blake Schoupp have been named in a Wallabies team for the first time.
Schoupp, who was famously described as a “brick sh**house” by coach Jones in April, said this young Wallabies side has what it takes to upset France.
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“You want to win every game as best you can but the whole point of this game is to get better and prepare for the World Cup,” Schoupp told reporters.
“We’ve got a squad there that has an extremely high ceiling, and if we reach our potential then we will win the game.
“Everyone’s just got to play their part and we’ll see what happens.”
Coach Jones started his tenure with the Wallabies team with a tough loss to world champions South Africa during The Rugby Championship.
Argentina scored a last-minute winner against the Aussies in Sydney a week later, and a Bledisloe Cup sweep from the All Blacks piled on more pain.
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But the young Wallabies showed plenty of promise in that tough defeat in Dunedin earlier this month, and many of those players are backing up on Sunday.
“As Schouppy alluded to, every Test we play is important, every Test we play we want to win,” assistant coach Dan Palmer added.
“But like all international teams this year, there’s a context of the World Cup. I think you’ve seen, even though we haven’t managed to get a win, you’ve seen the team progress over the past few months.
“The goal this weekend is exactly the same. We need to see progression in certain areas.
“We’re trying to build a team that can win the World Cup so in terms of selection that was forefront of mind as well.”
The Wallabies have gone in a new direction ahead of the World Cup. When they named their 33-man squad, there was no room for veterans Quade Cooper and Michael Hooper.
Carter Gordon was picked as the sole flyhalf in the squad, while utility Ben Donaldson is set to play a backup role as a playmaker off the bench – they have six Test caps between them.
Towering lock Will Skelton will also captain the team for the first time this weekend. Skelton, who plys his trade with European powerhouse La Rochelle, will become the 87th captain in Wallabies history.
“It’s important that we build that depth, not just in the playing quality in the team but also in the leadership,” Palmer added.
“There will be guys pushed to take on some leadership responsibly late in the game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
39 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
41 Go to comments