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‘Didn’t want to show too much’: Wallabies will debut ‘different game plan’ at World Cup
The Wallabies may have an ace hidden up their sleeves going into the Rugby World Cup, with prop Taniela Tupou revealing the Aussies will go into the event “with a different game plan.”
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With coach Eddie Jones at the helm, this year hasn’t gone to plan for the men in gold. The Wallabies fell to their fifth defeat from as many starts when they were beaten by France on Sunday.
Australia showed plenty of potential, promise and character during their 41-17 loss to Les Bleus at Stade de France, but rugby is a results-driven business. The scoreboard is the stat that matters.
But the Wallabies, who are still supremely confident ahead of rugby’s showpiece event, are looking ahead to an “interesting” challenge against minnows Georgia in a couple of weeks.
“We didn’t want to show too much before the World Cup,” Wallabies prop Taniela Tupou told The Sydney Morning Herald after the Test in northern Paris.
“We came into this game against France with a different game plan, just for this game. We only had a week to look at it.
“At training, we’ve been working on our game plan for the World Cup. It’ll be interesting coming out against Georgia with a different game plan.
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“I guess we didn’t want to show too much before the World Cup started. Training was hard this week but then again, for us to be able to play the game plan that he wants us to play… we need to be fit.”
The Wallabies collected the wooden spoon after The Rugby Championship, having lost all three Tests against South Africa, Argentina and New Zealand.
Australia also fell heartbreakingly short of what would’ve been a famous win across the ditch earlier this month as they went down swinging against the All Blacks in Dunedin.
Wins continue to allude the men in gold, but coach Jones is still “proud” of the young Wallabies and the improvements that they’re making.
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“He was proud of our effort,” Tupou added. “At the end there we could have let the game go, but we fought back and that’s something we can keep working on and be better at. There were some silly mistakes that let us down.
“We’re a pretty tight group. Not winning games is hard, but I feel like we’re all helping each other and there are good vibes.
“What can we do? It’s done now. We’ve got tough games coming up (against) Georgia, Fiji and Wales.”
The Wallabies will also play Portugal in Pool C.
Comments on RugbyPass
I like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
40 Go to commentsDon’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.
40 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.
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