No need to panic, says Mortlock
By Adrian Warren, 8 Aug 2008
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, Argentina, Jude Bolton, NRL, Roosters, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Springboks, Stirling Mortlock, Sydney Roosters, The Springboks, wallabies, Willie Mason
Related coverage
- Sydney Roosters news
- Rugby Union news
- Wallabies news
- New Zealand All Blacks news
- South Africa Springboks news
- Rugby League news
- NRL news
Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock believes Australia’s game has no need of a drastic change after last week’s thumping Tri-Nations rugby loss to New Zealand, and tips his team to be ‘back up’ for their two looming clashes with the Springboks in South Africa.
The Australians are currently in a rare rest period prior to reassembling next Wednesday in Sydney to prepare for their Tri-Nations clashes with South Africa in Durban on August 23 and Johannesburg seven days later.
The Springboks are scheduled to play the next four weekends against Argentina, New Zealand and then twice against Australia.
Mortlock was hoping that the daunting schedule might work in Australia’s favour.
“They would have played a bit of footy coming up with those two matches (against Argentina and New Zealand),” Mortlock said.
“They are world champions and they will have their backs up, they’ve gone quite well so far this year.
“It’s a good opportunity for us and one that I dare say we will be up for.”
Australia have lost their last eight matches in South Africa, but Mortlock was the hero the last time they triumphed in that country eight years ago.
His last minute penalty from the sideline secured Australia’s first Tri-Nations title.
The bustling centre acknowledged Australia needed to improve on a number of areas from last weekend’s game, but described the heavy loss as “a unique situation”.
“With the All Blacks it seemed that everything they did turned into points and they profited from it, whereas whenever we tried to be positive it didn’t quite come off and then they profited again from the turnover or the ensuing phase.
“There was some glaringly obvious things that we can improve, the breakdown, some of our set piece and probably our kicking accuracy.
“They are the things we work on all the time, so drastic changes don’t need to be made so that we can turn around.”
Mortlock today posed aboard a Harley Davidson as part of a promotion to boost awareness of prostate cancer.
He is one of several high profile sporting personalities involved in the campaign, including Sydney Roosters rugby league stars Craig Wing and Willie Mason, Sydney Swans AFL stars Jude Bolton, Peter Everitt and Amon Buchanan and Olympians Ky Hurst (swimming), David Barlow (basketball) and Nikki Hudson (hockey).
The sports stars will all be pictured on – or around – a Harley Davidson with the photographs auctioned to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
“Awareness of male health in general, anything to do with that is a good thing because too often men tend to just bottle everything up and don’t come out and investigate and make sure that everything is going as well as it should be,” Mortlock said.
© AAP 2012Recommend this story.
Jim Beam Devil's Cut
As bourbon ages, a portion of liquid is lost from the barrel due to evaporation. This is known as the Angel's Share. When the bourbon is taken from the barrel, a certain amount is left trapped within the wood. It's that extracted liquid, and the rich flavours from deep within the barrel that are in Jim Beam's Devil's Cut.
Click here to learn more about Jim Beam's wicked new bourbon.
August 8th 2008 @ 2:51pm
Chris Ash, syd Aust said | August 8th 2008 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
lets not forget we should have won in SA last year were in not for a freak drop goal from steyne. the boys from that team last year should be reminding all the younger ones of this and it will hopefully help lift their intensity.
i have no problem with hynes covering habana – remember the super14 reds vs bulls game this year… habana had no impact.
August 8th 2008 @ 3:26pm
Blinky Bill - Bellingen said | August 8th 2008 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
OJ – I reckon you may well be right on SM. He’s our boy at least for a little while. No doubt in time (not too long I hope), some tough, skillfull & well respected bugger will appear who is obviously Captain material.
Sorry to admit this………………..but believe it or not, I am still getting over our shite game at Eden Park. You see there used to be a time when the Wallabies lost and I’d just cop it on the chin and get on with life. But this last effort by our lads has not allowed me to do that for some reason and I’m buggered if I know why.
You see at the start of Robbie’s tenure as our coach I considered it would take until at least 2009 for him to get things the way he wanted them, after which time he would add, tweak and so forth until the Wallabies were firing on all cylinders.
So what happened to change all of that? Was it all of those wins in a row? Surely not! We all knew that Ireland & France were not full strength & at the end of a long tour and looking forward to heading home for some R&R. Robbie even told us so afterwards. But a win is a win and I was given hope.
Then the World Champion Sth Africans got knocked off by us in Perth (after two tough tests in NZ) and I still allowed myself to be lulled into a false sense that all had turned wonderfully right again in Wallaby World. And that’s despite Robbie’s warnings. So the guy has tried to help dorks like me.
Next was that very good Wallaby performance in Sydney where we smashed the AB’s and that was it………I was a believer. Mind you Robbie once again warned the Wallabies and supporters that the AB’s would be waiting in New Zealand to exact revenge at Eden Park but by then it was too late for the likes of me.
Anyone else sharing my pain?
August 8th 2008 @ 4:01pm
Peter K said | August 8th 2008 @ 4:01pm | Report comment
Blinky Bill – What was wrong with my suggestion of grooming Horwill for th captaincy.
Did a reasonable job at Qld.
He is tough, skillful and respected everything you listed.
He could grow to being as good a captain as Martin Johnson was.
August 8th 2008 @ 4:25pm
Photon said | August 8th 2008 @ 4:25pm | Report comment
The Wallabies will not win at Ellis Park, the Boks could win that game on adrenalin alone. If the Boks wanna win the Tri-Nations they need to win the game in Durban. It’ll come after a bruiser at Newlands and I suspect that some okes might not make it to Durban. I’m not wrirting off the All Blacks, it’s just that I feel better All Black sides than this have failed to win in South Africa, so if the Boks perform I’m sure they’ll pull it through. Oh and Fuck Knows why the South Adfrican Rugby Board thinks it’s a good idea to play four tests in four weekends
August 8th 2008 @ 4:29pm
Chris Ash, syd Aust said | August 8th 2008 @ 4:29pm | Report comment
“The Wallabies will not win at Ellis Park, the Boks could win that game on adrenalin alone.”
i hope you get to eat those words. have a nice weekend *logs off*
August 8th 2008 @ 4:35pm
True Tah said | August 8th 2008 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
Photon,
the SARU’s decision to play the Pumas might backfire.
I think the Boks will account for the ABs in Cape Town.
I would like to think the Wallabies will break the hoodoo on the highveld, but it might be one game too far.
We will need to win in Durban to have a shot at winning the TNs.
I also think that we will win in Brisbane.
August 8th 2008 @ 4:42pm
Big Kev said | August 8th 2008 @ 4:42pm | Report comment
Photon, I think ABs will beat Boks in CT. Reasons;
1. SA has finished 3rd in tri-nations for last 2 years, why do you think they are suddenly capable of winning it?
2. SA are not the side that won the RWC and even that side did not beat NZ or Aus for that matter
3. The ABs team that lost in Dunedin fielded the least experienced, weakest AB pack in decades – Williams, Thorn, McCaw will make a massive difference – watch out!
4. NZ beat SA in SA last year
5. NZ’s performance last week was on a completely different level to the 2 weeks before
Lets wait and see!
August 8th 2008 @ 5:00pm
Photon said | August 8th 2008 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
Just checked on the IRB site and Durban definatly represents the Wallabies best shot. Of the five tests played there, we’ve ( the Boks) have won three matches and lost two. Over and above this the All Blacks have won on their last two trips there, not really sure why we’re playing Australia there. At Ellis Park the Wallabies have won one from eight, and I think that says all that needs to be said, I suppose the weight of four matches will make a difference, but with it being the last test match of the local season the Boks really should be okay for that game
August 8th 2008 @ 5:16pm
Photon said | August 8th 2008 @ 5:16pm | Report comment
Kevin
1)South Afica has not lost to Australia at home sine 2000 so my optimism has grounds
2) New Zealand has played Sout Africa 5 time in Henrys’ time and won 3 of 5 times,
3) If the Boks aren’t who they were last year, the All Blacks are but a shadow of themselves. Like I said “I’m not wrirting off the All Blacks, it’s just that I feel better All Black sides than this have failed to win in South Africa, so if the Boks perform I’m sure they’ll pull it through”
4) The All Blacks have lost once in 30 matches at home Kevin, they’ve destroyed a good few sides at home so last week is irrelevant.
August 8th 2008 @ 5:27pm
ohtani's jacket said | August 8th 2008 @ 5:27pm | Report comment
Personally, I think the Boks will lose one of three, either to NZ at Cape Town or Australia at Durban. Depending on how the bonus points play out, Australia could still theoretically win the Tri-Nations in Brisbane provided SA don’t achieve a clean sweep.