Wallabies ready to go despite long break
By Adrian Warren, 3 Oct 2008 Adrian Warren is a Roar Pro
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- Hong Kong, Jim Williams, New Zealand, Rugby Union, Tri Nations, wallabies, Wallabies coach
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The Wallabies coaching staff believes their players will be primed and well-conditioned for the coming six-match tour despite a lay-off of almost two months.
The first of four weekly camps in the lead-up to the tour ended today in hot conditions in Sydney.
The players were put through several drills in the enervating heat.
Over half the squad enjoyed a couple of weeks off following the final Tri-Nations match against New Zealand and won’t have an opportunity to play again until the tour opener against New Zealand in Hong Kong on November 1.
Some of New Zealand’s leading stars are getting the opportunity to stay match fit through the closing stages of their major domestic competition, which doesn’t finish until the last week of October.
Assistant coach Jim Williams was confident the Wallabies would be well-conditioned enough to handle their longer break from playing.
“The strength and conditioning staff has catered for that and worked very well towards it,” Williams said today.
“With a squad of 34, it’s going to be difficult to give everyone a game … but they will be physically ready.”
Williams said the Wallabies had also used the camp to review the mistakes they had made in the final Tri-Nations decider against New Zealand.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure when we get in that situation again, is that doesn’t happen,” Williams said.
“They were fairly basic and obvious (mistakes), those three tries that we got against us in the second half, lineout turnover, missed tackles and a dropped ball from a kick.
“We had a good chance about that when we first came into camp on Monday night and sorted out a few things and changed a few policies and methods.”
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The Crowd Says (2) | Page 1 of Comments
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TembaVJ said | October 3rd 2008 @ 11:32am | Report comment
The Wallabies will have to be in fine shape for the Baba’s game, coached by Jake White with Burger, McCaw, Collins and Botha in the forwards. It going to be a hard day at the office for Wallabies. Has anyone written anything about this match. I know its a long way off but its shaping up to be a great match.
So far Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers, Bakkies Botha, Fourie du Preez, Jerry Collins, McCaw and Joe Rokocoko… I know people don’t really like this sort of “game” but if your in charge of the Barbarians, who would your coaches be and what team would you put forward? (keep in mind its a game against the Wallabies)
Jake White and Eddie Jones (tech)
1. Beast (Tendai Mtawarira)
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Greg Somerville
4. Andries Becker
5. Ali Williams
6. Burger
7. Richie McCaw (captain)
8. Rodney So’oialo
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Butch James… Just joking Dan Carter
11. Brian Habanna
12. Jean de Villiers.
13. Conrad Smith
14. Joe Rokocoko
15. Mils Muliaina.
Bench:
Tony Woodcock, Jerry Collins, Montgomery, F. Steyn, P. Spies, Juan Smith and Bakkies Botha.
Benjamin said | October 3rd 2008 @ 8:11pm | Report comment
That’s hardly a Barbarians team. That’s a SH team. A FYI, Jerry Collins is having an appalling season in France.