Wallabies captain Michael Hooper believes Michael Cheika’s midas touch has instilled a firm belief that Australia can win this year’s Rugby World Cup.
The Wallabies have emerged from a ground-breaking three-day workshop in Brisbane with a quiet confidence that they’re on the right track despite Australia slipping to sixth in the world, their lowest position since rankings were introduced in 2003.
Hooper hailed coach Cheika’s ability to unite Australia’s World Cup hopefuls from the country’s five rival Super Rugby franchises as second to none.
“He’s tried to get us playing against each other one night and then to be able to be really good mates the next day and to have the common goal of the World Cup later this year,” Hooper said on Wednesday.
“So this camp we’ve had over the last three days has been a monumental move forward for us.
“Looking around the room at the 51 players there, there’s no doubt we’ve got the talent pool.
“So it’s just about building the other stuff.”
That “other stuff” includes building special bonds between the players and the Wallabies’ new-look coaching staff headed by Cheika and assistants Stephen Larkham and Nathan Grey.
Cheika said the camp – the first of its kind since he replaced Ewen McKenzie before last year’s spring tour in November – was a great start.
“I got a lot more out of it than I imagined initially,” Cheika said. “The players were really positive.
“One of the big parts about being successful in rugby is having a team that’s close, united, with good team spirit and we had a bit of fun while we were up there. We got serious with a few issues as well.
“What was best was the players had the opportunity to mix in a genuine environment where they could talk about footy, talk about what they want to do later in the year and talk honestly in front of each other.”
The camp came less than a fortnight after the NSW Waratahs’ heated derby win over the Brumbies, when David Pocock’s complaint about Jacques Potgieter’s homophobic slurs led to the South African being fined $20,000 by the Australian Rugby Union.
Cheika, though, said it was “not necessary at all” for Pocock to address the squad about the issue.
“That’s a non-event,” he said.
“That comes when you respect people and that’s what we do and we just got on with it.”
In addition to unveiling his Wallabies game plan to Larkham and his preliminary squad, Cheika outlined exactly what he wants from his hopefuls in the countdown to Australia’s tournament opener against Fiji on September 23.
“All the teams that are playing at international are high quality,” he said.
“So it’s about getting the balance between the science and the old-fashioned gut feel to try and get that one per cent extra, or that little advantage or to try to get the opposition to change what they’re doing.
“So making sure that we’ve got the detail at the highest level attended to was really important so that the players are really, really clear before they run onto the field exactly what they need to do.”
Cheika plans to have four or five more “morning after” gatherings between now and the end of the Super Rugby season and will also revive his 51-man squad in the coming week.
He said Karmichael Hunt “needs to play footy” after returning from his drug-related suspension before the code-hopping star can be considered for a call-up.
Birdy
Guest
Wouldn't be the first time I've been a figure of fun, Mike.
Mike
Guest
Yes, guilty as charged re being Tahs centric, so I had forgotten about Robbie. A lot of potential.
Mike
Guest
Keep going Birdy - this is fun to watch. :)
Mike
Guest
Actually your post proves that perception of bias was there long before the Tahs coach was the national coach. So nothing has been changed, nor will it be changed - the same people will always believe in a cosmic Tahs/Wallabies conspiracy. You have given the best possible argument in favour of this arrangement.
Birdy
Guest
Geez, are you following me around the site, Taylorman. So let me get this right. A Wallaby fan talks rubbish about a game 8 years ago in which, for once, they didn't get absolutely humiliated in the scrum, and suggests that this is compelling evidence of why a 'prop' that has been consistently found out at international level is somehow going to solve your scrum problems at the world cup, and I'm the one with an unrealistic excuse driven analysis of international matches? I'm not making excuses for the England performance I'm criticising the selection. On the wider arguments, I'm sorry if I keep pointing out the nonsense you come out with; it's obviously grating on you a bit. If you genuinely believe there's nothing a bit strange about a 76-0 result that turns into a 1-point victory 5 months later; or that sides don't occasionally experiment with players positions a year out from a World Cup (Tuilagi has never played for England before on the wing) then there isn't much point talking about it. As usual, you get the wrong end of the stick and miss genuine chances to have a go at England. It was an insult to the Australians and NZ that England sent that team over in 1997 and was used as compelling evidence some years later to change the IRB rules about EOYT. But if you want to believe it was the sheer brilliance of the Wallaby team - knock yourself out.
DMac
Guest
I'm not sure comparing yourself to Tony Abbott will do much for your credibility!
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yeah that would be it birdy...or hang on. Or it might be that anomoly of the 76-0 with the 45th England side, or it might be that experimentation of the centre on the wing. Or it might be that a England thought it was a big party, or...geez...hard to tell when England actually do get their selections right, as opposed to when their supporters get their excuses right...I mean how do you keep up with it there are so many?
Gilbert
Guest
Expect wallabies to hit form at WC. RC will be their testing ground.
Birdy
Guest
Mike; 'in 2008 when the Wallaby scrum smashed the English at Twickenham'. Would that be the game when for reasons no-one can work out England selected an unfit Sheridan; the smallest hooker they've ever picked and two non-scrummaging locks? From memory the Aussies played it cute and collapsed most scrums (getting away with it) but did win one heel against the head and pushed England off a scrum when the sub prop was on out of position. If you think 8 years later that game should influence your team selection then please, please pick Benn Robinson against England in September - it's just a pity Baxter's retired.
Harry Jones
Expert
Good point about speed issue w Pocock. Lot of injuries to the wheels. Seldom retain speed after those kinds of scars. Good thing is the 7s (except for Warburton) at WC won't be burners. McCaw, Louw, Robshaw, Dusatoir, O'Brien, Lobbe ... not going to be that much faster than Pocock.
Harry Jones
Expert
Timani is a mongrel. Very impressed. Simmons, to me, is a very good and athletic Super-level lock, but against Lawes, Whitelock, Etzebeth, O'Connell, AWJ, etc., in Test grind battles, looks non-mongrel.
Harry Jones
Expert
Eben is huge. Saw him lifting weights once, before he was famous. Incredible for a tall guy. Usually the short barrel guys better w the heavy weights. He's young still. Will get stronger
PeterK
Roar Guru
No Carter and Simmons way overrated, weak as marshmellows and as soft. With Arnold and Skelton as the locks, and Fardy at 6 and Higgs at 8 you have 2 lineout callers and 4 genuine lineout options. Far far better than including Horwill and Simmons.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Coleman another big lock , at the force, looks very capable as well.
DMac
Guest
Skelton was top lineout winner for the Tahs a couple of weeks back, keep up dude! ;-)
DMac
Guest
If Aust, NZ and SA win their pools, the only way we could meet either of them is in the final
DMac
Guest
Yeah you're right. I was assuming SA win their pool, which would seem a safe bet given the next best in pool B are Scotland and Samoa. So if we win pool A then we have a pretty friendly QF.
DMac
Guest
I dunno. Folau? Two years of rugby and who knows where he'll be next year. Pocock? Will he get back to his best after two years out? In the end I accept greatness sometimes can't be recognised until later, but I'm not optimistic.
Mike
Guest
Warning: The following is very Tah-centric, so some may want to avoid it. I can't help it, I'm a Tahs fan and I see more of them than other teams anyway. I don't pretend to have a full comprehension of all the players across all Aust S15 sides, and I have probably left many deserving players out. I think we might just be on the verge of something big. Its early days yet, but some early signs are there. Maybe the wheels will fall off, but maybe not… I think (hope) that the Australian concept of forwards might be undergoing a change. This is being led by the Waratahs, but not only by them. A different attitude, as Sekope Kepu said to the journos last week: "Just before half time the legs were full of lactate but those are the areas we've been working on and I guess its starting to pay dividends. We've got the ability and guys there to put pressure on at scrums, so if we can do that more often its going to work in our favour. We know that if the end goal is wearing them down in the last 10, last 5 and last 3 minutes that those scrums really take it out of the opposition, which allows our backs to run at forwards and get that mental edge to get points". I like the attitude. It seems to be translating into their rolling mauls as well. If that can keep maturing in the Tahs pack, and in others, and flow through to the Wallabies pack, heck we might be in with a real chance. As for the players: LH: If Benn Robinson continues improving the way he is, he may finally reach the potential he showed back in 2008 when the Wallaby scrum smashed the English at Twickenham. He looks unafraid of anyone at present. As for a second loosie, I am worried about Slipper but he can still bounce back. He's young, only 25, and Sio even younger, but they should press each other. TH: I think Kepu is playing better than he has before. And Greg Holmes is finally looking interesting. He's 31, just about the right age to hit his straps. Hooker: Moore is steadily on the comeback trail. I think Nathan Charles has been undersold. TPN is still a dangerous player and Latu is coming on. Lock: This is a worry. But a lot depends on Skelton – he is on an upward improvement curve and if he continues, then he could be a genuine international class lock. I don't know who the other first-choice locks will be, but there are a few contenders: Simmons, Fardy, Jones, Arnold maybe. But for all of those players, the level they played at last season or this season is not enough. They have to lift. Openside: Hooper is far better than many give him credit for. Fingers crossed that Pocock regains full match fitness. Two good opensides is far more than most teams ever get. Blindside: Lopeti Timani is looking very good indeed. Sean McMahon has some good aggression. Eightman: This is a problem. Palu's fitness worries me and everything about Higginbotham worries me, except that if he could only put it all together he could be a very good Number 8 indeed. Stephen Hoiles could be a dark horse. And that's it, the players that matter. There are seven other slots in the starting side that can be filled with whoever. And then, the whole team has to gel, and that is the really hard thing. Can this team meld into a group that truly believe they can beat anyone on the planet and are prepared to cop the pain entailed in getting there?
Tip
Guest
Daft, Daft I tell you. Next you will be saying Foley must play 10 - and we'll spend our whole game camped on our 5 metre line losing line outs