Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper reckons booking a genuine Bledisloe Cup warm-up game could help rid the team of future rustiness.
Despite a gruelling four-week pre-Rugby Championship training program designed to whip them into shape, most Australian players went into last weekend’s first Test against New Zealand sorely lacking in match fitness.
Save for those contracted to the Brumbies, the squad hadn’t played competitive rugby since mid-July — and it showed in the 54-34 defeat.
In contrast, the All Blacks were hardened for battle by the recent British and Irish Lions series — as well as having four franchises involved in the Super Rugby finals.
They also stage an annual ‘Game of Three Halves’ warm-up fixture against local sides Taranaki and Counties.
Hooper believes the Wallabies should consider doing the same, provided a strong enough opposition — like an Australian Barbarians outfit — can be arranged.
“It definitely has some merit. I don’t think an in-house game is the way forward,” Hooper said.
“If you are practising and using calls, there’s no point playing a game where the other team knows them too.
“But against another team?
“We did it back in 2013 against a club on the Sunshine Coast and it wasn’t productive at all because we were too dominant.
“If you could find an Aussie BaaBaas or something like that, then there might be some good merit in an idea like that.
“Obviously there is the risk of injury to consider as well.”
The Wallabies had a similar problem during last year’s Bledisloe series, blowing out the cobwebs with a similarly poor performance in their opener before improving markedly in their next match.
Hooper said there was nothing wrong with Australia’s preparation but admitted being even five per cent off against New Zealand is a recipe for disaster.
“Certainly in the thinking of doing the same thing and expecting a different result, maybe we could look at something different,” Hooper said.
“I wouldn’t have changed the prep. I was happy with the prep and the senior players and coaches were, so we went into that game well prepared.”
The Wallabies will name their team on Thursday for the second Test against the All Blacks in Dunedin.
Adsa
Guest
Oz Baa Baas side to play WallyB's. 1. Toby Smith 2. James Hanson 3. S. Talakai 4. C. Neville 5. B Enever 6. R.H.P 7. C Alcock 8. Higginbothan 9. Stirzacker 10. QC 11. Luke Morahan 12. D Paella 13. Tom English 14. Chance Peni 15. James Dargaville No current WallyB's squad members I think. That would be an interesting warm up match.
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
Really only read this article for the jokes! Not bad !
Tommy
Guest
Plus ad all the kiwi boys in the Australia baa baas that play for an Australia side' that would warm them up. Can't see n.z letting mite 10 cup sides play oz no way. But straight up I believe the real answer is". Australia don't have the talent end of story it's the same guys getting beaten by the same men. Australia are talented in there own way but the opposition (abs) are more talented Australia lose talent to other codes. please look after grass roots
Waxhead
Guest
Hooper's standard BS to the media is ............ "But we trained really well midweek and the effort from the boys was excellent. There's a few positives to take out of the game. Everything's going well - no need to change anything"
Scrumma
Guest
that was like over a month ago durr ?
ThisHasToEnd
Guest
Nah, don't want a team that we might lose to.
Gray-Hand
Guest
Given that the Reds only have a single player in the Wallabies, organising a game probably wouldn't be a problem.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Well the way they are playing, I don't think they have to worry about being too dominant anymore... Honestly, they are a joke to have a 4 week camp and not have a serious hit out once.
Isupport2teamstheAB'sandanyoneplayingAustralia
Guest
The Wallaroos would be the best choice...
Isupport2teamstheAB'sandanyoneplayingAustralia
Guest
Fair call... considering how well the Wobblies are going, what a great captain Lazyeye has been.
Sage
Guest
But they did play some warm up games as the Prawn points out? Scrumma, I believe in context it's spelt "AIGBlacks brothers", brother
Tooly
Roar Rookie
I've been advocating this for years . The Force would give these pretenders a good hard work out . Add Fardy , Carter , Cooper , George Smith , Stirzacher , Enever and Tom Banks if needed .
Scrumma
Guest
Allblacks brothers have been doing this for the last 6-years playing against our NPC teams, it's a no brainer to not go into a competition without playing a fixture. If the wanabies want a quality hit out then play two of our provincial Mitre 10 NPC cup sides like our brothers do over 2 half of 50 minutes hit outs ?.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
warm-up, not warm.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Hang on. Didn't the Wallabies play Fiji, Scotland & Italy recently? If they weren't enough of a warm then I'm not sure playing against an Australian Barbarians team would offer anything more in preparation for playing the All Blacks.
M.O.C.
Roar Guru
Mum always said that honesty is the best policy - sorry if that seems nasty.
Lano
Guest
Yes, son, nothing like a good warm up as a substitute for a Test.
Bakkies
Guest
Bit late for Beale
FunBus
Roar Rookie
This is nonsense. The excuse when they lost 3-0 to England was that the poms were, apparently, a honed machine coming off the 6 Nations. This despite the fact the last 6 Nations game was 3 months before the first test, and Jones had virtually no time with the squad since. Now we're supposed to believe that having the June test series finishing only about 6 weeks or so before last Saturday and Cheika having the squad together for virtually a month is poor preparation. Most international coaches would dream of that and usually only get near it just before the World Cup.
PiratesRugby
Guest
I hope someone at ARU reads your post MH01.