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Angus Bell was relieved to have survived his Test return, gutted with the result against Argentina and completely philosophical about the team mates who paid the price of Eddie Jones’ wrath for that second-straight defeat.
The prop has overcame a significant toe injury first suffered against England last year which then reoccurred during the Super Rugby season.
“Obviously I was pretty gutted with the result. It’s a bittersweet feeling,” explained Bell on Thursday.
“It’s been a while since I got a full game and saw out the time I was on the field. It’s been a long journey and I was very happy to get off in one piece. But yeah, it’s bittersweet. We wanted the result, we want to win as a team.”
Bell said there wasn’t much in the way of immediate feedback from Jones or his staff in the wake of the late loss to the Pumas in Sydney.
“We haven’t had much time for that,” he said. “We’ve been sent home, got some time off. And usually as a professional you reflect on that. [Jones] left it up to us to reflect and come back individually on where we need to improve and what we need to do better.”
Some big name members of the opening two Tests won’t be joining the squad for the Bledisloe Cup – with Jones wielding the axe on Tom Wright, Reece Hodge and Pete Samu.
Those brutal calls – espcially significant considering it’s a World Cup year – will have resonated with the survivors and impressed on them how crucial every moment is this year.
“You’re a professional sportsman. You get paid to get a job and if you don’t do the job you get left out,” was Bell’s matter of fact summary.
“Every week it’s week-to-week and if you have a bad performance against the All Blacks your position will be questioned. At the Wallabies level it’s do or die. If you don’t perform you don’t get picked.”
Bell says he’s ready to put his body on the line against the All Blacks, without fear for what might be.
“It’s all in the preparation. I got steered away from the Waratahs after I did my injury and had my second surgery. I was under the wing of Rugby Australia and the specialists here,” said Bell from the team camp on the Gold Coast.
“I travelled to Melbourne, travelled to Brisbane, was in Sydney doing rehab with Taniela [Tupou].
“They put a lot of time into us. Even though I’m not in the rehab group any more it’s a continuing process to make sure nothing like that every happens again and we keep getting our bodies stronger and stronger.
“I look at it as some people would die to be a Wallaby and some people work their whole lives to be a Wallaby and don’t get there. Every time you get to play for the Wallabies or represent your country it’s do or die.
“If I get injured in my next game and I’m doing my best for my country that’s all I can expect and all I can do and control. Whenever you play for the Wallabies you want to win and you would die for your country.”
In a way Jones has heaped pressure on his players by warning the All Blacks to “look out” when they face off in Melbourne next weekend in the first Bledisloe clash of 2023.
Angus Bell. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“You’ve always got to be confident in your ability,” said Bell. “We’re excited. The performances we’ve put forward haven’t been the best (but) we’re here to win a Bledisloe, here to win a World Cup – it’s exciting times. And we’re looking forward to putting a good performance out there.”
Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase is one player who is backs his talents and was the Australians’ stand out against Argentina.
He said Jones’ approach “gives me the confidence to do what I can to help the team. It doesn’t make me shy away or go into my shell. Last week he allowed me to do what I feel will help the team.”
There were two highlight moments for the Tahs winger – his tap and go and later the intercept try that put Australia into the lead with just minutes to play.
Mark Nawaqanitawase of the Wallabies is tackled during The Rugby Championship match between the Australia Wallabies and Argentina. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
Nawaqanitawase has made some physical shifts in the past 12 months, improving his benchmarks in the gym and it’s having an obvious impact in his game.
“I’m always in the gym, I don’t shy away from the gym,” he said. “Definitely physicality wise, I’m trying to bring it more to my game. Like Angus said, this is a performance-based sport and that’s one thing I needed to bring more of.”