Australia braced for physical test
If Australia are to begin life under new coach Robbie Deans with a win then they will need to overcome the physical threat posed by Ireland's pack in Melbourne on Saturday.
If Australia are to begin life under new coach Robbie Deans with a win then they will need to overcome the physical threat posed by Ireland's pack in Melbourne on Saturday.
Ireland, who started their Test against New Zealand with seven of Munster's pack, will look to dominate their hosts up front.
Deans, who watched the All Blacks triumph over this Saturday's opponents in awful conditions, knows they will again rely heavily on the Munster pack.
“The conditions were pretty inhibiting. I was very impressed with the physicality of it and the Irish clearly have some big frames and they'll be looking to use them,” Deans told Fox Sports.
“One of our challenges will be stepping up to that level of intensity in game one.”
Deans will announce his side on Wednesday, saying reputations count for nothing.
“I'm not too concerned about what's happened in the past,” he said.
“Obviously we've considered Super rugby performances in gathering the group, but our focus now is entirely on what happens from now.
“You can see the form running in will guide the selection, but in terms of the contest itself, reputations count for nothing.”
George Smith says that he still has no idea whether he or arch-rival Phil Waugh will wear the number seven jersey.
“I would love to be starting on the weekend but it is up to the coaching staff in the selections so that is out of our control,” he said.
New Wallabies Assistant Coach Jim Williams has first-hand knowledge of the obstacles posed by the Munster-dominated pack, having recently finished working with the Irish club through their triumphant campaign.
“They have come off a very difficult season, the majority of those Munster boys,” Williams said.
“That certainly holds them in good stead about having combinations and a certain kind of hardness about them as well.
“They have a forward pack there that has good momentum coming into the national team and they will want to carry that over into the Test.”
Williams said that maybe in the past the quality had not been there.
“But with the likes of Paul O'Connell, Denis Leamy, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes and Marcus Horan, they are quality players coming off a great season,” he said.
Smith admitted he was wary about the make-up of the Irish pack and said the Munster players would take some confidence from the way they played in the Heineken Cup and their victory over Toulouse.
“They have that combination there and they are on a high,” he said.
“But come Saturday hopefully our combinations throughout training will work – and the way the boys have trained has been fantastic.”
Smith said historically the Irish had always been strong in the forwards and the Wallabies expected nothing different this weekend.
“I am assuming they will try and target the set-piece and be strong in that area,” he said.