The Wallabies’ simple response to suggestions British & Irish Lions tour should go to South Africa instead of Australia
Wallabies front-rower Allan Alaalatoa.
Senior Wallabies front-row Allan Alaalatoa insists the team is focused on internal matters after a tough week of backlash following a record 67-27 defeat to Argentina in the Rugby Championship.
Despite having led 20-3 at a point during the round four clash, the Wallabies were taken apart by a second-half Argentina blitz that saw the Australians succumb not only to the biggest defeat in their history but also the most points conceded in a single game.
Following the tough loss, former England scrum-half Ben Youngs said on his podcast For the Love of Rugby that the British & Irish Lions should consider touring South Africa again in 2025 rather than going on the scheduled trip to Australia.
Of course, these comments sparked mass debate with Andy Goode sharing similar thoughts while former All Black Israel Dagg hit back at Youngs over his comments.
External noise is always there
Alaalatoa was asked about the debate on Tuesday and the veteran claims the focus is on what the team is working on as there will always be outside noise.
“Everyone’s going to have their opinion and there’s always going to be that external noise,” Alaalatoa said.
“For us as leaders and as a group, we’ve got to focus internally on what’s important to us.
“We understand that those distractions are going to be there. People are going to say what they think of us.
“But, again, what’s important for us is what we believe ourselves and executing our plan throughout the week to then go out there and then perform and then change the external noise that’s happening.”
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Bledisloe battle
While the Wallabies have shown improvement in pockets during Joe Schmidt’s first Rugby Championship in charge of the team, they still sit at the foot of the table with one win from four. Things do not get easier as Australia will face the All Blacks next in the first Bledisloe Test.
Alaalatoa is expecting a tough battle but feels the squad has the advantage of having faced up to the All Blacks players in Super Rugby Pacific.
“The boys know that the All Blacks are a tough outfit, as we all know,” he said.
“But a lot of our players here have played a lot of the individuals in Super Rugby, which I think is good for us.
“Our focus is on ourselves. We understand the threats that they’re going to bring, but we want to pour all our attention into us delivering our system over and over again as much as we can because as delivering that for 40 isn’t good enough.
“You’ve got to be doing that for 80.”