Wallabies need to keep improving

Wed, Nov 4, 2015, 1:00 AM
AAP
by AAP

There will be plenty of anticipation about a Bledisloe reunion in 2016 but Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said his focus would be first on a blockbuster England series.

The English will tour Australia in the first three-Test series between the two sides, in June next year.

That series will be the next opportunity for the Wallabies to play a Test, with matches in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

While many eyes will be turned to the Bledisloe Cup later that year, Cheika said the England series would be his number one focus.

The recently-named World Rugby Coach of the Year has made improvement his mantra and he said that would not change going into 2016.

“The first thing is the England series because they’re going to come here with plenty to play for after what happened in the pool matches over there,” he said.

“The Cook Cup is something we want to get our hands on because I don’t think we’ve had it for a while.

Cheika said the Wallabies staff would endeavour to meet with the five Australian Super Rugby teams in the coming weeks to provide updates and give feedback on players.

"We'll try to get together over the next 10 days with all the state coaches as soon as we can," Cheika said.

"And let them ask the questions they need to ask, just to make sure they're clear on how all the lads went over there, and give them the chance to ask the questions they need so our five teams can get their campaigns underway in the best possible circumstances in February."

Wallabies captain Stephen Moore paid credit to his coach on Wednesday morning at Sydney Airport on his return from the World Cup.

“That (coach of the year) was just reward for him. He’s put a hell of a lot of time and effort in to turn things around," he said.

“The last 12 months the team’s come a long way and we've tried to show people what it means to represent our country and how proud we are to play for Australia.

"There's a lot of work to continue to be done.

“Our intention is to keep going from this.”

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