Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia says a week of rest will do the Wallabies’ hard-working stars a world of good, as they prepare for a massive Test against Ireland.
Israel Folau, Michael Hooper, Dane Haylett-Petty and Sekope Kepu were among those rested from the 23 on Saturday, as the Wallabies introduced 10 different faces into their starting side against France.
Genia was one of five retained in the starting team for the Stade de France clash but said a lighter week would be beneficial for the group.
Hooper and Folau have played almost every moment of the 2016 Test season and Genia said they deserved a break, though it might not have made the news easy to take.
“I think it’s just about managing workloads,” he said.
“The guys obviously who didn’t play have played a lot of minutes - I mean you look at someone like Hoops and Izzy, they’ve pretty much played every minute of every game.
“You manage guys’ loads in terms of training, you can pull blokes in and out and obviously in terms of games ,they obviously thought this was the right time to do it. - Will Genia
Genia was quick to praise the players who were injected into the side for the match, with players like Kyle Godwin and Luke Morahan among the best in the clash.
“You’ve got to give credit to the guys who stepped into play,” he said.
“Guys who didn’t play, they’ll be raring for the opportunity next week but the guys who stepped up and played, there’s a lot of talk about not being front liners and things like that but they stepped up and played really well against a really good team.”
Genia said he had been rested in the past and it's
“I don’t really know. I have (been rested), but you just roll with it,” he said.
“If you get told you’re not playing, it’s still disappointing, regardless of the fact you’re just getting rested because you want to get out there but you take it as it comes and you make the most of it in terms of doing the things you need to get your body right for the following week.
“The guys didn’t do too much, they stayed off their legs and guys like Hoops and Izzy and those guys, they don’t need to do too much because of the amount of footy they’ve played throughout the year.
“So, it was good for them.”
There’ll be no talk of resting players this weekend against an Ireland side that beat the All Blacks in Chicago and went agonisingly close to another win in Dublin overnight.
