Wallabies can separate from Super Rugby results

Mon, May 15, 2017, 7:55 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
With the Avro June Test Series just around the corner Wallabies vice-captain Michael Hooper is getting excited by the prospect of donning the gold jersey once again. The Wallabies take on Fiji on the 10th of June before Scotland and Italy.

Michael Hooper says a dire start to the Super Rugby year will be ‘easy’ to put aside in the June Tests this season.

They won’t have much time to dwell on their Super Rugby fortunes with Australian teams playing until June 3 and the June Series kicking off just a week later in Melbourne against Fiji.

Hooper, whose Waratahs have had just three wins from 11 starts and sit third in the Australian conference, said the national side would be able to compartmentalise their domestic campaigns come June.

“The ability to separate those is something that the Wallabies have always been good at and something that the coaching staff will definitely look into,” he said.

"It's actually a lot easier than you think.

 

"You're coming in, a fresh environment, fresh faces, so there's a lot of enthusiasm to, not leave that stuff behind, but take what you've learned and take it in and pool it in together to go forward.

 

"That's the good thing about having all fresh faces, (there's) new people to bounce ideas off and a new challenge ahead."

The turnaround was an element the Wallabies struggled with last year, with a two-week camp leading into a blockbuster series against England, but Hooper said they had learned from that.

“(It was) really tough to take to lose at home,” he said.

“It is a huge advantage to have and it really hits the jersey and hits the playing group hard when you're not winning at home.

“(We need to), be on for those sessions you have because they're vital in getting that stuff right, particularly with a new team, and just being excited about it, coming in with new faces and faces that have played and gone hard against each other all year.”

Mick Byrne is pleased with the way the Wallabies are developing. Photo: Getty ImagesMichael Cheika and his Wallabies coaches, full-timers Mick Byrne and Mario Ledesma particularly, have been working to align the franchises with the national approach on and off the field and Hooper said that strategy would hopefully come to fruition.

“As far as that alignment with the coaches go, it doesn't `matter who the coach is, we've got that base under us, carrying that through into those June windows, into the short turnaround and into the Bledisloe, it's pretty crucial,” he said.

“Then we can start looking at game plan and spend more time on the tougher stuff to work out in the shorter time, rather than picking up on mini-skills and things like that .

“That's all done, parked and we can move on with the nitty gritty.”

The Wallabies take on Fiji, Scotland and Italy in their June Tests, all kicking off at 3pm AEST. Tickets on sale at ticketek.com.au/wallabies.

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