The Wallabies have been using the famous 129-year-old home of cricket in WA to help them prepare to beat the All Blacks at the shiny new Optus Stadium across the Swan river.
Australia have been training at the WACA ground all week, just a short walk from their hotel in east Perth.
The incredible cricketing history of the ground hasn’t been lost on the Wallabies, with the old scoreboard still carrying the names of the WA Team of the Century; including Dennis Lillee, Rod Marsh, Geoff Marsh and Justin Langer.
But while the WACA is famous for being arguably the fastest and bounciest pitch in world cricket, it’s the oval dimension that saw the Wallabies choose to train there.
The Wallabies will play the All Blacks at the new Optus Stadium on Saturday night, which is an AFL and cricket venue that will have a rectangular rugby field marked in the middle for the Bledisloe Cup Test.
The sidelines are some 40 metres away from the fence on the sides.
It’s not an entirely foreign switch for players, with games played at the SCG in recent years, but adjusting to the different layout can trip up kickers in particular, who can kick out on the full without the usual eyelines of a nearby fence.
The Waratahs enjoyed the fact visiting teams at the SCG took a while to get their kicking games on target.
It’s understood the Wallabies chose to train at the WACA to ensure that spatial switch was a non-issue at Optus Stadium, and kickers have done extra sessions at the oval to fine-tune.
It’s a one percenter but given lethal All Blacks fullback Beauden Barrett has played all his career for the Hurricanes at the circular “Cake Tin” Westpac Stadium in Wellington, it’s a measure worth taking.
Wallabies winger Reece Hodge said this week that kickers had to re-calibrate when playing on cricket oval venues.
"It’s definitely something you have to keep in mind. We play at Westpac Stadium in Wellington and we get a few in the year and you have to adjust your focus,” Hodge said.
"One thing I was lucky with and I can’t remember who taught me, but early on in my career I was told when you are playing at oval stadiums, the touchlines feel a lot further away than they actually are.
"I think that space between the touchlines and the actual seating can kind of catch a few guys out in terms of kicking out on the full when you are going for territory.
"That would be one consideration I have always always kept in mind when you are trying to plug a corner or kick for territory; being able to adapt your eyeline.”
The Wallabies haven’t yet sought out local knowledge on Optus Stadium but Hodge, who is friends with several AFL players, said he may still tap up a few for tips.
“We’re lucky that we get free rein on captain’s run day to go out on the field and learn the nuances ... whether you are comfortable with certain boots, which patches of the grass are a bit different,” Hodge said.
