Prop Tom Robertson believes the Wallabies have the depth necessary to fill the void left by James Slipper ahead of Sunday's (AEDT) clash with England.
Robertson and the Wallabies have headed on the Spring Tour without legendary prop Slipper for the first time in a considerable period after his retirement following the second Bledisloe Cup.
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Slipper and Robertson have faced off for the best part of a decade, with both props part of a rare breed capable of covering both sides of a Test scrum.
“The guys that have been underneath Slips for a few years, we've learned a lot and we’re our own players, but I think no one's going to be able to replace a guy like Slips,” Robertson told reporters.
"He's got 151 Tests for his country and almost 200 Super Rugby games so I think, if you're trying to be something that you're not, I don't think that's the way to go about it. We're all good at different attributes, so we're not trying to emulate Slips because we're just not like him.
It leaves Robertson and new Wallaby Aidan Ross to fill the sizeable shoes left by the all-time Wallabies cap leader.
"We've got different strengths and weaknesses in our own games. I feel that over the last 12 to 18 months we've really built depth in the front row, and we've got some guys that aren't in the squad that are really good props that could easily step into the Wallaby jerseys,” Robertson said.
“It's been really exciting to see, but also quite competitive to get that jersey each week and we’ll be doing our best to do ‘Slips’ proud back home.
“...I feel like Slips brought a lot but the guys that are coming in to replace him, they bring a lot as well and a guy like Aidan Ross he's got 100 caps for the Chiefs and has played a lot of games so he brings his own strengths as well. So, we're excited to see where that could take us.”
Robertson could find himself firmly in the firing line at Twickenham, with England opting to supersize their bench.
British & Irish Lions props Ellis Genge and Will Stuart have been named to finish the game alongside hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, who plays his 50th Test for England.
“I’d say England's front row and their forwards in general are one of the best packs, if not the best pack in the world,” Robertson remarked.
“The pack's been building quite well this year. After England, you saw in that series against Argentina, that went really well as a pack so we're going to have to be on this weekend.
“England's always had that traditional sort of style of rugby based around forward play so, we're going to be ready for that and looking forward to it.”
