Wallabies must do better: Genia
RUGBY: Will Genia believes Australia’s dismal Super Rugby form has not eaten away the Wallabies’ collective confidence but he says the team must urgently examine their attitudes or they’ll be in for a tough year.
Genia said “being honest with ourselves” on why the team lacked urgency in their loss to Scotland would be the major priority this week as the Wallabies move to Brisbane for a now-critical clash against Italy.
The Italian Test was seen as a June calendar filler when first announced but after losing to the Scots by five points in Sydney, the Wallabies must re-find form against the Azzurri or risk a repeat of last year’s disastrous start to the Rugby Championship. After losing a series to England, the Wallabies were then pumped by the All Blacks in Sydney. It sank their winter, on and off the field.
“It’s big,” Genia said. “We have to make sure we prepare well but more than anything perform well against Italy on Saturday so we can have some sort of confidence and momentum moving into what is going to be quite a tough Rugby Championship.”
Genia (pictured) stuck his hand up for giving away “14 points” with a bad pass that led to Scotland’s first try, and a charged-down kick that gave away the second.
But the major flaw in the Wallabies game, the halfback said, was a lack of urgency and passion that saw Australia beaten to the punch by Scotland, particularly at the breakdown.
“We were probably a yard off the pace at the back end in terms of our urgency and support of the ball carrier,” Genia said.