Decider like a Cup rehearsal

WALLABIES skipper Michael Hooper says the sold-out series decider against Ireland at Allianz Stadium will be ideal practice for his team to not “fear failure” and ice a highpressure match ahead of the World Cup.

A fascinating series has arrived at an absorbing conclusion, where the winner will take away more than just a hard-earned piece of silverware.

With only 15 months until the 2019 World Cup kicking off, the victor will also pocket a generous scoop of confidence and momentum after downing another team in the world’s top five.

Or, contrastingly, a defeat and a series loss would be a setback for teams who know they have to win at least three massive games in a row in the World Cup finals next year to win the William Webb Ellis Cup.

Hooper has been part of a Waratahs team that won 10 on the trot to claim a Super Rugby title, and a Wallabies side who

fell one short of seven on the bounce in the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The Aussie skipper said the third Test against Ireland will be great practice for his side to learn how to soak up pressure and put their best football on the park.

“Just for confidence going into (the World Cup), knowing you can achieve at this level and when things are on the line, you play the way you want to play and you have guys who don’t fear failure,” Hooper said.

“Knowing you have guys who go out, want to put their best foot forward and do their best for the team and trust each other and the system that we’ve created here.

“That’s been a really good strong point for us this week, and I guess on the flip side Ire-

land will be thinking the exact same way and for us and the rest of the year, you win this and it sets you up nicely.”

Both teams have likened this week to a grand final or Cup final, and Ireland are arguably more recently hardened in that space, with Leinster having won the European Cup this year.

But there are eight survivors from the 2015 World Cup final in the Wallabies’ starting team, and another on the bench, so they have a good level of familiarity too, said No.10 Bernard Foley.

“You come into these sudden death matches where you have to win or the comp is over (at a World Cup), so it is good practice,” Foley said.

“We want to get into a habit of winning these games and prepare like we are going to win them.”

The Wallabies say they’ve been energised by the excitement building around today’s decider at Allianz Stadium.

WE WANT TO GET INTO A HABIT OF WINNING THESE GAMES AND PREPARE LIKE WE ARE GOING TO WIN THEM BERNARD FOLEY