Wallabies expect power to prevail

RUNNING rugby is out the window for the Wallabies and England series, but slow and stop-start games will give the ideal preparation for next year’s World Cup.

While it may frustrate the casual rugby viewer, the threeTest series starting this Saturday in Perth will provide a glimpse of how the Wallabies can handle the various pressures of today’s game.

In 2015, the All Blacks showed how to win the Webb Ellis Trophy by attacking.

Since then, the best performances in the biggest games have come from teams out-powering, rather than outrunning, their opponents.

That won’t t change over r the next 15 months. The team with the best set-piece, defence and goal- kicking g will win the 2023 World Cup in France.

“It’s funny, rugby, it tends to go in trends a bit,” said Wallabies prop James Slipper (pictured), who debuted against England in 2010, when the Wallabies scrum was demolished but the team still prevailed 27-17.

“The game back then just looked so different. The game we see now is more of a big power game, big kicking game, big set-piece game.

“So there’s definitely been a lot of change in the game, but it’s been a hell of a ride and I’m looking forward to this series.

“I probably prefer the game a bit more ball in play.

“The lads are getting pretty big these days, it’s a big power game at the moment.

“Rugby is one of those games, defences are so good now and back in the day defence was optional, it felt like.

“It’s a game of chess, and it’s a game of pressure. The team that handles pressure best will most likely win.”