Cheika: Focus on Bledisloe
Forget the Rugby Championship, Michael Cheika’s Wallabies have their sights set fairly and squarely on the All Blacks.
Cheika named an extended 36-man train-on squad on Sunday before the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship opener in Sydney on August 18 and immediately instructed his hopefuls to prepare themselves mentally for Steve Hansen’s All Blacks.
It’s been 16 years since Australia last held trans-tasman bragging rights and victory at ANZ Stadium in 13 days looms as critical if the Wallabies are to regain the prized piece of silverware.
‘‘Just hard work and a real clear direction and alignment from our leaders to the rest of the players in our squad as to what we want to achieve,’’ Cheika said, when asked what he wanted from his squad during this week’s training camp in Cessnock.
‘‘Let’s look at game one first of all. Let’s not even think about about the Rugby Championship.
‘‘Just think about the first game and connect together, learn to trust each other more and be really aligned around what we believe so we can get our energy pointing in the right direction for game one.’’
Cheika named veteran hooker Tatafu Polota-nau and six uncapped rookies – including Melbourne Rebels teenager Jordan Petaia – in his squad that will be trimmed to 23 next Sunday.
Rested from the June series against Ireland after returning from a stint in the English Premiership, Polota-nau is back in the mix to earn an 83rd test cap.
The 33-year-old is among four hookers in the squad and fighting former NSW Waratahs teammate Tolu Latu, Queensland Reds’ incumbent Australian No 2 Brandon Paenga-amosa and Brumbies young gun Folau Faingaa for a Bledisloe berth.
Petaia lit up Leichhardt Oval on Friday night in a dazzling trial display to earn his way into the squad. The 18-year-old and Rebels centre Billy Meakes add cover to the midfield after injuries ruled out test regulars Tevita Kuridrani and Samu Kerevi.
Brumbies star Tom Banks, who shone at fullback in Friday’s trial, Faingaa and Rebels pair Jack Maddocks and Jermaine Ainsley are the others hoping to earn their maiden test caps.
Cheika said Wallabies captain Michael Hooper was expected to resume training after suffering a hamstring injury in the final test against Ireland that ruled the NSW Waratahs leader out of the Super Rugby finals.
Back-rower Pete Samu will also rejoin his Wallabies teammates this week after helping the Crusaders win a recordextending ninth Super Rugby title on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, Cheika admits he had one eye on the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the other looking even further ahead when he included teenage sensation Petaia in his train-on squad.
Petaia is likely to be cut when Cheika trims his squad. Already on record as saying he will finish up at the end of next year, Cheika is intent on building depth and leaving Australian rugby in safer hands through improved succession planning.
‘‘The one big thing with this team that we’ve assembled from a coaching point of view is we want to build some foundations for the future as well,’’ Cheika said.
‘‘That’s something we haven’t been good at over the past 10 or 12 years.’’