Super schedule squeeze

AUSTRALIA might well need the luck of the Irish to put a dent in the Six Nations champions in June’s opening test, with the Wallabies restricted to as little as two meaningful training sessions thanks to a nightmarish Super Rugby schedule.

The Wallabies host Ireland in Brisbane on Saturday, June 9, and would normally have the benefit of a full camp on the Sunshine Coast before embarking on the traditional test week schedule.

But with round 16 of the Super Rugby season running right up until the afternoon of June 3, the Wallabies won’t assemble in full until the Monday before the match, leaving them with precious little time to prepare.

Brumbies players will be in action from 4pm against the Sunwolves and could catch a late flight to Brisbane that night but, more realistically, would appear in camp on the Monday.

The Reds play the Waratahs in Brisbane on Saturday night, June 2, while the Rebels must travel back from Auckland after taking on the Blues that same day.

Wallabies assistant coach Stephen Larkham said that would leave the Wallabies with as little as two complete field sessions before they faced the Irish, who were undefeated in their Six Nations triumph.

‘‘We normally have a week of preparation before we get into the test week. All it means for us is we can’t do anything too different to what we finished with last year.

‘‘There’s less than one week to get everyone on the same page. We have to be very careful with what we bring into that first test match and things will evolve after that.

‘‘Realistically, we’ll have two good training sessions in us. But there could be some guys in the 23 that haven’t played test rugby before, so I think there will be plenty of excitement around that week.’’

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has utilised the pre-test camp to full effect in recent years, taking an expanded group to Caloundra, hammering them with fitness and field drills and,