Rugby-Wallabies confident with return of leaders Valetini and Skelton, says captain
MELBOURNE (Reuters) -The return of Rob Valetini and Will Skelton has given the Wallabies a boost of confidence before their bid to win the second test against the British & Irish Lions in Melbourne on Saturday and square the series, captain Harry Wilson said.
Loose forward Valetini and lock Skelton will add weight and power to Australia's starting 15 after calf injuries forced the pair to miss the 27-19 defeat by the Lions in the Brisbane opener.
"You get a lot of confidence when you have two people with their experience and their presence coming to your side," Wilson told reporters at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
"It always does give you a lot of confidence and they're two real leaders in the group and having them back in such a big match is really exciting for us.
"I think Bobby loves playing for Australia, so he's missed two games this year, which he hasn't missed many over the last five or six years, so he's really excited," added Wilson of Melbourne native Valetini.
"He's had a really good week's prep, his body's looking good and I know he loves playing here in Melbourne, so he'll be fired up."
Despite the tight scoreline in Brisbane, Australia were well beaten by the Lions in the collisions while affording their ball-carriers too much time and space in the first hour, making the hosts' bench-led comeback too little, too late.
With wet weather expected, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has named six forwards on his bench, which Wilson said would give the starting pack freedom to go hard early.
"We want to impose ourselves physically," said Wilson.
"We want to back our skills and we just want to go out there and start fast, which (with) a 6-2 bench means another person gets to go off the field.
"So, more reason to go out there, start fast, throw your body around, knowing there's some quality bench players that come in and finish."
The third and final test in the series takes place in Sydney on August 2.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Injured Caslick writes off Australia's World Cup opener but hopes to face US
FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Rugby Sevens - Women - Pool C - Australia v China - Tokyo Stadium - Tokyo, Japan - July 29, 2021. Charlotte Caslick of Australia in action./File Photo SYDNEY (Reuters) -Injured former Olympic sevens champion Charlotte Caslick is confident she will play some women's Rugby World Cup in England even if she has already ruled out from taking the field in Australia's tournament opener against Samoa. Caslick, who was named sevens World Player of the Year in 2016, damaged her ankle against New Zealand last month and was still in a moonboot when she spoke to reporters in Sydney on Wednesday. Coach Jo Yapp included the 30-year-old in her World Cup squad on Monday, however, and Caslick said she was hoping to be ready to go against the United States in Australia's second Pool A game in York on August 30. "When it happened, I knew it would be touch and go, and the time frame's probably a little bit tighter than I would have hoped," the backline threat said. "It's a bit of a bummer but I guess it's all part of it. It's disappointing knowing that I probably won't be in the best shape of my career at this point, but I'm going to try and do everything I can to be as good as I can be." Yapp also selected Siokapesi Palu in her squad despite the Wallaroos captain struggling with a foot problem. Caslick said the two injured players had been supporting each other. "We're definitely in very similar positions at the moment," she said. "I feel for her too, she's had an amazing season and being captain of the team but we're kind of bouncing off each other every day in training and just praying for each other." The eighth-ranked Wallaroos concluded their preparations for the World Cup with a record 36-5 win over Wales last week and Caslick thought there was enough quality in the squad to fulfil Yapp's ambition of a spot in the quarter-finals. "I think obviously the game against Wales last Friday just proved how much improvement we've had in the last 12 months," Caslick said. "There's so many world class players in that side." Australia, whose best finish at the World Cup was a run to the semi-finals in 2010, complete their pool stage campaign against hot title favourites England in Brighton on September 6. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Neil Fullick)
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Soccer-Former South Korea coach Shin takes over at Ulsan HD
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - AFC Asian Cup - Round of 16 - Australia v Indonesia - Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - January 28, 2024 Indonesia coach Tae-Yong Shin REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari/File Photo (Reuters) -South Korean champions Ulsan HD have appointed former national team manager Shin Tae-yong as their coach, the K-League club said on Tuesday. The 54-year-old replaces Kim Pan-gon, who left Ulsan by mutual consent after the weekend's 3-2 loss to Suwon FC. Shin, who led South Korea at the 2018 World Cup and most recently worked as Indonesia coach, takes over with Ulsan seventh in the standings, 23 points adrift of leaders Jeonbuk Motors after 24 matches. Kim left after 13 months in the role having replaced Hong Myung-bo following his appointment as South Korea coach in July last year. Kim guided the club to the league title last season and was in charge during their involvement in the Club World Cup in the United States in June. Ulsan's first game under Shin, who last worked in the K-League in 2012 at Seongnam Ilhwa, is on Saturday against Jeju United. (Reporting by Michael Church, Editing by Ed Osmond)
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Rugby-Porecki makes surprise call to retire after breaking back into Wallabies
MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Australia hooker Dave Porecki has retired from professional rugby only weeks after reviving his test career. The New South Wales Waratah battled injuries in recent seasons but made his first Australia appearance under coach Joe Schmidt against Fiji last month after nearly two years out of the Wallabies. After suffering a concussion against Fiji and missing the first British & Irish Lions test in Brisbane, Porecki was recalled for the second clash in Melbourne before being sidelined for the third and final test in Sydney due to a cut heel at training. Capped 21 times for the Wallabies, Porecki said it was the right time to start a new chapter in his life. "Rugby has given me so much to be thankful for and has been such a massive part of my life for so long but it feels like the right time for me to turn the page," he said in a statement on Tuesday. "There's a lot of people who have supported me in my journey, and to them I'll be forever grateful. "I'm especially looking forward to spending more time with my wife Shani and kids Luca, Charlie and Billie. "I look forward to continuing to support the game away from the field in this next stage of my life." Porecki was part of Australia's 2023 World Cup squad and became the 88th Wallabies captain after injury to Will Skelton, leading the side in three of their four pool matches at the tournament. Schmidt praised Porecki as the "the ultimate professional and quiet achiever." "He doesn't say a lot, preferring to get on with the job and to lead by example, and he's done that really well for the time that I've known him," he said. (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Kim Coghill)
