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Etihad scrubs up well
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Rocky Elsom insists he has played on far worse surfaces than the controversial Etihad Stadium, after the Wallabies completed their captain's run without a hitch ahead of Saturdays' blockbuster clash against the All Blacks. |
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Sportal.co.nz
Rocky Elsom insists he has played on far worse surfaces than the controversial Etihad Stadium, after the Wallabies completed their captain's run without a hitch ahead of Saturdays' blockbuster clash against the All Blacks.
Not one Wallaby lost his footing throughout the hour-long session which included a fast-paced game of touch football and some semi-opposed ball work.
With most of the 22-man squad donning long metal studs, players had no problems changing direction at top pace in a major relief for organisers and the near sell-out crowd expected for the Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations fixture.
Asked for his assessment of the ground, which is often referred to as an ice rink in AFL circles, the Melbourne-born Elsom declared the ground is in far better condition than the revered Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
"It looks a little better than Millennium Stadium normally does," he said on Friday.
"When we get there it's November so it's pretty much just mud painted green sometimes so it's a fair bit better out there at Etihad."
All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw added: "I think it's been a lot of talk about not much. It's obviously not the best I've played on but it's going to be fine ... I think it'll be as good as gold."
"I've played in mud up to the ankles before so you just get on with and we're not too worried."
Meanwhile, Elsom is adamant the Wallabies' seven-match losing streak against the All Blacks has not been discussed in the lead-up, but the captain admits Saturday's game will provide a true indication of where his young side stands.
"It's certainly not something that we're thinking about going into the match," he said of the Wallabies' poor recent record against the Kiwis.
"Obviously every Test match is exactly that, a test, and we're really focused on getting up in this one."
He added when asked if he genuinely believes the Wallabies can win.
"I think we're very well equipped. I guess just how well we'll know after the game. That's probably the good thing about it we'll know exactly where we are after the game."
"I think they're just the benchmark at the moment. You saw the first two (Tri Nations) Tests that's probably as good as I've seen them play in that first (Springboks) Test (in Auckland) so they're obviously the mark as far as world rugby's concerned."
Fired-up Wallabies coach Robbie Deans made no secret of his affection for the Bledisloe Cup and says the battle at the breakdown will go a long way to deciding the outcome.
"It's the ultimate contest, it's the history, it's the meaning essentially," Deans said.
"Meaning in life is great, we're privileged to be involved. We're privileged to do what we do and have this opportunity."
"(One) area where they've profited in recent times is the breakdown, which they've flooded and got the benefit of that at times, so I imagine they'll look to do that if presented with the opportunity again as well."
Elsom, who dominated the breakdown in concert with openside flanker David Pocock against the Springboks in Brisbane, added: "We managed to control the breakdown reasonably well (against the Springboks), we recycled our own ball and (we're aware of) the threat at the breakdown."
"If nothing else having a lot of bodies there to deal with their efforts to slow down our attack. And if that happens we'll need to adjust and read that as the game goes on."
"We just want to keep our own ball and keep it moving so to get what we need there we've got to be able to stop their influence at the breakdown."
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