Excitement is building as kickoff for the 2017 Rugby Championship is just a few days away. Fox Sports Australia have released this epic preview video ahead of this weekend’s Bledisloe opener between the Wallabies and All Blacks in Sydney.
It’s a safe bet that very few pundits and fans are giving the Wallabies a fair chance.
When you combine their Bledisloe drought with their lack of a single Super Rugby victory over their New Zealand counterparts, it may very well be time to call in a favour from Al Pacino’s ‘Coach Tony D’Amato’.
Still, the current squad is more than optimistic when discussing their ability to beat the All Blacks. The Wallabies are very keen to implement some of the lessons brought by the British and Irish Lions in their recent Test series.
Speaking to Fox Sports, winger Dane Haylett-Petty said: “The Lions definitely showed that the key to beating the All Blacks is putting them under pressure, whether it’s in defence or in attack.
“We’ve learned some lessons from last year and that’s what we plan to do, no matter what part of the game it is, we’re going to look to put them under a lot of pressure.”
Steve Hansen and co. will certainly not have spent their time idly as the taste of a drawn series with the Lions is sure to still be fresh in their minds.
Recent records aside, Australia have plenty to play for. Both their Super Rugby showing and the ARU’s recent axing of the Western Force have provided ample motivation, with the latter emerging as a strong rallying cry, and they will no doubt come out with plenty of fire for the occasion.
The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup kicks off in Sydney this coming Saturday, August 19th.
Credit: Fox Sports Australia/Getty Images
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