- Title: Wallabies to try out newcomers against France
- Date: 18th November 2016
- Summary: SAINT DENIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 18, 2016) (REUTERS) WALLABIES RUGBY TEAM WALKING OUT ONTO STADE DE FRANCE PITCH WALLABIES FORWARD, STEPHEN MOORE, WALKING ONTO PITCH, TEAMMATES FOLLOWING WALLABIES PREPARING FOR TEAM PHOTO VARIOUS OF WALLABIES POSING FOR PHOTO VARIOUS OF WALLABIES COACH, MICHAEL CHEIKA, AT NEWS BRIEFING WITH CAPTAIN, DAVID POCOCK CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALLABIES COACH, MICHAEL CHEIKA, SAYING: "I think the conditions look good. So we've got a bit of versatility with the pack around scrummaging locks etc. So, sometimes that makes some decisions for us around how we go with the bench. I think the conditions are looking good and I think a bit of balance. We've also got a few newcomers out wide, so you know it will be a big game for them to ask them all to go 80 minutes. So we'll see how it pans out, but I think that was the logical... we like going 6:2 a lot, to give us a bit more firepower in the engine room but we thought this one had better balance for this game." NEWS BRIEFING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALLABIES COACH, MICHAEL CHEIKA, SAYING: "They've got big, tall players in the back right. We're probably not as tall in that area, so we've got to make sure we've got a good ground game - like our game on the ground is solid, staying on our feet, using our legs, just being really solid in that area. I think also defensively we've got to be better than we were last week. Against Scotland, I don't think we were focused enough on our defence early in the match and we let in a couple of soft tries instead of being a lot more rigorous at the tackle contest." SIGN READING (French): "FRANCE, AUSTRALIA, 19 NOVEMBER 2016" NEWS BRIEFING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALLABIES CAPTAIN, DAVID POCOCK, SAYING: "It's been a really good week of preparation. We talked at the start of the tour and our focus has really just been on the next week and what we can do, and obviously a bunch of new players get an opportunity this week. And that's really exciting because we've got depth through our squad, and something that we've been working hard on is getting everyone up to speed and having a lot of competition at training. So, to see guys get opportunities as a player is exciting and to play here, it's one of the great grounds to play at, incredibly loud, unique atmosphere. So definitely a special night." TEAM WALKING UP PITCH IN TRAINING SESSION TEAM DOING SQUAT EXERCISES, WITH SCRUM HALF, WILL GENIA, IN FRONT GENIA RUNNING WITH BALL MOORE STRETCHING AND RUNNING SIDEWAYS WITH TEAM TEAM TRAINING WITH RESISTANCE BANDS POCOCK RUNNING TO CATCH BALL AND PASSING TEAM TRAINING IN STADIUM MOORE RUNNING, CATCHING BALL AND PASSING VARIOUS OF WALLABIES PLAYER, SCOTT FARDY, TRAINING TEAM TRAINING CHEIKA DURING TRAINING SESSION VARIOUS OF TEAM TRAINING IN STADIUM
- Embargoed: 3rd December 2016 13:29
- Keywords: Rugby union Australia France Stade de France Wallabies Michael Cheika
- Location: SAINT DENIS, FRANCE
- City: SAINT DENIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00158Z2BZZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika will try out a few newcomers in the team's Rugby Union match against France on Saturday (November 19).
Les Bleus will challenge the Australian visitors at the Stade de France on the outskirts of Paris after the Wallabies' last two defeats there in 2012 and 2014.
Cheika finalised his bench for the test against France, with Taqele Naiyaravoro to wear the 23 jersey in what will be his third test, while number eight Lopeti Timani has been dropped from the squad.
"I think the conditions look good. So we've got a bit of versatility with the pack around scrummaging locks etc. So, sometimes that makes some decisions for us around how we go with the bench. I think the conditions are looking good and I think a bit of balance. We've also got a few newcomers out wide, so you know it will be a big game for them to ask them them all to go 80 minutes. So we'll see how it pans out, but I think that was the logical... we like going 6:2 a lot, to give us a bit more firepower in the engine room but we thought this one had better balance for this game," Cheika told a news conference on Friday (November 18).
Dean Mumm will provide the backrow cover off the bench and Stephen Moore, who is usually the team's captain, will wear the unfamiliar number 16 jersey in what is set to be his 115th Test.
The Wallabies kicked off the tour with an emphatic 32-8 win over Wales in Cardiff, but their most recent match against Scotland was agonisingly close, snatching a last-gasp victory, beating them 23-22.
In Saturday's test, France will have big, tall players in the back right, Cheika said, adding that his side need to make sure they had a "good ground game".
"Like our game on the ground is solid, staying on our feet, using our legs, just being really solid in that area. I think also defensively we've got to be better than we were last week. Against Scotland, I don't think we were focused enough on our defence early in the match and we let in a couple of soft tries instead of being a lot more rigorous at the tackle contest," he told reporters.
Wallabies captain David Pocock said the opportunity to try out new players was "exciting" and that the team had had a good week of preparation.
"And that's really exciting because we've got depth through our squad, and something that we've been working hard on is getting everyone p to speed and having a lot of competition at training. So, to see guys get opportunities as a player is exciting and to play here, it's one of the great grounds to play at, incredibly loud, unique atmosphere. So definitely a special night," he told the news briefing.
Australia will go on to play Ireland and England after their France game. The last year they won all their European tour matches was back in 1984. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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