The Wallabies are pledging to play traditional running rugby in pursuit of a Bledisloe Cup boilover against the All Blacks tomorrow night.
New Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper. Photo: Photosport
Raging underdogs, the Australians believe the only way to end a five-Test losing run against the world champions is attacking the All Blacks and starving them of possession at ANZ Stadium.
Deploying an electric 10-12-15 combination of NSW Waratahs trio Bernard Foley, Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau for the first time, coach Michael Cheika has handed his side a licence to thrill.
"The boys have been itching to get out on the field," Wallabies skills coach Mick Byrne said after today's captain's run.
"The boys have been working hard, they want to back their fitness and we're going to play a running game.
"That's the way Cheik's been building up all his teams; is to run the ball and play hard.
"Our challenge is to hang on to it. If we're going to run the ball, hang on to it and back our skills because the quality of work these guys have done, I think you're going to see a pretty frenetic game tomorrow night."
To produce such high-octane rugby, Australia's new captain Michael Hooper is demanding Australia's bench "unwind the screws" as the All Blacks have proven masters of turning the screws when Test matches are on the line.
"They are really good at that 60-minute mark of just getting that continued pressure and knowing their roles well and that's their bench included," Hooper said.
"Our bench hasn't seen the enthusiasm in the last couple of games that we probably would have liked to have seen.
"So we've picked a really strong bench; Lopeti (Timani), Fu (Tatafu Polota- Nau), (Sekope) Kepu in the front row.
"Then Tevita (Kuridrani) to come on, some guys to really up the tempo, up the enthusiasm and some really nice skill set and experience on the bench to close out a game."
Current Wallabies crop free of baggage
Michael Hooper believes the high turnover of players in the Wallabies squad over the last two years means the current crop are untainted by a decade and a half of Bledisloe Cup failure.
The inclusion of former rugby league winger Curtis Rona for the Rugby Championship curtain-raiser against New Zealand means coach Michael Cheika has blooded 20 new players since Australia lost the 2015 World Cup final to the All Blacks.
Tomorrow's match doubles as the opener in the three-match Bledisloe Cup series and Hooper thinks the overhaul of the squad means the team can dare to dream of wresting back the trophy from New Zealand hands for the first time since 2002.
"This group hasn't been through 10 or 12 or however many years. This group has come together this year to do something," he told reporters at Olympic stadium today.
Victory in the Sydney opener looms as non-negotiable for the Wallabies, who travel to Dunedin next week for game two of the series having last won in New Zealand in 2001.
- AAP / Reuters