Wallabies foresee 'guessing game' with All Blacks before Bledisloe
RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT
VIDEO SHOWS: VIRTUAL NEWS CONFERENCE WITH AUSTRALIA ASSISTANT COACH, MATT TAYLOR, AUSTRALIA TRAINING SESSION
SHOWS: CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND (OCTOBER 8, 2020) (RUGBY AUSTRALIA - ACCESS ALL)
1. AUSTRALIA ASSISTANT COACH, MATT TAYLOR PUTTING ON HAT DURING TRAINING SESSION
2. TRAINING IN PROGRESS
3. TAYLOR PUTTING ON BIB AND TALKING TO HEAD COACH, DAVE RENNIE (BACK TO CAMERA)
4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIA ASSISTANT COACH, MATT TAYLOR, SAYING:
"Both sides are probably starting afresh in a certain way aren't they because I mean the coaching group at the All Blacks are new and they've got some young, exciting players coming through their ranks as well. So, it's probably... we're probably having a little bit of a guessing game between both squads in a sense. So, listen I think the main thing that we're focused on being a new coaching group environment is being embedding our structures and things like that. We don't know how the All Blacks are going to operate. So we've just been really focused on us. We'll have a little bit better idea when the team is selected but again a lot of our preparation is done by that (point). So, I think probably when we play them down the road we'll have a better understanding of how they operate. So, again the biggest focus has been on us and for us doing well and us doing well within our structures."
5. WHITE FLASH
6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIA ASSISTANT COACH, MATT TAYLOR, SAYING:
"There's been a lot of players here who have put their hands up in terms of selection. So, it's good that that's the case because whenever you select a squad you want guys putting their hand up and I certainly think that most of the squad have put themselves in a position to be selected and we've just got to work on the best team that we think has the ability to win this test match. So, there might be a few surprises in terms of what people think but probably not a surprise to us in terms of how they've operated and performed in the environment."
7. WHITE FLASH
8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIA ASSISTANT COACH, MATT TAYLOR, SAYING:
"We all know how potent the attacking ability of the All Blacks are. I think in terms of defence, defence is a couple of things; defence is about systems and understanding that defence is about mindset and attitude and workrate. So, listen for us to do well defensively against the All Blacks we're going to have to do everything quite well, aren't we. We've got to know our systems. We've put in a few new systems in place and we've tried to put those systems under pressure in this environment but the real test will be how well it's been embedded this weekend. So, but, apart of that is also mindset and workrate. So, all those type of things need to be at their best to do well offensively, Wayne (name of journalist asking the question)."
9. WHITE FLASH
10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIA ASSISTANT COACH, MATT TAYLOR, TALKING ABOUT THE TRAINING CAMP BUBBLE THEY SQUAD IS STAYING IN DUE TO COVID-19 REGULATIONS, SAYING:
"I think we've all been talking about what we're going to do when we get a little bit of a break. Listen, it would just be nice to get out and walk around. Certainly when we leave the complex here and get on the bus and we go straight to the ground and then we're back on the bus. Just even walking around in the neighbourhood we're in looks lovely. There's a few parks, a few golf courses, maybe the odd coffee shop. I mean, to be honest officially I don't know whether we get out Friday night or it's more Saturday and then we're on the way. To be honest I don't officially but if we manage to get Friday night it will be nice to have a coffee, a walk, just stretch our legs a bit and enjoy the area we're in in Christchurch because it looks like a lovely place where we're based in."
11. VARIOUS OF TAYLOR OVERSEEING TRAINING SESSION AND BLOWING WHISTLE, GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO PLAYERS
12. (MUTE) SLOW-MOTION OF AUSTRALIA CAPTAIN, MICHAEL HOOPER (CENTRE) DOING TRAINING DRILL WITH TWO TEAM MATES
13. (MUTE) SLOW-MOTION OF AUSTRALIA HEAD COACH, DAVE RENNIE TALKING TO PLAYERS
STORY: Wallabies assistant coach Matt Taylor was giving little away ahead of their first Bledisloe Cup clash with the All Blacks, except to say that nearly everything about the match on Sunday (October 11) was likely to be a mystery.
Both Australia and New Zealand have new coaching groups this year, with Dave Rennie taking over the Wallabies, while Ian Foster succeeded long-time All Blacks coach Steve Hanson, who had been involved with the team for 16 seasons.
The coaching teams have also had to wait an additional three months to finally put their plans into action, with their July tests cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Both sides are starting afresh in a certain way," Taylor told reporters from their biosecure facility in Christchurch on Thursday (October 8).
"The coaching group at the All Blacks are new. They've got some exciting young players coming through.
"We're probably both having a guessing game in terms of what the (other) squads might be doing."
Part of the guessing game for the Wallabies has been whether the All Blacks will start Richie Mo'unga or Beauden Barrett at flyhalf, with Taylor joining fellow assistant coach Scott Wisemantel in expecting Mo'unga to get the nod.
Both sides will be named on Friday (October 9), before the Australians fly to Wellington on Saturday (October 10) after being released from their managed isolation facility.
Taylor said the squad were looking forward to explore the local area in Christchurch if they were allowed to leave their training bubble before flying to Wellington.
The former Scotland assistant coach added there were no injury concerns among the 44-man squad and Australian fans might be surprised as to who gets named on Friday.
(Production: Tim Hart)
