Michael Cheika has warned more pain lies ahead for the Wallabies before a new style and structure begins to bear fruit.
Australia departed London for Cardiff on Sunday following a tour-opening 40-36 win over the Barbarians at Twickenham in Cheika’s first game as head coach.
After little more than a week in the role, Cheika admitted the patchy performance reflected a team in transition as he looks to make the Wallabies a more consistent outfit.
“We have to be clear that we’re going to change things and there’s going to be some pain, guaranteed,” Cheika said on Sunday.
“That’s just the way it is.
“But we feel that changes we’re making will give the team consistency at a good level and I think that’s what it’s lacked a little bit in the past.”
The title-winning NSW Waratahs mentor is trying to get the Wallabies to play a high-pressure defensive game and improve their transitional defence.
In attack, he wants to play a power game with his big forwards laying the foundation up the middle.
The only way the team will adapt, Cheika says, is through hard work and he has no plans to ease up on a brutal training regime that had his players feeling the pinch during the first week of camp.
“You could say in yesterday’s game it (the hard week at training) took a bit of a toll in the end,” Cheika said.
“But it’s about getting used to it.
“These guys are fit enough. We can get them fitter throughout this tour but I think a lot of it is more about triggering that mental part in them by doing it every day at training.”
Cheika admits the Barbarians match has caused some selection headaches for the Wales Test.
The coach plans to keep faith with the bulk of the side that fell by a point to the All Blacks in Ewen McKenzie’s last game in charge last month but is tossing up several changes.
Rookie backrower Sean McMahon and veteran Matt Hodgson boosted their prospects against the Barbarians while Cheika indicated former skipper James Horwill could be considered for a starting role in the second row as he also weighs up how to accommodate hulking lock Will Skelton and incumbents Sam Carter and Rob Simmons.
“I think that he (Horwill) best understood the new system of the forward pack,” Cheika said.
Cheika also nominated winger Rob Horne and returning halfback Will Genia as those who had possibly put their hand up for recalls.
The coach could hardly have hoped for a better opponent than Wales in his first Test in charge, with Australia heading into the match looking to extend a winning streak that spans nine Test matches and almost five years.
Getting the job done again this week would ensure the Wallabies take a significant mental advantage into next year’s World Cup, where the sides will face off in the group stage.
While getting his players up to speed with the new style is a priority for Cheika, he doesn’t want it to come at the expense of results against Wales, France, Ireland and England.
“If I can get the team understanding its identity and the way we want to play, I see the results coming as a consequence of that,” he said.
AUSTRALIA’S WINNING STREAK OVER WALES
November 30, 2013 – Australia 30 bt Wales 26 in Cardiff
December 1, 2012 – Australia 14 bt Wales 12 in Cardiff
June 23, 2012 – Australia 20 bt Wales 19 in Sydney
June 16, 2012 – Australia 25 bt Wales 23 in Melbourne
June 9, 2012 – Australia 27 bt Wales 19 in Brisbane
Dec 3, 2011 – Australia 24 bt Wales 18 in Cardiff
Oct 21, 2011 – Australia 21 bt Wales 18 in Auckland
Nov 6, 2010 – Australia 25 bt Wales 16 in Cardiff
Nov 28, 2009 – Australia 33 bt Wales 12 in Cardiff
Last Welsh win
Nov 29, 2008 – Wales 21 bt Australia 18 in Cardiff
