Wallabies captain Stephen Moore has already started to tune out incessant references to Australia’s World Cup “Pool of Death”, saying the team was looking no further than first-round opponent Fiji once the whips start cracking in England.
The Australians have returned to train in the sweltering Indiana heat at the University of Notre Dame following their win over the USA Eagles at Chicago’s Soldier Field, a victory unlikely to take out any beauty pageants, but which crucially produced no signs of injury.
All focus now turns to their World Cup opener on September 23 against the Fijians at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, a match some people are viewing simply as an entree to the highly anticipated meeting with the English at Twickenham on October 3.
The Wallabies will also have to take on Wales as they try to emerge from what shapes as the most competitive group stage of the tournament.
Initially, the Australians looked as if they would battle to make it to the knockout stages.
But a strong Rugby Championship under coach Michael Cheika has them back up to No.2 in the world rankings, behind favourites and defending champion New Zealand.
Moore said that they have not thought beyond the Fiji game and they are preparing hard for it.
Source: stuff.co.nz
