The first Ashes Test kicks off in the shadows of intrigue after England’s captain’s run was cancelled amid claims of players turning up the aggression too far at training.
“We’ve had a couple of cut eyes from training - which is good,” coach Shaun Wane told marvelbet365.com.
“I like that, I like the fact we’ve had to wind it back down. I know my medical staff aren’t happy but I loved it, them all getting stuck into each other. They’re ready.”
Back-rower Matty Lees was one who suffered a cut and swollen eye at the start of the week and captain George Williams said: "I’ve worked under Waney for a long time and it’s the first time I’ve heard him tell a group to relax! Everyone wants to be in the Test team so training goes from zero to 100 pretty quick. It’s good. The intensity’s there but we’ve also got to be smart when we go out there.”
When Wane showed up to Wembley without his players on Friday, shunning the ‘familiarisation visit’ to which they are entitled, he said in a television interview that the brutal nature of the previous day’s training session was one reason he had given them the day off.
And that left some close to the Australian camp believing there might be some old school mind games at work in attempting to make the Kangaroos players wary of an old-style blood-and-thunder Test match.
“We’ve been physical too... we’re going to fly into each other,” countered Kangaroos forward Reuben Cotter after the green-and-golds had a run at the match venue following Wane’s visit - and met Jon Bon Jovi into the bargain.
“We’re anticipating a pretty aggressive (England) team.
“I guess it is a little bit of an advantage getting to know the surface but at the end of the day, it’s just a game of footy. It doesn’t matter where you play it.”
Australia coach Kevin Walters wasn’t biting on whether the talk of violent sessions and cut eyes was intended to send a message to the tourists, who have not won an opening Test at Wembley since 1963, unless you count 1997 when the visiting side was fielded by Super League.
“We know they’re going to be physical - and I’ve experienced that as a player, certainly, over the years,” Walters said.
“We haven’t had a Test match between the two nations for some time but they’re always physical. It’s a Test match. We expect that, to come here and have a very tough and physical game.
“Brad Clyde got cleaned up badly here, I think it was ’94. But the game’s moved on from those days. I’m sure it will be nice and tough out there tomorrow - but certainly within the rules.”
In other news, Wane predicted “the referee will play a little part” and Walters conceded the tourists would have to deal with the interpretations of Englishman Liam Moore following earlier indications they would seek consistency throughout the series on such matters as ruck speed.
“I think it will be a lot slower around that ruck - that’s what we’re sort of anticipating, although you shouldn’t anticipate anything too much,” Walters said.
“But if it’s anything like the English game is based on: yeah, a bit slower around the ruck and very much a defensive-orientated game which we’re prepared for and ready to execute.”
I'm representing him, and everyone that's gone before
Wane explained the decision to choose Mikey Lewis over Harry Smith in the halves and confirmed Leigh’s Owen Trout would make his debut, meaning Leeds’ Mikolaj Oledzki would likely drop out when the squad is trimmed from 19 to 17 before kick-off.
“I’m a big Harry Smith fan - I’ve always picked Harry,” Wane said.
“I think at the end of the season, Mikey’s form was better. His kicking game’s improved. Everything I’ve asked Mike to improve on over the last few years, he has done.
“I’m a man of my word and I’ve done what I said I would do.”
Further explaining the decision not to have a captain’s run - players were seen walking around the stadium precinct while their staff and the Australians visited the stadium - he said: “Minus one (the day before the match) is a day off. All the players have been here before, they’ve been here and played here.
“We’ve had a full-on week and I’ve learned a lot from the Samoan (World Cup game) where we got beat in the semi-final. We reflected hard on that defeat and hopefully we’ve got it right this time.”
Cotter, meanwhile, was relishing taking on North Queensland team-mate John Bateman.
“He’s been chirpy, he was chirpy coming into this series,” the Queensland star said.
“He’s actually gone quiet. He’s keen. I love the way he plays and I’m sure he’ll be ripping in tomorrow night trying to get into me.”
Match: England v Kangaroos
Round 1 -
home Team
England
away Team
Kangaroos
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
