Ambitious Aussies aim for the top
Australian rugby boss John O’Neill has challenged the Wallabies to unseat the All Blacks at the top of the world rankings by the end of 2012.
The Tri-Nations champions currently occupy second position in the global rankings after a World Cup campaign that saw them knocked out by fierce rivals New Zealand in the semifinals and O’Neill has given the Wallabies one year to turn the tables on the world champions.
The Australian Rugby Union is currently undergoing their annual review, and O’Neill explained that the main focus was identifying how the national team could reach the top.
“We’re looking for ways to improve the playing group and, at the coaching level, our performance such that in 12 months’ time we’re No.1 in the world, not No.2,” O’Neill told AAP on Wednesday.
“We can implement whatever comes out of that in the new year. It’s very measured, it’s very balanced, it’s got substance, it’s got credibility and the leadership group of the Wallabies will be involved in terms of being interviewed,” he explained.
O’Neill believes that the input of senior Wallaby players will be vital to ensure that they do not repeat mistakes of the past and following due consideration of their views a sub-committee comprised of chairman Brett Robinson and former Wallabies Michael Hawker, John Eales and Mark Connors will make recommendations to the board on various matters by next February.
Wallabies skipper James Horwill admitted that the team’s hunger to displace the All Blacks at the top of the world rankings burns even stronger now following the disappointment of their World Cup campaign which saw them claim the Bronze medal.
“We didn’t do what we wanted to achieve over in New Zealand,” Horwill said. “For us to come back again, we start now and this is our next performance post the World Cup.
“This is our time to get to that No.1 world ranking and that’s our aim, and obviously building to get as much silverware as possible in every match that we’ve got coming up,” he added.
The big lock said that although it is a tough ask, he is confident that his side have what it takes to go past their Antipodean counterparts as long as they achieve more consistency – starting with the upcoming tour of the United Kingdom where they will face the Barbarians and Wales.
He commented: “It’s probably easier said than done, we are No.2 in the world at the moment, we want to be No.1. But to go that next step is probably the biggest step we’re going to have to take, so we’re identifying things we can improve in our game to be a better team.”
“That’s what we’re worried about now. It can be started by playing these two games on this tour,” said the Wallabies skipper.
