'Frustrated' Wallabies keep the faith
Despite three consecutive Rugby Championship defeats, Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia insists that the players still trust the gameplan.
New coach Ewen McKenzie has endured a nightmare start to his tenure with consecutive losses to the All Blacks followed up by a 38-12 hammering at the hands of the Springboks in Brisbane on Saturday.
McKenzie, who replaced Kiwi Robbie Deans after the series loss to the British and Irish Lions, has tried to implement a more expansive approach but it has not had the desired results with Australia scoring just three tries in his three Tests in charge thus far.
However, Genia, who stood in for injured skipper James Horwill against the Springboks, says that the team still fully believes in McKenzie's vision for a more attacking Wallabies side.
"We do have every trust in the coaches and each other and how we want to play.
"Whatever the gameplan is, whether it changes or whether it is the same we have just got to trust ourselves and continue to work with the approach that the coaches and the team want to take," he said.
The scrumhalf said that after conceding an early lead to the visitors, they were forced into a high-risk approach and ultimately paid the price.
"We were chasing the game and we tried to step up and go to another gear. That is the game was I think the whole 80 minutes, we were chasing right from the start.
"When you are chasing a game you are going to push passes, you are going to push yourself and it is either going to come off for you or it is going to come off for them off errors," he said.
McKenzie admitted that it is time to take a hard look at themselves, as they will need to turn things around against a competitive Pumas side in Perth on Saturday.
"I don't have any excuses in that area, the bottom line is that we made too many errors to be able to win, it's as simple as that.
"I can't keep saying that every week, in the end you have to take a look at why you are making the errors," he said.
The Wallabies coach said that chasing the game had made things difficult and added that the key for his side will be to make the most of their opportunities.
"In the end we have got skilful players, we have just got to handle pressure situation better. It would be nice to get in front on the scoreboard and see other teams chase.
"We turned the ball over at key moments, that was the frustrating part – we got in front of the goal-posts four times and then turned the ball over. You can't put pressure on the opposition if you can't convert those moments," he explained.
