Genia geared for toughest ever test
Will Genia says the Wallabies face their greatest ever challenge in the British and Irish Lions in Saturday's opening Test at Suncorp Stadium.
Set to pull the strings for the Wallabies, Genia said he and his teammates are relishing the encounter in Brisbane and believes it will be unlike any they have ever experienced.
"It's unbelievable. To think you are playing the best of the best from four nations – it's tough enough playing England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales on their own," Genia told AAP.
"But to have the best of the best put together, it's going to be tough and it's going to be intense.”
And with the two sides set to go head-to-head for the first time in 12 years, Genia expects the physicality of the match will trump that of Australia’s clashes with arch rivals New Zealand.
"The All Blacks are a great team and they are incredibly difficult to play against. I've never experienced this, but all I can say is from what I've seen and a lot of what I've heard the passion, the intensity and the physicality is going to be greater than anything we've ever experienced before, so that's what we're preparing for," he said.
Genia warned of the threat of Welsh fullback and goal kicker Leigh Halfpenny, who he regards as a key player for the star-studded Lions.
"One thing we really have to be is hard on our discipline in defence. We've seen Halfpenny the last two times he's played he didn't miss a kick, and he's kicking them from everywhere," he said.
"I think points will be hard to come by and we have to limit their opportunities with penalties."
