Wallaby prop up for a pack battle

Wales and England have taken an unusual approached as they prepare for Australia and Argentina, respectively.

The United Kingdom rivals held a scrummaging session in Bristol, supervised by Welsh referee Nigel Owens, something Wallaby prop Sio thinks is a great phenomenon for Northern Hemisphere rugby.

"I think it’s fantastic – its just something different, " Wallaby prop Scott Sio said.

"I think at the end of the day if the Welsh team get a lot out of the concept,  it is awesome for them,"

"They've had a really strong system [in the Northern Hemisphere] for a while now and it's just them trying something new to see if it can improve their game.

"[The session] has helped us to see where their focus areas are and  we know we are in for a battle,"

Sio didn’t hesitate when asked whether a similar session might be investigated south of the equator, with the All Blacks.

"We would learn a lot but I don't think Cheik [Wallabies coach Michael Cheika] would allow it even if we weren’t playing them that weekend," he said.

Australia’s do face an injury-depleted Wales pack, however, underestimating the Welsh will only be a disadvantage for the visitors who want to open their Europe tour on a good note.

Last year, Wales was the first stop on a gruelling five-week Grand Slam Tour, that also included a Test in Paris.

This year, their UK trip includes Wales, Scotland and England  

Sio revealed that last year's hectic test schedule has provided a learning opportunity for the side.

And with loads of new faces in the squad, a win is not that far-fetched for the Southern hemisphere side. 

"Five weeks on the road last year was pretty tough and you saw it in the back end of the tour," he said.

"We've learnt from each game since then and have to continue building on that consistency.

"Each game you just have to assess your performance and obviously the goal is to win each game on the tour.

"Having said that, it is really tough to come here and win but with the right steps in place we will be ready for Wales," 

Source: @rugbycomau