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Allan Alaalatoa looks ahead to ‘huge honour’ of captaining Wallabies again
By Finn Morton
Allan Alaalatoa has described the opportunity to captain Australia in Sydney as “a huge honour” after the tighthead prop was named as the man to lead a new-look Wallabies into battle on Saturday afternoon at Allianz Stadium.
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Alaalatoa, who was born and raised in the capital of New South Wales, will start with the figurative armband on for the third time when the Wallabies host Georgia in an intriguing battle between two physical sides.
Coach Joe Schmidt has led the Aussies to two wins from as many starts and they’ll be desperate to keen that streak alive going into two Rugby Championship fixtures against the world champion Springboks next month.
The coaching group have made 10 changes to the starting side that defeated Warren Gatland’s Wales in Melbourne last weekend, which includes debutant Darby Lancaster on the left wing and an all-new tight five.
As well as taking up the leadership role, Alaalatoa will pack down alongside two-Test Wallaby Isaac Kailea and ACT Brumbies teammate Billy Pollard up front. It’s an important Test for the Australians and also a “special” moment to savour for Alaalatoa.
“It’s always a special feeling, for sure. It’s a huge honour to be able to captain your country,” the Wallabies skipper told reporters after Friday’s captain’s run at Allianz Stadium.
“We’re very fortunate to have a number of great leaders in the team. We’ve got a lot of captains who are part of their Super Rugby club.
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“We’ve got some quality experience.
“I think for us, it’s never been really who has the title but it’s just the importance of the whole leadership group and how we lead the whole team as a whole.
“To have the armband on tomorrow, it’s a huge honour.”
Alaalatoa has captained the Wallabies in the past, and that experience will prove invaluable with the coaching staff rotating the strike in the leadership department for the third time in as many Tests.
With initial captain Liam Wright ruled out through injury, and last week’s skipper James Slipper also missing the Georgia Test after copping a whack on his shoulder, Alaalatoa will take up the role once again.
Before Australia’s clash with Italy in Florence way back in 2022, Alaalatoa was unveiled as the Wallabies’ 85th captain. The 30-year-old later led the team under Eddie Jones in a Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks at the world-famous MCG last year.
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“I think it’s just (about) learning from those games and how I led the whole week and things that I’ll probably try and redo. It’s all those learnings that you learn from, those past experiences,” Alaalatoa explained.
“We’re extremely grateful. We’ve got a wealth of knowledge in our coaching team with coaches that have been part of some world-class teams and been a part of some great leadership groups.
“For myself, to captaining again, I’m always trying to learn and to grow and always trying to pick the brains of someone like (Mike) Cron to see where not only where you can grow as a player but as a leader as well. He’s been massive.”
The Wallabies’ run of three Test wins in a row, dating back to last year’s Rugby World Cup win over Portugal, is now the longest active winning streak out of any men’s tier-one side.
Ireland got the better of South Africa last weekend which brought an end to the world champion’s run. Instead, it’s New Zealand and Scotland who sit in second with two wins on the bounce.
But the Wallabies aren’t focused on that at all.
“It’s not something that we talk about.
“I think the most important thing for us as players is if you are going to think about it then you understand why and it’s all about the things that you are doing throughout your preparations and putting on a good performance.
“That’s all we focus on is players is to prepare the best we can and to challenge each other throughout the week, and then give the boys the best opportunity to go out there and be their best selves tomorrow.”
