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Consistency key as Wallabies veteran eyes up World Cup

Adam Ashley-Cooper. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

He’s been the Wallabies ultimate backline utility, but in the autumn of his rugby career Adam Ashley-Cooper is relishing an extended run in one position.

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By the time he’d played the eighth of his 117-tests, Ashley-Cooper had already started at fullback, both centre positions and on the wing.

Back playing Super Rugby in Australia for the first time since 2015, the 35-year-old has enjoyed the rare luxury of playing in just one role this year.

While rotations have caused numerous changes in the Waratahs’ backline, all six of Ashley-Cooper’s starts have been at outside centre.

“It is a blessing being able to put in performances back-to-back in the same position,” Ashley-Cooper said.

“You’re able to grow and develop your game in that one position and really focus on the improvement areas and your strengths.

“Towards the end of my career I’ve really enjoyed 13 because it’s probably where I feel most valuable.”

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Ashley-Cooper returned from overseas to rejoin the Waratahs this season, with a goal of playing at a fourth World Cup.

“I’m focusing on the role here because I know if I perform well here that (World Cup selection) will take care of itself,” he said.

Ashley-Cooper aims to make more progress when the Waratahs hope to back-up their win over Australian conference leaders Melbourne when they play the Sharks in their first game at western Sydney’s new Bankwest Stadium on Saturday.

“For us its about stopping their momentum, they are a gain line focused team,” Ashley-Cooper said.

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“They are a team full of big athletes, big bodies and a lot of attacking threats particularly in that back three, so defensively we’ve got a huge job.”

Only once this season have the Tahs won back-to-back with their inconsistency underlined by losing at home to the Sunwolves a week after toppling the competition benchmark Crusaders.

“This week has been about us wanting to go out there and put in a performance off the back of a good performance,” Ashley-Cooper said.

“We’re looking to build that consistency because we’re at a pretty important time in the season.”

AAP

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Nickers 33 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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