Australia
No Wallabies bias towards Waratahs: Nathan Grey
October 28, 2014
New Wallabies coach Michael Cheika laughs during a press conference, ARU press conference, Sydney, October 22, 2013
Michael Cheika has no preconceptions, Nathan Grey says © Getty Images
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The Wallabies' new coaching team are not setting out to clone their New South Wales Waratahs outfit in order to replicate their success with the Super Rugby champions.

Title-winning Waratahs coach Michael Cheika and his assistant Nathan Grey are understandably keen to translate fundamental aspects of their success on to the international stage, but Grey denied they would be biased towards Waratahs methods or players.

"No chance," Grey said ahead of Australia's European tour opener against the Barbarians at Twickenham on Saturday. "When we're coming up and playing at this level, we're extracting the positives that all of the rugby franchises are doing in Australia. We're pulling things from the Brumbies, pulling things from the Reds, pulling strengths from what the Force and Rebels are doing. We're a collective representation of Australia so our game is going to reflect that."

Cheika and Grey will juggle their duties with the Wallabies and Waratahs after their national appointment, but the head coach retained incumbent forwards coach Andrew Blades and invited rival Super Rugby coaches on the end-of-year tour in order to promote unity among the franchises.

Nick Phipps is one of nine Waratahs players in the Wallabies squad but the half-back denied they would have any advantage regarding team selection. "You just have to look at when Ewen [McKenzie] came in last year and there was no favouritism shown to the Reds boys," Phipps said. "Cheiks is that kind of guy. He'll pick the best XV no matter who you are, whether that's no Tahs or one to 15."

The Wallabies are expected to embrace the attacking style executed to great effect by the Waratahs, with Grey hoping to complement it with a straight-forward defensive style centred on teamwork and work ethic.

"I have a very simple approach to the game," the former Test centre said. "To have that belief and connection amongst one another and a real positive mindset is three-quarters of the battle."

© AAP

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