Parling Prepared for Bledisloe Challenge

Mon, Sep 28, 2020, 7:47 AM
Rebels Media
by Rebels Media
Geoff Parling will bring a wealth of lineout knowledge to the Wallabies. ( Photo: Wallabies)
Geoff Parling will bring a wealth of lineout knowledge to the Wallabies. ( Photo: Wallabies)

Wallabies forward coach Geoff Parling says he’s honoured to have received the surprise call up from new head coach Dave Rennie, as Australia begins its final preparations for the opening Bledisloe Test, kicking off in Wellington next Sunday.

Parling’s remarkable ascension to international coaching duties comes after just two seasons as the Melbourne Rebels assistant coach, something the Englishman says he’s incredibly proud of.

“I got a call from Dave asking if I would be interested; I said yes I would be interested, and we went from there - It was a pretty simple conversation to be honest,” said Parling.

“It’s an honour, a great honour – I think any coach would say that at international level.

“At my first meeting here with the boys I said I was privileged to be stood in front of this group and I was looking forward to ripping in with them and seeing what they can do.”

Having won 29 Tests playing for England and being part of a successful British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia in 2013, Parling’s appointment will bring over three years worth of international playing experience to the new look Wallabies squad. 

An expert at the set-piece, Parling has been handed the important task at rectifying Australia's traditional lineout struggles of the past – a task made all the more daunting by the absence of World Cup locks Rory Arnold and Izack Rodda.

But as the thirty-six-year-old puts it, there’s no problem to fix because he’s implementing an entirely new lineout system altogether. 

“As far as I’m concerned there’s nothing to fix because it’s a fresh system – we just started."

“We’ve only been together for four days of actual training so far, so it’s just been about getting our basics and principles right.

“I’m implementing a new system that lads have got to get up to speed with and the expectation going into this week is that there will be a bit of pressure there to start executing and getting things right.

“Certainly, the group so far have been brilliant; very engaged and very impressed with a lot of guys there with a good mix of some experience and some youth.

“The whole group seems very hungry and keen to get stuck in.”

Parling has been joined in the touring squad by a large contingent of Melbourne Rebels, including emerging star Trevor Hosea.

Hosea will be looking to add to an already phenomenal opening season of professional footy by pushing himself into contention for a dream debut in the Bledisloe Cup.

Having kept a watchful eye over the twenty-year-old during Super Rugby AU, Parling expects the Harlequin product to seize the moment and grab it with both hands, should such an opportunity arise.

“He’s a good lad – certainly very proud of those boys that have worked hard and that I’ve been working with the past couple of years.”

“You never actually know until someone’s actually in there but everything I’ve seen so far with Trevor is yes.

“You think he made his Super debut this season; we brought him off the bench against the Reds and then he went around belting some people and whacking some people and doing really well.

“I think these guys absolutely love playing, so as long as you can give them a gradual intro, say 20 minutes off the bench, I certainly think he would be ready.

“I’d definitely love to see him get an opportunity here.”

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