Latest news with #Porecki
The Age
16 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
Why the Wallabies weren't shocked to see the Pumas maul Lions
With a host of potential Test starters not featuring in Dublin, it was difficult to gauge what style the Lions will attempt to play in Australia, or even identify clear strengths and weaknesses. But Porecki said an undermanned Pumas provided some insights into how to take on the Lions. 'What Argentina did well was they physically went to work, especially in the pack. And they took opportunities in turnover, and you can see that in some of the tries they scored,' Porecki said. 'It's amazing how simple rugby is sometimes. If you take advantage of opportunities and you are physical, it can put you in the right place.' Porecki was last week named in his first Wallabies squad since the 2023 World Cup, after missing most of last year with a chronic Achilles tendon injury, and then withdrawing from consideration for the spring tour due to the arrival of twins. The Waratahs hooker was even captain of the Wallabies for much of the World Cup, and one of the sadder sights in a grim campaign was the ashen-faced Porecki sitting next to Eddie Jones as the coach was grilled on Japanese job interviews and the crushing losses. As ever, Porecki maintained a cool demeanour while doing media duties on Sunday, but after a frustrating break, he said he can't wait to try to earn his Wallabies No.2 jersey back. 'Obviously last year was difficult for me, missing most of the year. But I worked pretty hard and credit to the medical teams for getting it all right,' Porecki said. 'I feel good and body feels in a good place now and ready to just rip in. 'A lot has happened since then (the World Cup). That's a few years ago now. It's a completely new group as well. So that's the most exciting thing for me. It's a different energy to the one the last time I was in.' Porecki said the Wallabies' improvements made under Joe Schmidt were clear to see from outside the squad. 'You always want to be part of it. So if you're missing out on it, it's tough to watch. But at the same time, you know performances are what get you there.' Meanwhile, RA chief executive Phil Waugh said announcements are imminent about players for the AUNZ fixture against the Lions in Adelaide on Juy 12. Michael Hooper and Richie Mo'unga have already ruled themselves out, leading to concerns about the absence of star power for the Adelaide Oval clash, which is not sold out. 'We'll be accelerating those announcements post the Super Rugby final, and once Joe gets a position around his selections for Fiji, and we also get a good line of sight as to obviously All black selections and who may be available.' Loading The All Blacks name their squad to play against France on Monday. Waugh said he was 'very, very conscious' of the need to get some buzz brewing for the AUNZ and First Nations/Pasifca games. 'They're daily conversations in our daily stand-ups to ensure that we've got the right momentum with the marketing,' Waugh said. 'They're going to be awesome celebrations of rugby and people want certainty as to who is going to play. And so we'll make sure both teams are high quality and very competitive.'
Sydney Morning Herald
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why the Wallabies weren't shocked to see the Pumas maul Lions
With a host of potential Test starters not featuring in Dublin, it was difficult to gauge what style the Lions will attempt to play in Australia, or even identify clear strengths and weaknesses. But Porecki said an undermanned Pumas provided some insights into how to take on the Lions. 'What Argentina did well was they physically went to work, especially in the pack. And they took opportunities in turnover, and you can see that in some of the tries they scored,' Porecki said. 'It's amazing how simple rugby is sometimes. If you take advantage of opportunities and you are physical, it can put you in the right place.' Porecki was last week named in his first Wallabies squad since the 2023 World Cup, after missing most of last year with a chronic Achilles tendon injury, and then withdrawing from consideration for the spring tour due to the arrival of twins. The Waratahs hooker was even captain of the Wallabies for much of the World Cup, and one of the sadder sights in a grim campaign was the ashen-faced Porecki sitting next to Eddie Jones as the coach was grilled on Japanese job interviews and the crushing losses. As ever, Porecki maintained a cool demeanour while doing media duties on Sunday, but after a frustrating break, he said he can't wait to try to earn his Wallabies No.2 jersey back. 'Obviously last year was difficult for me, missing most of the year. But I worked pretty hard and credit to the medical teams for getting it all right,' Porecki said. 'I feel good and body feels in a good place now and ready to just rip in. 'A lot has happened since then (the World Cup). That's a few years ago now. It's a completely new group as well. So that's the most exciting thing for me. It's a different energy to the one the last time I was in.' Porecki said the Wallabies' improvements made under Joe Schmidt were clear to see from outside the squad. 'You always want to be part of it. So if you're missing out on it, it's tough to watch. But at the same time, you know performances are what get you there.' Meanwhile, RA chief executive Phil Waugh said announcements are imminent about players for the AUNZ fixture against the Lions in Adelaide on Juy 12. Michael Hooper and Richie Mo'unga have already ruled themselves out, leading to concerns about the absence of star power for the Adelaide Oval clash, which is not sold out. 'We'll be accelerating those announcements post the Super Rugby final, and once Joe gets a position around his selections for Fiji, and we also get a good line of sight as to obviously All black selections and who may be available.' Loading The All Blacks name their squad to play against France on Monday. Waugh said he was 'very, very conscious' of the need to get some buzz brewing for the AUNZ and First Nations/Pasifca games. 'They're daily conversations in our daily stand-ups to ensure that we've got the right momentum with the marketing,' Waugh said. 'They're going to be awesome celebrations of rugby and people want certainty as to who is going to play. And so we'll make sure both teams are high quality and very competitive.'
The Advertiser
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Why returning Waratahs hooker won't look at Super table
Believing their season's not done yet, hooker David Porecki insists he won't be ladder watching as he fights to keep the NSW Waratahs' Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes flickering. A third straight defeat last Friday night looked to have extinguished the Waratahs' chances of sneaking into the playoffs. But a precious bonus point in the despairing 28-21 derby loss to the Queensland Reds actually improved the Waratahs' position to eighth on the table by the end of the weekend's round. Dan McKellar's side enter their last home game of the season against the Crusaders on Friday night with renewed hope but knowing it will surely be lights out for 2025 with another slip-up. Not that Porecki is getting distracted by the mathematical scenarios. "Maybe there's a few of us that think a bit differently about it, but I don't necessarily look at it at all," he said on Tuesday. "I'm going out there to win and you want to win well. So you want to win with a bonus point and the table will take care of itself." Having only returned last week from a nagging calf injury after a month out - he was also sidelined last year with an Achilles issue that led to him contemplating retirement - Porecki's bigger focus is merely staying on the park and trying to contribute to the Tahs' last push for a finals berth. "The medical team have done a great job in getting my calf back strong and, yeah, it was a shame obviously what happened with the result but it was good to finally run out," said the one-time Wallabies captain. "I was pretty close the week before but we just took a view that it was probably too risky so we held off and now I've just got to try and get a bit of match fitness back." A Wallabies recall for the showpiece three-Test series with the touring British and Irish Lions remains a goal but Porecki knows, realistically, he is well behind the eight-ball. "I'm only one week back so I'm taking a very, very short-term approach, and I want to put my best foot forward for this club so we can play finals," he said. "And then it's anyone's game in finals. "I'm always trying when I'm playing to put my best performance in and (hopefully) that's good enough to warrant selection. "But that Test level is based on performance so, if you're performing well and you're consistent throughout the year, then you put yourself in the window and you might get the tap on the shoulder." Believing their season's not done yet, hooker David Porecki insists he won't be ladder watching as he fights to keep the NSW Waratahs' Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes flickering. A third straight defeat last Friday night looked to have extinguished the Waratahs' chances of sneaking into the playoffs. But a precious bonus point in the despairing 28-21 derby loss to the Queensland Reds actually improved the Waratahs' position to eighth on the table by the end of the weekend's round. Dan McKellar's side enter their last home game of the season against the Crusaders on Friday night with renewed hope but knowing it will surely be lights out for 2025 with another slip-up. Not that Porecki is getting distracted by the mathematical scenarios. "Maybe there's a few of us that think a bit differently about it, but I don't necessarily look at it at all," he said on Tuesday. "I'm going out there to win and you want to win well. So you want to win with a bonus point and the table will take care of itself." Having only returned last week from a nagging calf injury after a month out - he was also sidelined last year with an Achilles issue that led to him contemplating retirement - Porecki's bigger focus is merely staying on the park and trying to contribute to the Tahs' last push for a finals berth. "The medical team have done a great job in getting my calf back strong and, yeah, it was a shame obviously what happened with the result but it was good to finally run out," said the one-time Wallabies captain. "I was pretty close the week before but we just took a view that it was probably too risky so we held off and now I've just got to try and get a bit of match fitness back." A Wallabies recall for the showpiece three-Test series with the touring British and Irish Lions remains a goal but Porecki knows, realistically, he is well behind the eight-ball. "I'm only one week back so I'm taking a very, very short-term approach, and I want to put my best foot forward for this club so we can play finals," he said. "And then it's anyone's game in finals. "I'm always trying when I'm playing to put my best performance in and (hopefully) that's good enough to warrant selection. "But that Test level is based on performance so, if you're performing well and you're consistent throughout the year, then you put yourself in the window and you might get the tap on the shoulder." Believing their season's not done yet, hooker David Porecki insists he won't be ladder watching as he fights to keep the NSW Waratahs' Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes flickering. A third straight defeat last Friday night looked to have extinguished the Waratahs' chances of sneaking into the playoffs. But a precious bonus point in the despairing 28-21 derby loss to the Queensland Reds actually improved the Waratahs' position to eighth on the table by the end of the weekend's round. Dan McKellar's side enter their last home game of the season against the Crusaders on Friday night with renewed hope but knowing it will surely be lights out for 2025 with another slip-up. Not that Porecki is getting distracted by the mathematical scenarios. "Maybe there's a few of us that think a bit differently about it, but I don't necessarily look at it at all," he said on Tuesday. "I'm going out there to win and you want to win well. So you want to win with a bonus point and the table will take care of itself." Having only returned last week from a nagging calf injury after a month out - he was also sidelined last year with an Achilles issue that led to him contemplating retirement - Porecki's bigger focus is merely staying on the park and trying to contribute to the Tahs' last push for a finals berth. "The medical team have done a great job in getting my calf back strong and, yeah, it was a shame obviously what happened with the result but it was good to finally run out," said the one-time Wallabies captain. "I was pretty close the week before but we just took a view that it was probably too risky so we held off and now I've just got to try and get a bit of match fitness back." A Wallabies recall for the showpiece three-Test series with the touring British and Irish Lions remains a goal but Porecki knows, realistically, he is well behind the eight-ball. "I'm only one week back so I'm taking a very, very short-term approach, and I want to put my best foot forward for this club so we can play finals," he said. "And then it's anyone's game in finals. "I'm always trying when I'm playing to put my best performance in and (hopefully) that's good enough to warrant selection. "But that Test level is based on performance so, if you're performing well and you're consistent throughout the year, then you put yourself in the window and you might get the tap on the shoulder."
Sydney Morning Herald
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Taniela Tupou bared his soul. Did he also get his mojo back?
'When he's on, he is one of the best tight head props in the world … and he's huge for the group. He creates energy for the group,' Porecki said. 'He's almost like a talisman for us. If he's on, what he creates for us as a team is gigantic. I feel like he's now finding a bit of rhythm. 'Scrummaging-wise, you know what he can bring as well. He's a confidence player. For him, putting out a really good performance on the weekend - apart from his yellow card, which I've been chipping [him] over - is good confidence for him as a player. That's what Australian rugby needs.' Porecki, who returned from a calf injury last weekend, isn't even sure Tupou was in a slump. He believes he suffers from extraordinarily high expectations. 'There's heightened expectations on world-class players like Nela, which can be detrimental at times,' Porecki said. 'If you look at the first half of the year and what he was producing scrum-wise and dominance there, a lot of big teams around the world would literally pay their tight end just to get them scrum penalties, you know? 'But it goes back to the expectations people have on Taniela, and how he also wants to be playing peak, peak footy all the time. 'It's big for him in his own admission to speak like that [in the Herald interview] and be open like that in a world that might see that negatively. But I also think it shows that he's confident in himself, and that he knows he'll find it. The weekend was a big step in the right direction for him.' The flipside to the joy around Tupou's try was the refusal of Kiwi referee James Doleman to reward the dominance of the NSW scrum just prior, and in several similar scrum contests over the last half-hour. Loading Doleman said he was unwilling to reward Tupou 'going up and across', and NSW were denied a similar penalty in the Reds quarter, as the siren sounded and needing a try to draw level. McKellar declined to comment post-game on the contentious calls of Doleman, saying whistleblowers are a 'protected species'. Schmidt said on Monday that Tupou was 'pretty unlucky on a couple of those scrums where he stayed down and through pretty well and didn't get reward.' Porecki also sidestepped questions about their review of Doleman's decisions. 'You've got to paint the pictures that the referee wants. They weren't the pictures that he wanted. So we probably just have to be better to be going, 'what do you need from us to get some pay here?',' Porecki said. 'For Nela, it's like the scene from The Incredible Hulk, or from The Avengers, when you just look at him and you go 'Hulk smash'. I'm just looking at him on the field going, OK mate, you need to go. 'If he keeps his shape, and keeps his connection with whoever's on the field, especially tight five, we all know he's pretty hard to stop.'
The Age
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Taniela Tupou bared his soul. Did he also get his mojo back?
'When he's on, he is one of the best tight head props in the world … and he's huge for the group. He creates energy for the group,' Porecki said. 'He's almost like a talisman for us. If he's on, what he creates for us as a team is gigantic. I feel like he's now finding a bit of rhythm. 'Scrummaging-wise, you know what he can bring as well. He's a confidence player. For him, putting out a really good performance on the weekend - apart from his yellow card, which I've been chipping [him] over - is good confidence for him as a player. That's what Australian rugby needs.' Porecki, who returned from a calf injury last weekend, isn't even sure Tupou was in a slump. He believes he suffers from extraordinarily high expectations. 'There's heightened expectations on world-class players like Nela, which can be detrimental at times,' Porecki said. 'If you look at the first half of the year and what he was producing scrum-wise and dominance there, a lot of big teams around the world would literally pay their tight end just to get them scrum penalties, you know? 'But it goes back to the expectations people have on Taniela, and how he also wants to be playing peak, peak footy all the time. 'It's big for him in his own admission to speak like that [in the Herald interview] and be open like that in a world that might see that negatively. But I also think it shows that he's confident in himself, and that he knows he'll find it. The weekend was a big step in the right direction for him.' The flipside to the joy around Tupou's try was the refusal of Kiwi referee James Doleman to reward the dominance of the NSW scrum just prior, and in several similar scrum contests over the last half-hour. Loading Doleman said he was unwilling to reward Tupou 'going up and across', and NSW were denied a similar penalty in the Reds quarter, as the siren sounded and needing a try to draw level. McKellar declined to comment post-game on the contentious calls of Doleman, saying whistleblowers are a 'protected species'. Schmidt said on Monday that Tupou was 'pretty unlucky on a couple of those scrums where he stayed down and through pretty well and didn't get reward.' Porecki also sidestepped questions about their review of Doleman's decisions. 'You've got to paint the pictures that the referee wants. They weren't the pictures that he wanted. So we probably just have to be better to be going, 'what do you need from us to get some pay here?',' Porecki said. 'For Nela, it's like the scene from The Incredible Hulk, or from The Avengers, when you just look at him and you go 'Hulk smash'. I'm just looking at him on the field going, OK mate, you need to go. 'If he keeps his shape, and keeps his connection with whoever's on the field, especially tight five, we all know he's pretty hard to stop.'
