James Slipper Urges Wallabies To Ignore ‘losing Mentality’ Jibe With Lions Series On The Line

Steely Wallabies seasoned James Slipper is urging his battered troops to artifact retired nan “noise” arsenic they look to extremity nan Lions juggernaut successful their do-or-die 2nd Test successful Melbourne.

The bid is connected nan statement astatine nan MCG connected Saturday nighttime pinch Slipper offering a unsocial position successful nan existent Australian line-up arsenic nan only subordinate to person taken portion successful 2 series.

Slipper played successful nan 2013 Wallabies, who narrowly mislaid nan first lucifer and clawed their measurement to a crippled 2 triumph earlier nan Lions triumphed successful nan deciding Test.

Conceding disappointment successful a 27-19 nonaccomplishment successful nan opening lucifer successful Brisbane, Slipper said location was belief that nan Australians could level nan series.

He said nan squad needed to put nan conclusion speech and look to build connected their performance.

“You’ve conscionable sewage to benignant of slope what’s happened successful nan past successful that crippled 1 ... we’ve sewage to not needfully commencement again, but we’ve sewage to build connected what we’ve started and making judge that nether unit we present that successful nan 80 minutes connected nan weekend,” Slipper said.

“There’s a emotion of belief successful nan group that we were capable to conflict backmost into that crippled aft being a adjacent stack down astatine nan commencement of nan game. We’ve taken a batch of assurance and belief from what we tin do.”

The Australians were heavy criticised by nan UK media for their lacklustre showing and by England’s erstwhile World Cup winning coach Clive Woodward, who said that skipper Harry Wilson’s determination to footwear nan shot retired to extremity nan crippled alternatively than pursuit different effort showed a “losing mentality”.

Slipper described nan comments arsenic “noise”.

“I wouldn’t opportunity it was a losing mentality, I conscionable thought we’ll astir apt put a afloat extremity connected that crippled and ace connected pinch crippled two,” nan 36-year-old prop said. “We’re trying to beryllium very soul and making judge our preparation’s nan champion it tin be.

“We cognize there’s going to beryllium noise, it’s a large event, truthful for us, we conscionable want to make judge we do our occupation and perform.”

Jack Conan tackles James Slipper during nan first Wallabies and British & Irish Lions Test successful Brisbane. Photograph: David Gray/AFP/Getty Images

The Wallabies will beryllium boosted by nan return from wounded of prima flanker Rob Valetini and elephantine fastener Will Skelton, pinch nan brace adding much-needed starch to their pack.

Born and bred Victorian Valetini was excited to flooded a calf wounded successful clip to play connected location turf, wherever he would regularly watch his AFL squad St Kilda play.

“I had a bully week past week pinch training and came done alright, truthful I’ll beryllium disposable for selection,” said Valetini, a two-time John Eales Medallist. “I thought I would person been a shoo-in for nan first Test, but it was a smart thought to person a week disconnected and get done immoderate much training, a spot much loading done nan calf.

“I did a convention Saturday greeting and did a beautiful reliable session, truthful it feels bully to go. I’m Melbourne calved and bred, I’ve sewage each my family present truthful I would emotion to tally retired location and play successful beforehand of them, that would beryllium awesome.”

The Lions backmost statement of Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry and Jack Conan helped their squad out-muscle nan Wallabies early astatine Suncorp Stadium arsenic they raced to a commanding 24-5 lead earlier nan hosts fought back.

“I was watching from nan sidelines and I thought each 3 were beautiful involved,” Valetini said of nan Lions trio. “They are large boys and they did their jobs well.”

With a 12-year spread betwixt Lions series, Valetini wanted to make nan astir of his opportunity.

“I’ll beryllium adjacent to 40 by nan clip nan adjacent 1 comes along, there’s decidedly a batch of hunger conscionable to get retired there.”