Australian tactics on how to get the better of New Zealand in tomorrow's Rugby World Cup final have been accidentally revealed by Micahel Cheika at his side's captain's run.
The Daily Mail has published a photograph of Cheika holding a piece of paper with certain strategies outlined on it.
The Wallabies will look to "rattle" Kieran Read and "expose" All-Black wingers Julian Savea and Nehe Milner-Skudder according to the slip of paper held in Cheika's hand.
“Kickoff receipt #4 Kieran Read (get him rattled)” is the first strategy on the sheet.
Also working off kick-offs are the instructions to “Kick receipt shift off edge, forwards then snap to Snow or play” and “Own the air space, catch everything, chace everything, escort wingers!!!”
Savea and Milner-Skudder have been identified as possible weak links in defence with Cheika planning to expose them.
“Lineout attack gainline front foot speed. Expose Milner-Skudder and Savea under ball or in backfield,” can be seen printed on the sheet.
The defensive notes that can be seen are: “Carter running right to left”, “Nonu steps back on the inside when linespeed against”, “Badge defence (Wednesday morning)” and “Turnover spark in attack and defence”.
Scott Sio has returned from injury to take his place in the Australian starting line-up for tomorrow's final while James Slipper drops to the bench.
Apart from that Cheika names an unchanged side as the Wallabies bid to win their third World Cup title.
Australia did beat New Zealand in August of this year but Cheika was quick to deny that that would have any impact tomorrow.
“Ah mate, they say if you look backwards you’ll only get a sore neck,” the former Leinster coach said.
“For us it’s there, but it means nothing really. There’s a few tactical things maybe, but it really means nothing.
“It’s what happens in the next day or so and the 80 minutes in front of us. We want to play that to the maximum of our potential and then see where the cards fall.”
Asked about the excitement and weight of expectation that’s building back in Australia Cheika said that his team is hoping to create a new rugby boom back home.
“We don’t try to manufacture anything. We just let things happen. When you feel that support you got to make sure that you use it to push you on from being comfortable. You can be comfortable and that’s all good or you can go on and try and do something great.
“I’m not happy to be comfortable. It’s great and I’m happy everyone is enjoying it but this team, as a rugby player or coach, but this team want to go on and do something else. We don’t want to be comfortable.
“One of our goals as a team is to have our supporters in Australia enjoying rugby again. That’s genuinely important to us. I’m not from the marketing department. That’s from the rugby players to other rugby player playing in Australia.
“We show the values that we want them to be attached to as an Australian rugby team. We want to give them something more to be proud of on Saturday night.”
