Wallabies meet old foes England with victory more important than ever

A few days after naming themselves the “Wallabies” and a few weeks before playing England in the first official Test between the nations in 1908, the Australian national team lost a beloved member of the squad: Bertie the carpet snake, who had spent six weeks at sea and been smuggled into England down the strides of backrower Tom Richards, died an hour before kick off. Bad mouse, apparently.

So when Edgar Mobbs, the powerful English winger crossed the stripe two minutes into that first Test on 9 January, it was just another slap in the face for Australians in an era when British rugby fans derided them not as Wallabies but as “Rabbits”. Little wonder flanker Norman Row celebrated with cartwheels after his kick and chase sparked a 9-3 Australian victory that day.

It was the start of a beautiful rivalry that has now reached 52 Tests, with honours pretty much even. England have won 26, Australia 25, with one draw in 1997. However, the stat that matters most for Dave Rennie’s Wallabies side is that England have won 12 of the last 14 since 2010, including eight straight under the coaching of Eddie Jones. The Wallabies are England’s “Rabbits” once more.

The 23-man Wallabies side selected on Thursday has the flair, firepower and experience to succeed. With Michael Hooper leading the horns and Quade Cooper conducting the strings, Australia has both perspiration and inspiration covered. There are two debutantes – Caderyn Neville and David Porecki – but they are 33 and 29 respectively. Rob Leota and Noah Lolesio have played only six and nine Tests but are in red-hot form. Hooper and James Slipper have 118 and 114 Tests with no loss of vigour.

There are weapons up front. No 8 Rob Valetini has been the leading forward in Super Rugby