Skills coach Mick Byrne says Wallabies are on par with the All Blacks

AUSTRALIA’S stars are just as skilful as the All Blacks, Wallabies skills coach Mick Byrne has declared.

AUSTRALIA’S stars are just as skilful as the All Blacks, Wallabies skills coach Mick Byrne has declared.

The question remains, however, whether they can showcase those skills consistently under pressure over three Tests against the Kiwis.

Byrne is best qualified to compare the skill level of both sides, having been skills coach of the All Blacks before defecting to Australia three years ago and says on the training pitch at least, they’re equals.

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“I think they are, on the training track we’ve shown that, now we just have to build the confidence and belief within themselves to come out and present that during the game,” Byrne said.

“We’re in great shape with [skills], we’ve progressed really well, each individual player obviously will look to get better.

Wallabies skills coach Mick Byrne.

“I don’t think you ever reach your potential, a mark where you go: ‘That’s the most skilful I can be’.

“If that was the case Jason Day and Tiger Woods wouldn’t have coaches, because they’re the best in the world and they have coaches – that’s the philosophy we have, is that our players are continually trying to get better.

“They might be great players, they might be world class players, but you can always get better. The mindset around our players getting better over the last 12 months has been enormous.”

The big focus for Byrne has been getting the Wallabies to throw accurate passes while running at speed.

Countless times, Australia has butchered try-scoring opportunities with wayward last passes only to see New Zealand nail them in similar circumstances.

Wallabies players train in Sydney on Wednesday ahead of the first Bledisloe Cup Test. Picture: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley

If the Wallabies hope to win the Bledisloe opener at ANZ Stadium on Saturday, Byrne knows how important execution of those clutch passes will be.

“I know it sounds really simple but the running pass at pace is still a skill that can improve right across the board,” Byrne said.

“It’s not the move that doesn’t work. If the game was about coming up with a move no one could defend, there’s a lot of rugby brains that have one before that would have worked that out.

“It’s not what you’re going to do, it’s how you do it.

“The running pass for me is still the number one challenge, if we want to take on the defences of the world we’ve got to be better in attack.”

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Originally published as Skills coach Mick Byrne says Wallabies are on par with the All Blacks