Wallaby Stephen Moore says team has received invaluable insights from the drama of the cricket World Cup

VETERAN Stephen Moore is certain the glory-or-bust drama of cricket’s showpiece has been an invaluable insight for the Wallabies’ own World Cup odyssey in six months.

Wallaby hooker Stephen Moore

VETERAN Stephen Moore is certain the glory-or-bust drama of cricket’s showpiece has been an invaluable insight for the Wallabies’ own World Cup odyssey in six months.

Developing a stronger sense of their own identity as a team is a key element of coach Michael Cheika’s Wallabies workshop underway in Brisbane for 50 players.

Pulling up a chair in front of the TV to watch Michael Clarke and co put everything on the line became an adlibbed essential for the group on Sunday.

Hooker Moore said there were lessons in the high emotions, the self-belief, the sacrifices needed, the value of tournament momentum and the fine margins between victory and despair.

“I’ve lost a World Cup semi-final (in 2011) at Eden Park the same as South Africa’s cricketers and it really does feel like the end of the road,” Moore said.

“When you’ve been there you never want to go back.

“To see how gutted a quality man like AB de Villiers was after that narrow loss really emphasised how small the margins in sport are between victory and heartbreak.”

The Wallabies scrambling for just two spots from their “Pool of Death” beside England and Wales has a powerful cricket parallel too.

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“England didn’t make it out of their pool in the cricket,” said Moore, who was on Sunday unveiled as a rugby ambassador for HSBC.

“There’s no entitlement to advance or to assume anything ... you have to hit the first game as hard as a final.

“Our RWC pool lends to that mentality. You want to establish respect in the pool stages, try to dominate there and gain momentum which proved very valuable for the Kiwis and Aussies.”

Cheika said the Australian cricket team’s strong identity had boomed through the tournament.

“The Aussie cricketers are really clear on who they are and how they are going to play as a team with aggressive fast bowling, their batting and smart field placings,” Cheika said.

“They play without fear of failure which is very much my mindset.”

Reserve Reds half-back Nick Frisby is one of the fringe Wallaby candidates pepped up by inclusion in the Brisbane gathering.

“We have been working on having a clearer definition of ourselves as a team,” Cheika said.

“How do we play as Australia’s rugby team, how we behave among ourselves, our values and what do we use to unify guys from five different teams so we come together as a really strong, tight-knit unit.

“Saying ‘we’re all good mates’ is OK but you need more than that so you are prepared to give everything for each other out on the field.

“I definitely feel creative rugby is a very Australian way to play but we are not going to be able to play that way without a power game, some edge. We’ve got to strike the right balance.”

Originally published as Wallaby Stephen Moore says team has received invaluable insights from the drama of the cricket World Cup