Wallabies backrower Rob Valetini believes the physicality battle will be key to deciding the series as they prepare for England.
Valetini looms as a key game-breaker for Dave Rennie's men ahead of the first Test on July 2.
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The 23-year-old was one of the form players of Super Rugby Pacific and is eager to translate his physical edge into results against a dominant England side.
“I think for us it’s a part of our Wallabies DNA,” Valetini said to reporters.
“We’ve talked about it for a couple of weeks now during camp that we want to win that physical battle and it goes a long way towards winning the game.
“For us, going into this series, we need to be physical and we know if we can win that battle, it’ll go a long way towards winning the series.
“We’re focusing on our set-piece areas, things we can control. A lot of focus on our scrums and mauls and trying to be physical there, wanting to get on top of them 8 v 8 and deliver good ball to our backs.
“We want to keep taking a step forward and not backing them.”
Valetini is one of 15 Brumbies in the Wallabies squad, joined by former head coach and now assistant Dan McKellar.
McKellar and the ACT-based side built their foundations on the set-piece and with the likes of Courtney Lawes and Maro Itoje awaiting, it remains a key focus for the Wallabies.
“There’s a big set-piece focus especially with Dan (McKellar) coming in,” he notes.
“We know that a good set piece, they flourish off the back of that so for us, it’s just about manning up there and for the boys to step up and try and deliver."
Shutting down dual-playmakers Marcus Smith and Owen Farrell will be key to success, with fellow half Quade Cooper noting the dangers both possess.
They’re both extremely talented players in their own rights,” Cooper added on the potential of a Smith-Farrell combination.
“I think having a guy like Owen Farrell outside of Marcus would take a lot of pressure off him in terms of game calling, being his eyes and ears and if you think the way we call, we have first five-eighth/second five-eighth, having those two who are genuine playmakers able to operate together, it makes for a difficult task for where the main ball-playing source is going to come from.
“They’re both phenomenal talent so they’ll work it out and we’ll have to try and work it out ourselves.”
