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Phil Waugh: Lays down the challenge for his team-mates
Flanker Phil Waugh has challenged the much-maligned Australian pack to prove they can be the best in the world when the Wallabies tackle old foes England in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final.
Australia's scrum was put through the mincer at Twickenham in November 2005 but Waugh is convinced they have made significant strides since the appointment of Michael Foley as forwards coach at the end of that dismal tour.
The Wallabies believe England have one of the best forward units in world rugby and are ready to put their own progress to the test.
"We can't remember 2005. Since Michael Foley took over 18 months ago the pack has come a long way,'' said Waugh.
"We've always said we believe we can be the best pack in the world and Saturday's obviously the biggest challenge in achieving that.
"But there's a huge amount of belief and confidence in this team that the forward pack can be and will be the best forward pack in the world.''
The biggest difference Foley made was to stop considering the scrum as a restart option and start using it as a chance to compete for an edge.
As a result, the forwards are now doing three times the amount of technical, video and live scrummaging work and believe they are seeing the benefits of it.
"We now spend hours and hours every week going over the scrum training and doing far more technical work. There's less just hitting the machine,'' said prop Al Baxter.
"Previously we didn't have that focus and the live scrummaging was two packs whacking into each other. Now there is a definite focus.''
The litmus test of that development will come against England, who impressed Foley with their performance up front against South Africa despite going down 36-0.
"We see the England forward pack as one of the best in the world, if not the best,'' said Foley, the former Bath coach.
"We assess that based on scrum and line-out quality. England have both of those at extremely high standards.
"You look at their game against South Africa a couple of weeks ago. You don't see a forward pack take a game to South Africa and do the damage that England were able to do very often.
"I can't remember in recent times when the South Africa pack has gone through that.
"England took three possessions against the head in the game against South Africa. That puts them alongside New Zealand as one of the best packs in the world.
"There was not a lot talked about that on the night because of the result. But the English pack pose a considerable challenge.''
But tight-head prop Guy Shepherdson insists the Wallaby forwards' challenge to be the best is not an empty boast - and they are ready to deliver this weekend.
"We are not being arrogant or claiming something we are not," said Shepherdson, who is set to lock horns with England loosehead Andrew Sheridan.
"We feel as an Australian forward pack it is our obligation to strive to be competing at that level rather than big statements.
"I have watched him scrummage and he is a big, powerful man.''
