Clashes to define the group games

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AHEAD of the Rugby League World Cup, we take a look at the key matches which will determine who progresses to the knock-out stages.

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Sun Oct 27, 12.30am AEDT (11.30pm Sat AEST): Australia v England 

Australia's first assignment to kick-off the competition is a tough one. Boasting the likes of Sam Tomkins, James Graham, Sam and George Burgess, the Kangaroos face England. The host nation will be desperate to get their campaign off to a flying start after suffering a shock loss to Italy in a trial match. With Australia opting to not play a trial ahead of the competition, the Englishmen are hoping to catch the Kangaroos cold.

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Sun Nov 3, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Australia v Fiji 

The Kangaroos' second game of the competition comes in the form of Fiji. Before you look too closely at the match-ups, seeing Petero Civenocieva lining up against his former Australian teammates should be enough to spike your interest. Aside from the legendary forward, dumped Aussie winger Akuila Uate will also be on show, and looking to prove a point. The Naiqama brothers (Wes and Kevin) and the Sims brothers (Korbin, Tariq and Ashton) will also line-up alongside each other for the first time.

Mon Oct 28, 5am AEDT (4am AEST): New Zealand v Samoa

The defending champions begin their title defence against Samoa. The Samoans boast the likes of Anthony Milford, Antonio Winterstein and Reni Maitua in their side and will be hungry to prove they are not just there to make up the numbers. Kiwis coach Kearney is also on the verge of World Cup greatness. If New Zealand can defend their title, he'll join Australians Bob Fulton and Harry Bath as the only coaches to oversee two World Cup wins.

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Sat Nov 9, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): New Zealand v Papua New Guinea 

Built like bricks, PNG have never been one to shy away from a fight. With some handy players in their side like Titans speedster David Mead, Cowboys utility Ray Thompson, Knights backrower Neville Costigan and former Sharks hooker Paul Aiton, the Kiwis will have their hands full. Look out for the battle of the hookers with James Segeyaro going head-to-head with Issac Luke.

Mon Nov 11, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Tonga v Italy

Italy knocked off a full strength England squad in a recent trial, making the Italians the dark horse of the competition. Led by premiership winning captain Anthony Minichiello, Italy face the likes of Brent Kite, Sika Manu and Jorge Taufua in what should be an action packed game, which is likely to decide the winner of Group C.

Fri Nov 8, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Scotland v USA

The United States of America may be known for baseball, basketball and NFL but the Tomahawks had a surprise 22-18 trial win over fourth-ranked France. The Clint Newton-led side also features Joseph Paulo, Eddy Pettybourne and Ryan McGoldrick. Peter Wallace is looking to guide Scotland in the halves while Luke Douglas provides the muscle up front. 

Rugby League World Cup draw:

GROUP A

Sun Oct 27, 12.30am AEDT (11.30pm Sat AEST): Australia v England 

Tue Oct 29, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Fiji v Ireland 

Sun Nov 3, 1.30am AEDT (2.30am AEST): England v Ireland 

Sun Nov 3, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Australia v Fiji 

Sun Nov 10, 1.30am AEDT (12.30am AEST): England v Fiji 

Sun Nov 10, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Australia v Ireland

GROUP B

Mon Oct 28, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Papua New Guinea v France 

Mon Oct 28, 5am AEDT (4am AEST): New Zealand v Samoa

Sat Nov 2, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): New Zealand v France 

Tue Nov 5, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Papua New Guinea v Samoa 

Sat Nov 9, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): New Zealand v Papua New Guinea 

Tue Nov 12, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): France v Samoa

GROUP C

Wed Oct 30, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Tonga v Scotland 

Mon Nov 4, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Scotland v Italy

Mon Nov 11, 3am AEDT (2am AEST): Tonga v Italy

GROUP D

Thu Oct 31, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): USA v Cook Islands 

Mon Nov 4, 1am AEDT (12am AEST): Wales v USA 

Mon Nov 11, 1am AEDT (12am AEST): Wales v Cook Islands

GROUP C/D

Sat Oct 26, 3.30am AEDT (2.30am AEST): Wales v Italy

Wed Nov 6, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Tonga v Cook Islands 

Fri Nov 8, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Scotland v USA

QUARTER FINALS

Sat Nov 16, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Winner B v Winner C 

Sun Nov 17, 12am AEDT (11pm Sat AEST): Winner A v Winner D 

Sun Nov 17, 7am AEDT (6am AEST): Runner-up A v 3rd Place B 

Mon Nov 18, 2am AEDT (1am AEST): Runner-up B v 3rd Place A

SEMI FINALS

Sun Nov 25, 12am AEDT (11pm Sat AEST): Winner QF 1 v Winner QF 3 

Sun Nov 24, 2.30am AEDT (1.30am AEST): Winner QF 2 v Winner QF 4

FINAL

Sun Dec 1, 1.30am AEDT (12.30am AEST): Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2

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Bailey in line for Test debut

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FORMER Australian coach Mickey Arthur believes George Bailey could next month land the Test debut that has been a decade in the making.

Bailey, Australia's stand-in one-day captain, has become a statistical enigma who averaged just 18.28 in the Sheffield Shield competition last year, but has become a 50-over powerhouse for his country.

Bailey's record for Australia in the one-day game is exceptional - 1281 runs at an average of 51.24 at a strike rate of 88.52.

Arthur believes this confidence can flow into the first-class arena to improve a first-class career record (5936 runs at 38.29) which is solid but not spectacular.

There are many precedents for batsman getting a Test call-up on the back of one-day form and Bailey has scored 85, 92 not out and 43 in the current one-day series against India.

Australia has one vacancy in its top order for next month's Gabba Test, at No 6, and Bailey is jostling with a large group of players including Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja and Phillip Hughes.

Arthur revealed Bailey was watched closely by the national selectors last season with a view to taking him on the Ashes tour but his numbers did not warrant selection.

"I would like to see some experience at six,'' Arthur said.

"I would not mind seeing George get a go there. But you want to see guys scoring runs in Shield cricket. I just know the comfort we had when Mike Hussey was going well at No 6.

"We looked at George for the Ashes tour but he averaged 19 in Shield cricket last season, albeit batting in Hobart.

"We want to take an experienced batsman to England and we really looked at David Hussey, Bailey and Adam Voges. Chris Rogers got the nod because he scored three Shield hundreds.

"Voges averaged 25 and Hussey 23 ... had one of them averaged even 35 they could have made it.

"But it would have looked terrible if we had picked a guy for the Ashes who averaged 19 for the domestic season.

"But I am really enjoying watching George bat in the one-day game in India because he has worked very hard and deserves his success.''

Marsh is also in strong early-season form in the Ryobi Cup for Western Australia and received favourable reports from an off-season Australia A tour of South Africa.

Australia's selectors have never lost interest in him despite his torturous run of hamstring injuries and occasional off-field indiscretions and a Test average of 27 from seven matches.

He has long been regarded as among the sweetest timers of the ball in Australia but a first-class average of 35 in a career spanning 13 years is well beneath a pass for a player of such promise.

Australia's bowling line-up for the first Test is likely to see Mitchell Johnson back in the Test XI supporting Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle with Nathan Lyon handling the spinning duties.

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Winterbottom's bid for lead

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BATHURST champion Mark Winterbottom has lit the fuse for an explosive Gold Coast 600, labelling V8 Supercars heavweights Triple Eight Racing "arrogant" and declaring he's ready to take the championship lead from arch rival Jamie Whincup.

This weekend's Surfers Paradise endurance round could have major championship implications with Holden gun Whincup leading the standings 114 points ahead of Triple Eight teammate Craig Lowndes with Winterbottom (142 behind) further back.

Riding high on confidence after his breakthrough Mount Panorama win, Winterbottom said his Ford Performance Racing team now had the belief to knock off their dominant Holden rivals who he expected to come out firing after being trumped at Bathurst.

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"From a team point of view, the Triple Eight guys are quite arrogant in how they approach their racing," he said.

"To get beaten by our team, and purely beaten in a straight out battle, that does more for our team than it does for them.

"The (FPR) team's pumped, I'm pumped. Everyone's walking around with a strut and swagger. We've got that confidence that you can't buy.

"We've got an incredible group of people and we've had some really good results but until we won Bathurst it was always people saying 'they've got good results but not the big one. They don't go well under pressure'.

"Now they can say what they want but we've won Bathurst. It credits all our other wins.

"It'll serve us well for the championship. We needed that good result.

"Whether it wins it or not, who knows, but it'll do a lot for our team."

Four-time series champion Whincup was gracious in defeat at Bathurst but said he wasn't worried about Winterbottom closing in on his championship lead.

"Yes (Winterbottom will think he can catch me) but whether it's possible or not is another thing," he said.

"I'm sure he'll come out on cloud nine feeling like he's invincible for the rest of the year.

"Without doubt you feel fairly invincible after Bathurst but good on him. He deserved it. Him and his crew did a good job."

Surfers Paradise has been a happy hunting ground for Winterbottom.

He won races on the Glitter Strip in 2009 and 2011 and will team up with the experienced Steve Richards again after their Bathurst triumph.

"When you look at the year, Gold Coast is one of the best rounds for us. We've always done well there," Winterbottom said.

"If you could pick any round throughout the year where you thought you'd go well at it was always Gold Coast. History shows how strong we've been here.

"A good round there will get us within 100 points of them (Whincup). It's going to be pretty tight towards the end of the year.

"It's massively important for the championship. A lot can go wrong but if you get it right it's going to reward you massively. It's a game-changer."

Practice is Friday with the 300km races to be contested on Saturday and Sunday.

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Ex-Dog Cross joins Demons

Daniel Cross will join Melbourne on a one-year deal. Source: Michael Klein / News Limited

DELISTED Western Bulldogs midfielder Daniel Cross says he will continue his 210-game career with Melbourne after Demons coach Paul Roos threw him an AFL lifeline.

Cross told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Monday that he'd agreed to terms with the Demons and will play on in 2014 - and possibly 2015.

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"It (the contract) is one and two (years) - sort of. It's complicated,'' Cross said.

"I'm signed on for next year at this stage and if I can get a couple of things done next year then hopefully I'll be able to play another year after that.

"I was really keen to continue on and prove to myself and others that I can still perform at the top level.''

Cross said it would be "strange'' to start pre-season training with Melbourne after 13 years with the Bulldogs.
The 30-year-old said he and Roos had already discussed what was in store next year.

"I'm looking to help a lot of their young guys improve as much as I can,'' he added.

"We have spoken about probably three or four roles I can play, helping develop their young guys like (Jimmy)

Toumpas and (Jack) Viney when they come into the midfield, and me stepping out onto half-forward or onto a wing.''

Roos, seeking to rebuild a club that has been mired in mediocrity recently, has been an active player in the post-season frenzy.

The former Sydney Swans premiership mentor has beefed up his new team's midfield, recruiting Adelaide's 2009 club champion Bernie Vince, Greater Western Sydney young gun Dom Tyson and injury-plagued Fremantle on-baller Viv Michie.

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Magnificent seven set for Cup

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CAULFIELD CUP winner Fawkner is "back on" for the Melbourne Cup as Lloyd ­Williams contemplates a start for as many as seven runners in the 24-horse race.

The owner is eyeing a clean sweep of the spring carnival features after putting his first Caulfield Cup in the trophy cabinet on Saturday.

The Williams team has ­undeniable chances in the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup and TAB is rating the big-race ­treble a $21 chance.

The camp will today plot plans for eight horses: Sea Moon, Green Moon, Seville, Fawkner, Masked Marvel, Mourayan, Tanby and Massiyn.

The team could have four runners in Saturday's Cox Plate: Metropolitan winner Seville, who has been set for the race; last year's Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon; Sea Moon, the highest-rated import to arrive in Australia; and Masked Marvel, who has been in great form in Sydney.

It then could have seven in the Melbourne Cup: Sea Moon, Green Moon, Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner, Masked Marvel, Seville, Mourayan and Tanby.

Tanby and maybe Massiyn will tackle Wednesday's 2400m Geelong Cup.

Lloyd Williams with Green Moon after its Melbourne Cup win in 2012. Source: News Limited

The stable may be represented in Saturday's 2500m Moonee Valley Cup with Mourayan, and Masked Marvel if he does not go to the Cox Plate.

Fawkner and Green Moon are $21 chances in the Cox Plate, with Sea Moon $31 and Masked Marvel $51.

In the Melbourne Cup, Fawkner is $7.50 third favourite, Sea Moon $15, Masked Marvel $19, Green Moon and Seville $21, Mourayan $41, Massiyn $71 and Tanby $301.

Williams has not won the Cox Plate (five placings) but has won the Melbourne Cup four times.

Son Nick Williams said yesterday Fawkner might run in the Melbourne Cup, having earlier suggested the Caulfield Cup had been his grand final. And he remains in the Cox Plate.

"Fawkner is still in it," he said. "There will be no decision about which horses head where until Monday.

"I think we have got some nice staying horses and I would not want to separate them at the moment.

Nick Williams raised the possibility of Fawkner running in the Melbourne Cup. Source: News Limited

"But the Melbourne Cup is back on for Fawkner. The way he won the Caulfield Cup ­suggests he can tackle the Melbourne Cup distance."

Williams warned the two weeks leading to the Melbourne Cup "have a shocking habit of an unbelievable attrition rate".

"All (the horses) had a gallop on Saturday morning and all are in good health,'' he said.

"We now just have to keep them together and get them to the track on the day.

"We have been in this position in the past and ended up not having a runner on the day, so you just push ahead and pray all goes well."

Peter Moody will run Ibicenco in the Geelong Cup.but save Sneak A Peak for the Moonee Valley Cup.

Waldpark, who ran in the Caulfield Cup, won't accept.

The leading international will most likely be Caulfield Cup emergency Forgotten Voice, who missed a run when the Melbourne Racing Club instead chose Julienas for the final spot.

Bart Cummings is likely to be represented by Precedence, while another Caulfield Cup emergency, Oasis Bloom, is nominated.

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Roar plan to spoil Ange's farewell

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THE "phenomenal" Ange Postecoglou might deserve a fitting A-League departure, but Brisbane Roar plan to spoil their former coach's potential farewell party at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.

The favourite to be named new Socceroos coach, current Melbourne Victory mentor Postecoglou and fellow contenders Graham Arnold and Tony Popovic will be interviewed for the position this week.

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There's a slight chance that Postecoglou might have already coached the Victory for the last time if Football Federation Australia officials this week name him as Holger Osieck's replacement and decide he must immediately sever ties with the Melbourne club.

But it's likely that even if he is appointed Socceroos boss in the coming days, he will coach the Victory on Friday against the club he guided to back-to-back championships before defecting last year to the A-League's biggest franchise.

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Having opened their season with wins over last season's cellar dwellers Wellington Phoenix and a sorry Sydney FC, the Roar see Friday's clash as an opportunity to prove they are indeed the real deal in their bid for a third championship in four seasons.

"We weren't under a lot of pressure," returning Roar star Matt McKay said as he reflected on his side's 4-0 weekend demolition of  the woeful Sydneysiders at Suncorp Stadium.

"But we've got  a tough game this week. Melbourne (Victory) away is one that everyone pencils in as a big fixture and we're looking forward to that because that's a test against one of the better teams in Australia."

The Victory are without a win after two rounds of the season, but showed great fighting qualities to come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium last Friday night.

McKay knows how inspiring Postecoglou can be, saying he would be a "wonderful" choice as new Socceroos coach.

"He's a phenomenal manager and having him at the Roar and with the under -20 national team, I know what he's about," the Socceroos utility said.

"He's very astute in how he operates, he's a very good tactician and brings a great brand and philosophy of football."

McKay ended a largely forgettable week on a good note with a starring role in the Roar's romp over Sydney.

The previous weekend he was part of the Socceroos team that was thrashed 6-0 by France in Paris.

It was a result that was the final nail in Osieck's coffin, after an equally as embarrassing 6-0 loss to Brazil last month in Brasilia.

Aurelio Vidmar took the reins for Australia's 3-0 win over Canada last Wednesday morning in London, with McKay playing a full 90 minutes for the second time in five days.

"It was a really weird trip," McKay said.

"I felt for Holger, everyone did. It was just a really sombre mood after that France game.

"It was good to get a win against Canada, and get that feeling back, because the Socceroos hadn't won for a while."

Star Roar striker Besart Berisha will have scans today on his the hamstring injury that forced him off just 25 minutes into the Brisbane victory over the Sky Blues.

It's expected the Albanian attacker will miss this week's trip to Melbourne.

"Obviously he's going to be a massive loss for us, but then you've got Henrique stepping in," McKay said.

"The quality's there and full credit to the staff and (coach) Mike (Mulvey) for building the squad that we've got. We're going to need everyone this whole season."

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Boof must channel Simmo

Darren Lehmann has a mandate for change as Australia coach. Source: Jon Super / AP

DARREN Lehmann is the most powerful cricket coach Australia has had in two decades.

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Often the true powerbrokers in sporting teams are not the headline makers, but the ones who use their clout silently, selectively and subtly behind the scenes, amid the occasional public tub-thump.

There have been traces of all of these in Lehmann's one-series reign as Australian coach since dramatically taking over from the sacked Mickey Arthur just before the first Ashes Test in England.

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Lehmann will have more say in what happens around him than any Australian coach since iron-willed Bob Simpson remoulded Australia's cricket culture between 1986-1996.

Simpson was the first man to hold the position of national coach after a period when Australia went 14 Tests without a win.

The comparison is significant because, like Lehmann, Simpson's power was rooted in the fact that the SS Australia had water flooding through every porthole when he took the job.

Like Lehmann, Australia needed Simpson more than Simpson needed Australia. There was no one else in the country at the time suited to the job anywhere near as much as these two.

Few things solidify a man's power base than being the only serious alternative. The other four coaches used between these two eras (Geoff Marsh, John Buchanan, Tim Nielsen and Mickey Arthur) came into the job when Australia's stocks were either soaring or at least better than they are now.

When handed the job it was almost as if they should have been privileged to accept it.

There was an unspoken assumption that they could feel free to do some deft interior decorating but don't worry about a major renovation because we are - well, Australia - and we go pretty well.

But the game's changed.

Australia captain Michael Clarke speaks with coach Darren Lehmann. Source: AP

With Australia having lost three Ashes series in a row Lehmann has a powerful mandate for change after accepting the job with a few hours' notice in England.

It is not a bad thing Lehmann has substantial influence because of an obvious yet underrated fact, he knows what makes a cricketer.

Like a lot of sports, cricket is finding its way in the hazy, confusing world of sports science and the jury is very much out on the merits of the guidance modern fast bowlers get from sports scientists who might be experts on body movement, but who may also think a new cherry is something you buy at a fruit shop.

The fact that Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird, James Pattinson and the rarely sighted Pat Cummins are all broken down with lower back injuries must raise questions as to whether they could be managed better.

It is Lehmann's job to cut through some of the newfangled theories and apply old-fashioned commonsense.

You don't put coaches like Simpson and Lehmann into a system and say, "Now would you please not rock the boat.''

You either go with them and their philosophies or don't hire them. Lehmann won't get everything he wants, but he should not be disappointed too often.

Already his fingerprints have been seen on several key decisions. On the very day Lehmann was appointed, Michael Clarke stood down as an Australian selector.

It was rumoured but never confirmed that Lehmann wanted this to happen. Certainly he later fully endorsed the move.

A couple of days into the job, he announced Shane Watson would open the batting in the Ashes and he effectively put the kibosh on the controversial rotation policy by saying of the best fast men where fit they would play.

Just last week Craig McDermott returned as Australia's fast bowling coach, a Lehmann-endorsed move no one could have predicted when McDermott left the same position for personal reasons not long ago.

Like Lehmann, McDermott can talk to his players with a qualified firmness about the demands of the job because he has done it himself at the highest level.

The power of the Australian coach has ebbed and flowed during the past 37 generally bountiful years.

It was never stronger than when Simpson was in charge, but it waned under the likes of Nielsen to the point that the Argus review recommended the coach be made a selector to increase the respect they got from the players.

Lehmann's challenge will be to cut to the chase in a team which is not short of varied opinions.

Australia's entourage in England was so big that there were almost as many support staff members as players.

Australia are desperately short of future leadership options and one theory is that teams are so well looked after that players simply follow their daily matrix and never learn to think outside the square.

Recently I went to an Andre Rieu concert where at one point he had around 30 people on stage with him, about the same number as the Australian ensemble in England.

As always, Rieu and his band members played in perfect symphony, that is now Australia's challenge.

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Stars line up for Puissance

Jockeys are lining up to replace Glen Boss on Puissance de Lune. Source: Wayne Ludbey. / News Limited

LUKE Nolen, Brad Rawiller and Ben Melham lead the charge to take the prized mount on Puissance De Lune in Saturday's $3m Cox Plate.

Owner Gerry Ryan will on Monday confirm the replacement for the suspended Glen Boss.

Puissance De Lune is $8 fourth favourite for the weight-for-age championship, with Boss declaring last week he would not swap the Cox Plate ride for anything.

Boss was suspended for 12 meetings for careless riding on Silent Achiever in Saturday's Caulfield Cup. He will appeal against the severity of the penalty.

He would need the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board, which is likely to meet tomorrow, to slash his sentence in half for him to be available for the Cox Plate. That is seen as unlikely.

Ryan, who owned 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain, won't be waiting on the outcome of the Boss appeal. But he said Boss would ride Puissance De Lune in the Melbourne Cup, regardless of what happened in the Cox Plate.

Ryan said the new jockey would head to Warrnambool tomorrow morning to get a feel of the six-year-old.

Trainer Darren Weir said Puissance De Lune was in outstanding condition and the gallop would top off his work for the Cox Plate.

Ryan said that the Boss suspension was the only hiccup in Puissance De Lune's Cox Plate final preparations for the Cox Plate.

Caufield Races,Black Caviar ridden by Luke Nolan on the track, Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

"It is really unfortunate for Glen,'' he said. "We were all primed for the Cox Plate, everything going perfectly to plan. But that's racing. We still have a horse who is sound and fit and ready to go."

Ryan said Boss had rung him in China last Tuesday ­after Puissance De Lune ran a scintillating track gallop at Moonee Valley.

"He told me the work was outstanding and the horse was cherry ripe and how much he was looking forward to the ride,'' Ryan said.

"Now he is suspended and I will discuss the new rider options with Darren Weir and (form expert) Deane Lester and cement someone in.

"I've had a lot of messages from jockeys saying they would be pleased to ride him in the Cox Plate."Glen has been with us all the way through and this is most unfortunate. However, I can't see anyway, win or whatever in the Cox Plate, that he won't ride Puissance De Lune in the Melbourne Cup."

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Boof brought fun back: Watto

Shane Watson says Darren Lehmann has made an immediate impact. Source: GLYN KIRK / AFP

As for Watson and captain Michael Clarke's much scrutinised relationship, he laughs off speculation their shared smiles in the slips and on the balcony during the last Ashes series was "stage managed".

Clarke and Watson have swiftly moved on from Mickey Arthur's revelation that the Australian captain once referred to him and his faction in the side as "a cancer" on the team.

The 32 year old explains why they have great working relationship but firstly how that final Ashes innings squashed a mountain of self-doubt ...

JH: What did that 176 innings in the final Ashes test in England mean to you, what does it tell you about where your Test cricket is at?

SW: I hadn't scored any big runs in Test cricket throughout my whole career, and I hadn't scored a 100 in quite a few years, so deep down I was doubting whether I had the game to be able to perform and bat especially for really long periods of time.

Through the Ashes I was going through some technical issues, I was fortunate to have a lot of good people helping me out, and like anything when you work hard on something it's really nice to see the rewards.

To bring it together and bat for a long period of time, it was something I really had been dreaming of in Test cricket, it's really nice looking back now, knowing I can do it. That I have got it in me, hopefully there is a little bit more to come in the next Ashes series.

Shane Watson found some confidence late in the Ashes loss. Source: AFP

JH: What's it like to deal with that nagging self-doubt in the middle of a series?

SW: Life's never meant to be easy and I was very lucky to have my wife Lee and son Will there during that time so they really took my mind off it at times.

But it was engulfing the majority of my day … it felt like even when I was sleeping.

I was just thinking about; "How am I going to get better? How am I going to find a way to achieve things that I feel that I have got in me but I haven't been able to show?… it'"

It's mentally draining. In the end I learnt my lesson the hard way, especially in Test cricket, because I kept on making mistakes.

But to see Will at the end of the day and see how he was developing, to me that was amazing. I couldn't imagine how I would have got through it if I didn't have Will and Lee there to take my mind off things.

I love cricket but there are more important things life, like having a healthy family and little boy and being the best father I can be.

Shane and Lee Watson with their baby boy, Will. Source: Supplied

JH: Speaking to Lee you had no qualms in getting up in the middle night to help her settle Will?

SW: During the Test match Will was in our room and it didn't worry me at all if I was getting woken up. The majority of the time I was still getting a good sleep. Lee is an amazing mum and she was doing a brilliant job as well. I am there to help out and it's more important than a cricket game.

JH: Heading into the next Ashes series, where do you feel you are at?

SW: I feel like I am only getting better. I have made a lot of mistakes in Test cricket with my batting; I feel like I have really got through that period of time and now is really the time to capitalise on all the experience that I have had.

I hope I can contribute more with the ball in this Ashes series if my body continues to stay together.

With my batting, I feel like we are much more settled in the batting order, the balance we had in the last Test match we had some stability in the batting order.

To know no matter how things are going, there is always a way to work through it and come out the other end.

Shane Watson has maintained his one-day form throughout his Test struggles. Source: AFP

JH: Can you talk about the LBW problem you had and how you started to conquer it?

SW: I had to go through a few changes. I had to, I had no choice, it couldn't really get any worse.

I could get to the start of an innings, I would get to 20 and they would find a way to bowl that ball and get me out. I couldn't keep doing that over and over again. I have been very lucky to have a lot of people around me, who would send me an email, call me up, and all the information I was getting had a common thread.

From the fourth Test I was able to make the changes.

More than anything it was something as simple as just getting my weight right, so my bat was out in front of my pad a bit more, so if the ball seamed, which were the balls were predominantly getting me out, I was able to get my bat on it a bit more.

It was as simple as getting my head over my front leg.

Sometimes I was getting a bit stuck and they'd bowl that ball and get me out. I am well on my way now to resolving it.

JH: What are your thoughts on the DRS? Do you like it?

SW: No. (Watson laughs) I have realised I am a shocking umpire ...

I have really learnt the umpires are the experts and that I have no idea.

I am happy to admit I am useless at it. Umpiring is not for me when I finish. I'd like to go into coaching.

JH: Throughout Ricky Ponting's new book At The Close Of Play, his attitude toward discipline is starkly at odds with the recent less forgiving approach – in an interview last week he said; "The environment was all about looking after each other, protecting each other, not hanging them out to dry which I think has been happening." Has it changed under Darren Lehmann?

SW: It has changed under Darren. There is no doubt about that. There were times in the previous two years that weren't ideal. The way things were going was definitely in the wrong direction.

The day that Darren came in things changed significantly and only for the better. It is now at the stage where everyone is really enjoying themselves again.

When Darren first came in, the first meeting we had, he said: "This should be the time of your life." That it was a privilege to be able to play for your country, and when I first started playing and training for Australia that's how it was, but we had gone away from it.

JH: What exactly did he bring back to create a happier team environment?

SW: Experience about what it is to play for Australia – it is that simple.

He knew what environment you needed to get the best out of the Australian team.

He knows the Australian way of playing cricket and living that day to day. That's what he brought in. I was lucky enough to play with Darren when he first came into the team and that's the way he played. He was a genius of a player himself. Off the field everyone really enjoyed themselves and it meant guys were a lot closer.

Everyone was enjoying each other's success. It is a really exciting time, for not just me who has been through what it was originally, then been through that other period, now it is back to a really exciting time.

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Bledisloe III: Dunedin, done & dusted

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IT wasn't the result the Wallabies were after, but they showed enough against the All Blacks on Saturday night to suggest they're settling into Ewen McKenzie's gameplan.

Mistakes at crucial times gave the All Blacks the opportunities they needed, and the world champions punished the Wallabies with pin-point attacking raids to run out 41-33 winners.

However there was plenty in the Wallabies' performance to like, especially the efforts of Quade Cooper, and centres Matt Toomua and Tevita Kuridrani.

Check out our review of the match below.

Action-packed

The Wallabies made a fast start and looked good in the opening stages, only to repeatedly turnover possession through loose handling and poor communication. The All Blacks stamped their authority on the match with some brilliant tries to Julian Savea, Sam Cane and Aaron Cruden with fullback Israel Dagg showing his class in all three five-pointers. The Wallabies stayed in touch with their hosts through the boot of Quade Cooper and closed the gap to just 11 points at half-time when the fly half found Adam Ashley-Cooper with a wide ball after a Matt Toomua linebreak. The Wallabies had to be the first side to score after the break and they did through Toomua, the Brumbies star finishing off a crucial intercept from provincial teammate Tevita Kuridrani. The All Blacks virtually answered straight back through skipper Kieran Read however, and would maintain a comfortable margin until Kuridrani grabbed a late consolation try with three minutes left on the clock.

Wallabies' best

The Wallabies backline enjoyed one of its better nights this season and much of that was down to Quade Cooper. Not only did the Wallabies No.10 go perfect with the boot but he also rediscovered some of the attacking brilliance that made him one of the game's most electrifying players back in 2011. Cooper played up flat at the advantage line, which opened up space for the impressive Kuridrani out wider. His defence was solid and even when he was bumped by Ma'a Nonu, the much-maligned No.10 came again to assist with the tackle. Elsewhere, Toomua and Kuridrani showed they look like a centre combination worth persisting with while Stephen Moore overcame an early defensive lapse to get through a mountain of work up front.

All Blacks' best

There were two excellent Israels on Forsyth Barr Stadium turf, but the one wearing black probably just shaded the Wallabies' great attacking hope. Israel Dagg got the All Blacks on the front foot in the first half with a brilliant blindside charge that resulted in a try to Julian Savea and then popped up again to play linkman for the pick of the night's five-pointers, which was scored by Sam Cane. Dagg picks his opportunities to chime into the backline with aplomb while his positional play ensured the Wallaby kickers found little grass when they opted for territory. Honourable mention must also go to winger Charles Piutau, Cory Jane's late replacement having a fine game opposite Wallaby debutant Peter Betham. Cane, too, ensured the All Blacks lost little in the absence of Richie McCaw.

Wallaby woes

Handling errors, an inconsistent scrum and opposition restarts should be top of the agenda when the Wallabies prepare for their five-Test trip to Europe. The restarts, in particular, are of grave concern. Too often the Wallabies handed momentum straight back to the All Blacks in the first half after they were unable to secure the hosts' kick-off. Then, when restarting after All Blacks points, they kicked too deep and allowed their opponents a safe journey out from their own half. Some loose handling on the part of skipper James Horwill and halfback Will Genia will hopefully just have been an issue for a solitary Test while the scrum, it seems, is set to be a big talking point throughout the November action.

Heading north

The Wallabies can at least head to Thursday night's John Eales Medal – which is almost certainly going to be taken out by Michael Hooper – with their heads held high. When they held the ball they looked dangerous and, like the Springboks, showed the All Blacks' defence can be exposed if you move them around the park. The world champions remain a cut above the rest at the moment however, and you'd back them to sweep their spring Tests against Japan, France, England and Ireland to finish the year with a perfect 14-0 record.

The good news for the Wallabies is that they're done with the All Blacks for 2013. Ewen McKenzie will want five victories from the trip north and if they show more of what they produced on Saturday night, it might not be too far from reality either.

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