Australia enjoy ice bath recovery session after Uruguay win as squad prepare for brutal battle with England at Twickenham

• England will have to be wary of an Australia side full of confidence
• Ben McCalman highlights the influence of scrum coach Mario Ledesma
• McCalman has noticed an extra sense of excitement around England game
• Michael Cheika has dismissed the idea that the Red Rose are a bogey team 

By Matt Lawton For Mail Online

Published: 14:45 EST, 28 September 2015 | Updated: 04:33 EST, 29 September 2015

The sight of Australia’s rugby players wearing the skimpiest of swimming briefs for a recovery session at Birmingham University’s pool somewhat undermined their claim that they are ready for what promises to be a brutal front row battle with England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Unless, that is, one regards a prop forward in a pair of branded ‘budgy smuggler’ trunks as someone with an awful lot of confidence.

The Wallabies do seem to fancy themselves for victory this weekend, insisting that their ‘Wobblies’ reputation — for the difficulties they have endured in the scrum in the past — is very much a thing of the past.

Quade Cooper of Australia (right) and Adam Ashley-Cooper of Australia take an ice bath as they recover

Matt Giteau makes a splash in the water after Australia recorded a convincing win over Uruguay on Sunday

Australia's Kane Douglas swims during a team recovery session as the squad turn their attention to England

Matt Toomua strolls in the water as he allows his body to recover following Australia's all-action display

Joseph Tomane will hope that his swim will put him in the best position to excel against England this weekend

England’s own forwards coach, Graham Rowntree, noted signs of progress during last month’s defeat of New Zealand and here in Birmingham the Australians pointed to the influence of Argentinian scrum coach Mario Ledesma.

Ben McCalman, so impressive in Australia’s back row against Uruguay, said it was thanks to Ledesma that there were no concerns in anticipation of the physical battle with England.

‘I think we’re ready for that,’ he said. ‘We’ve done the work. We’ve been building on it since the start of the year. And we’re now looking forward to getting 80 minutes to show it.

‘I guess there is always a view that the front row is the most important position in the scrum but with Mario we have developed a whole eight mentality, to win the ball for nine and 10 and our backs so we can spread it wide.’ 

McCalman said there was an extra sense of excitement around the England game. ‘The players are very excited to be playing England and so are all the people back home,’ he said. ‘I’m sure they will be up at all hours to watch it.’

Adam Ashley-Cooper (right) and Giteau enjoy an ice bath following their win against Uruguay on Sunday

Sekope Kepu seemed happy to let his feet support his body in the shallow end of the pool in Birmingham

Bernard Foley treads water as he builds up his recovery following Australia's win at Villa Park on Sunday

Drew Mitchell of Australia races Toby Smith in the pool at the University of Birmingham on Monday

Mitchell claims victory over his team-mate in the pool showing his speed is not confined to he rugby pitch

But like his coach, Michael Cheika, he would not be drawn into saying anything that could be deemed provocative by the English. He did, however, dismiss the idea that England were in any way a ‘bogey team’ for Australia — ‘I don’t think so,’ he said — while stating Australia’s intention to ‘win every game all the way through to the final’.

Haydn Masters, Australia’s strength and conditioning coach, said Cheika’s players were growing stronger and sharper with every game. Indeed, it was part of their plan to come to their ‘peak’ during the World Cup.

He also seemed quite satisfied that only Wycliff Palu and Will Skelton were injury concerns after the Uruguay game, with the hope being that scans will prove that their respective hamstring and shoulder problems are not too serious.

Masters also said that the combined efforts of both himself and Ledesma would see that the Wallabies forwards are a match for the England pack.

‘The coach brought in Mario to work with the scrum and the work he’s doing is paramount,’ said Masters. ‘But it’s a combination of the two. The right stuff in the gym and better scrummaging. That’s been the focus.’ 

Ashley-Cooper will hope to record a win over England that would leave the hosts' hopes of progress in tatters

Tomane tries to perform a front-crawl as he and his team-mates recover in the swimming pool on Sunday

Tomane showed off an impressive array of tattoos when he emerged in the shallow end of the recovery pool

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