A former All Black and one of the great All Black opponents have been in Wallabies camp this week ahead of next month's Bledisloe Cup opener.
Brad Thorn and George Gregan were both at Wallabies training yesterday as the Aussies make the most of having no teams in the Super Rugby semifinals by preparing for the Rugby Championship.
Thorn played 59 tests for the All Blacks and won a Rugby World Cup title in 2011. Since retiring from rugby in 2014 he's been coaching in Australia. He's currently the Reds contact coach as well as the coach of the Queensland under-20s team.
According to rugby.com.au, Thorn was in camp for an 'educational perspective'.
The Wallabies and All Blacks clash in the Rugby Championship opener on August 19 in Sydney before meeting a week later in Dunedin.
Gregan was part of the last Wallabies team to hold the Bledisloe Cup in 2003 and won 12 tests against the All Blacks.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika had high praise of the former halfback who famously called out 'four more years' to the All Blacks players late in the 2003 Rugby World Cup semifinal victory.
"There's no one better - he's the number one around his attitude, leadership, work ethic, he's got all those things," Cheika said.
"It's just experience from a player who's been there, done that, well-respected by guys he played against and guy he's played with," he said.
"I played with him and against him and he's so well-respected so I think it was logical for him to come in and I'll try and get that happening on an ongoing basis."