Scrounging tips from Ocker boyo

By WYNNE GRAY

A desperate Wallaby side searching for a new World Cup blueprint to upset the All Blacks have turned to Wales for inspiration.

The connection was former Waratahs back Scott Johnson, assistant Welsh coach and a man whom Wallaby coach Eddie Jones had tried unsuccessfully to persuade to join his coaching staff.

After Wales' two superb attacks on the All Blacks and England, Johnson joined the Wallabies at their Coffs Harbour base this week to offer some thoughts on breaking down the All Black patterns.

Johnson spent two training sessions with the Wallabies and had dinner with some of the coaching staff as they plotted their strategies for tomorrow's opening semifinal in Sydney.

It was a concession about the Wallabies' lack of cutting edge in this tournament, a season-long pattern which has resulted in some merry-go-round backline selections in the World Cup.

Even the players have lamented their lack of precision, something assistant coach Glen Ella mentioned this week as he ran through the litany of mistakes which have hampered the side.

Although Wales showed the benefits of running most of their possession and attacking All Black forwards wide of the ruck, that will work for the Wallabies only if they markedly improve their handling.

Throughout this event, Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor, in particular, have been guilty of grassing too many passes.

Meanwhile, in Melbourne, All Black skipper Reuben Thorne said Australia were a quality side who had a chance to do something special in defence of their crown tomorrow.

They had been copping plenty of stick about their performances, he said, "but they are a far better team than a lot of people have given them credit for."

They had not crumbled in the tournament, they had been unbeaten in the run to the semifinal, but had "been bagged all the way."

* You expect to meet a swag of global rugby legends during World Cup travels.

Matching the name with the shape, though, can be a difficult exercise, if the memory only has television pictures from several decades ago.

But there was no mistaking the tennis star struggling with her bags in front of me yesterday at the Tullamarine check-in counter.

Kim Clijsters, the greatest earner on the women's circuit, had just flown from her latest win in Los Angeles, en route to Adelaide for a holiday.

One bag had ripped, but despite offers from Sir Galahad, she was just about set.

She was looking forward to a decent rest before her next event, the Hopman Cup.

Just when I was about to ask if she had any interest in or allegiance for the World Cup, I remembered her Aussie boyfriend, Lleyton Hewitt.

Next please, from the counter-staff, saved any double fault.

Full World Cup coverage