HomeRugbyAustralia team news, Brandon Paenga-Amosa weight issues, Dave Rennie, Queensland Reds, Montpellier,...

Australia team news, Brandon Paenga-Amosa weight issues, Dave Rennie, Queensland Reds, Montpellier, French Top 14

a bit of weight. But it was unacceptable for Australian rugby standards and being a Wallabies player. The message was simply to keep my weight maintained and I didn’t do that. So, I dropped my head, got my boots back on and started doing the hard stuff.”

Paenga-Amosa, 25, is frank and open about his weight gain and the fact that he was way off where he needed to be. But he is also determined to make up for lost time and hit the ground running in 2022, particularly as he looks to fulfil his long-term goal of becoming the Wallabies’ starting hooker, a position that has been a revolving door since the retirement of Stephen Moore in 2017.

A worrying physique in many ways encapsulated the state of the Wallabies forward pack last year. Coach Dave Rennie has made no secret of the fact that they need to be far more abrasive through the middle and upon his reappointment for a further two-year term, he also called for more mongrel in the pack.

It’s a loaded term, but one that Paenga-Amosa hopes to personify through his performances. He was a standout for the Reds in their 2021 campaign and ultimately took the starting Wallabies jersey from the impressive Feleti Kaitu’u.

Paenga-Amosa and Kaitu’u will be in direct opposition this Wednesday evening at Suncorp Stadium and the mindset from both hookers will be critical. The Test against France is the first of nine that the Wallabies will play in 2022, and a year when Paenga-Amosa knows that he needs to be far more consistent in his performances.

“You’ve just got to make sure that every time you get your opportunity, that you grab it,” Paenga-Amosa said. “It’s that simple. “I’ve started to see it as less the mental side, and just controlling the controllables, and ensuring that every time I put on the jersey, that I do everything I can to win in the position and the role the team needs me to do.”

He was candid about his in-game attitude, something that’s perhaps been lacking in Australian rugby’s problematic results in the past couple of years. There’s a perception that the Wallabies perhaps lack the same intimidation factor as other international teams, and Paenga-Amosa thinks that it’s important for the “grubby” stuff to come back into their game – the niggle, the pushing and shoving, the things that can help disrupt opposition ball.

“Sometimes in Test rugby, the little things do matter, and sometimes getting under the skin of your opponent can play a part as well,” Paenga-Amosa said. “But I also think, as Australian rugby, you want to see that real physicality in that forward pack. The game starts there and then after that, it’s just up to the playmakers to make decisions and execute.”

Rennie’s Wallabies have beaten ravaged France and a shell of the current world champions, the Springboks, but they have also lost to Los Pumas and spared an Italian boilover last November. Paenga-Amosa says consistency is the key. And as a forward pack leader, he knows there’s no place to hide.

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Neuro Adminhttps://sportyjones.com/
I'm Adam Smith, your go-to sports aficionado from the land down under. My heart beats for cricket, rugby, and Aussie Rules footy. With over a decade in sports writing, I bring you the inside scoop on all things sports at SportyJones.com. Let's dive into the action!
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