Wallabies: 'We'll still prepare as if we have a quarter-final'
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Dan Palmer, lineout coach
On plans for next few days:
"We have three days to freshen up then come back in and prepare for a quarter-final. Obviously it is out of our hands now but that's all we can do."
On if Portugal can beat Fiji to allow Australia to qualify:
"Absolutely. I am looking forward to that game. They showed last night they are a strong team so of course they can do it."
On the mood after victory over Portugal:
"Our goal was to keep ourselves alive. It's not ideal that it's out of our hands but that's the position we put ourselves in. We did everything we could last night to keep ourselves alive. Now we'll go away, freshen up then prepare as if we're playing a quarter-final and see what happens."
On if Australia will specifically prepare for a quarter-final against England:
"Yep."
On if players are already looking ahead to Rugby World Cup 2027:
"They are thinking ahead. It's a young group and if we can keep the core of this group together they can be a really strong Wallabies team. We're all disappointed with how the first few weeks here have gone, but I'm sure they'll be looking forward in terms of trying to put some better performances on the field.
"But they are still focused on the task in hand. We are not entirely out of this competition yet."
On if for some players this is the end of their international careers:
"It is the end of the line for some people. This tournament will be their last with the Wallabies so there are some mixed emotions there."
On what Australia will take from experience of Rugby World Cup 2023:
"When things like this happen it's important you spend the time to debrief, review, make sure you learn from it and get a plan together going forward. Just having the experience is not going to do anything, but spending the time going through it, talking to each other about it, talking to the coaches, is the most important thing."
On any rules for players like drinking bans for their time off :
"They are big boys. They can look after themselves. They will enjoy it, but I expect them to look after themselves."
On futures of other coaches under head coach Eddie Jones:
"I can't speak for anyone else, but I've got a job for the next three years. I've learnt a lot from this experience so hopefully we can be the better for it."
