Rugby: Michael Hooper hopeful Wallabies will go the distance against All Blacks

Michael Hooper is confident his side won't be out-paced by the All Blacks. Photo / photosport.nz

Skipper Michael Hooper has dismissed concerns the Wallabies lack the match fitness to challenge the world champion All Blacks in Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup opener in Sydney.

Most Wallabies haven't played in five weeks, with coach Michael Cheika opting to put his squad through brutal training camps in Newcastle and Cessnock since the final round of Super Rugby.

While the Brumbies were Australia's only Super Rugby quarter-finalists - and were knocked out in week one - New Zealand had four teams in the playoffs, which came on the back of the All Blacks' gruelling three-Test series with the British and Irish Lions.

Former Wallaby-turned-pundit Brett Papworth would have preferred Cheika's charges returning to club rugby to prepare for the battled-hardened All Blacks.

Hooper, though, is confident the Wallabies will go the distance physically at ANZ Stadium.

"We've seen some really good improvements, immeasurable fitness (gains), during the couple of camps we've had," the flanker told AAP. "But more than that, some really good mental fitness as well.

"It's one thing being able to make your targets; it's another being able to push to get better than what your target is and I think we've developed that.

"You would have heard 'Cheik' saying 'guys have learnt how to work hard' and we've definitely achieved that over the course of the last three weeks."

With only sparing Super Rugby success for Australian teams, former captain Stephen Moore said the Wallabies had become accustomed to lacking game time heading into the annual Rugby Championship.

"It is what it is. We've probably had that issue over the last few years," Moore said. "It's always a fine line between freshening up and also getting the required work in the legs.

"But, look, I've got every confidence in the staff. They've been training us to the tee to get ready for this match and they know what we need to do and we've been doing it, working pretty hard."

Despite having not held the Bledisloe Cup in 15 years, Hooper refuses to believe the All Blacks are invincible - as the Lions proved in their historic drawn series.

"There's obviously ways they play the game, but every team that plays has weaknesses," he said. "They give you a lot of ball, but it's also one of their strengths. You can make the most of it.

"They're just a very good team at continually delivering the same picture. So to break them down, we've got some plans around that and it's about doing it more consistently than them."