The Wallabies are bracing for a fast and furious Japan side ready to run the Australians off their feet in their first Test in Osaka, Japan on Saturday evening.
Landing in Osaka during a heatwave that has seen temperatures hitting 37 degrees alongside draining humidity, Wallabies flanker Rob Valetini says the side are preparing for a steamy battle with Eddie Jones's Japan side well known for their quick play and their propensity to attack from anywhere on the park.
"I think Japan are a team that love to play fast and we saw them, against France and Ireland, where they were taking quick taps even in the half, so we know that they won't play fast and obviously it's quite hot here," Valetini told media from the team hotel.
"We think they'll try to use that to their game plan and try to run us off our feet, so yeah, it's be important for us to adapt to the weather here and we have been doing that with saunas daily and through training as well.
"Hopefully we're prepared well for the weekend."
Valetini arrived at Tuesday's press conference using a towel to wipe away his sweat following a muggy training session with outdoor temperatures tipping 33 degrees, while ice baths are on the menu in order to keep body temperatures down and help with faster recovery. But the 27-year-old wasn't completely convinced.
"It said 90 (degrees Fahrenheit, 32 Celsius) in the hotel, but it feels a lot hotter than that. We're just trying to get daily exposures to that, and I don't know if it's working today. I was pretty cooked, so we'll see how we go."
Saturday's Test marks the beginning of the new Les Kiss era with the Queensland Reds coach officially taking over the coaching role a week ago after he was announced as the incumbent coach more than a year ago. With just over a year until the Rugby World Cup on home soil, Kiss has a short runway to get the Wallabies back on track after the Joe Schmidt era saw just two wins in his final eight Tests - including a tight victory over Japan in Tokyo last year.
The makeshift Wallabies side on that day featured the now unwanted Nick Champion de Crespigny as captain and Valetini at No. 8 with Japan coming within inches of producing a scare and securing their first ever win over Australia. Instead, the Wallabies held onto a 19-15 win.
Kiss is expected to name a side with a lot more polish and plenty of experience than what was trotted out last year as the Wallabies look to build on last year's lessons.
"Obviously they're a tough team, they stick to it and they stay in the fight," Valetini said.
"I think last year we fell off a bit there and with a team like Japan, they were able to pounce and like I said, they're pretty fast and for last year, they were able to get quick ball and were able to get some tries against us because we weren't communicating or we just fell off for a bit.
"They're definitely a tough team and we're just going to have to be on our A game this week."
Kiss has been open about wanting his side to play with more freedom, and views his tenure as "evolution, not revolution", with Valetini noting the freedom should see his teammates lean more into their strengths.
"[He] wants us to use our strength, use our skill sets and just working on your weaknesses throughout the week and trying to get better at things.
"For someone like Wilso (Harry Wilson), someone who can offload and free up his hands and get the ball out wide, yeah, there's a bit more freedom within that. "I don't think there'll be too many offloads or (new) skills, I think it'll just be boys sticking to their skill-set and what they have to offer... I put in a kick last week, and then I got hit off the ball, so it might come out, who knows," he quipped.
There'll be plenty of extra spice on Saturday with former Wallabies coach Jones leading the opposition, and while for some in the Wallabies squad their time under Eddie leaves a bad taste in the mouth, for Valetini his reflection of his time with the controversial coach has a positive spin.
"He believed in me and as a player that's all I ever wanted - is coaches to believe in me," Valetini said.
"He gave me a lot of belief. Obviously, it wasn't great, but it's the past now, and it'll be interesting to go up against them.
"Nothing against Eddie or anything, just do it for the jersey."