THE days of big-noting and cheap talk are over for a Wallabies side finally focused on walking the walk, which means their visit to Bathurst next week will be more than just shaking hands and signing autographs for fans.

Even though it’s been 12 years since they last held up the Bledisloe Cup, Australia’s Test team has regularly dug a deep hole for themselves by boasting about their form, skill and prospects against the All Blacks.

So coach Ewen McKenzie and vice-captain James Slipper have both stressed actions will speak louder than words in 2014.

With their opening Bledisloe clash three weeks away, the Wallabies aren’t into the foot-in-mouth trap.

In fact their upcoming Bush2Bledisloe tour, which will take them to Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst and Penrith, is part of their new approach.

They will be in Bathurst next Thursday and as well as training with Bathurst rugby sides, will conduct their own session at Ashwood Park as they prepare to take on the All Blacks.

Neither McKenzie nor Slipper were prepared to bite in reaction to former All Blacks prop Richard Loe’s shot at Australia’s tight-five forwards – saying they weren’t combative enough to cope with New Zealand or South African packs.

Although the Wallabies forwards could feel aggrieved after seven straight wins, including a 3-0 clean sweep of France last month, Slipper said “weak” perceptions won’t change until they win the Bledisloe and Rugby Championship.

“We don’t expect them to,” the 52-Test prop said. “And, to be honest, I don’t really care what they think.

“I don’t care if they like me or not. I just want to win. If they think I’m a terrible player, then so be it. At the end of the day, I want that trophy.

“Every year we always seem to talk a lot about what we can do and potential outcomes of the game, but this group we have at the moment is very focused on the job at hand.”

There have been too many bold, grand statements from Australian players to name, but they’ve regularly paid the price for overconfidence.

The most memorable was Kurtley Beale’s pre-Bledisloe boast in 2011 that the Wallabies backline could “tear any team apart”.

A week later they were smashed 30-14 by the All Blacks in Auckland.

Slipper, himself, said they would “light a match” under Springboks hooker Bismarck du Plessis last year only for the tough talk to backfire in a record 38-12 loss at Suncorp Stadium.

McKenzie has already said he wants to instill an aggressive attitude in his players as they train in the lead-up, but no doubt he and Slipper hope that comes out in their on-field actions rather than any trash-talk.