São Bernardo Do Campo, Brazil, June 3, 2015 - The Australian men’s volleyball team are about to take on one of the toughest challenges in world sport, but coach Roberto Santilli believes his team will put up a good fight.
The Volleyroos have arrived in Sao Paulo, Brazil, after nearly 24 hours of travel, to take on the best team in the world over two FIVB Volleyball World League matches this weekend.
“To play Brazil will be tough, not least because we have had to fly a long way,” Santilli said.
“They have already shown they have a good rhythm of game, something which at the moment we don’t have.”
Australia is coming off the back of two losses to world number four, Italy, in Adelaide last weekend in the Volleyroos' first foray into World League Group 1.
It was Santilli’s first big test as Australian coach after taking over earlier this year.
“We have to improve a lot of things, including our block and defence,” he said.
“We make some mistakes that a good team at this level can not do.”
Brazil is currently ranked number one in the world, and are the reigning silver medallists in the Olympic Games, FIVB Volleyball World Championships and World League.
They opened their World League campaign with two wins over world number eight, Serbia, in Brazil last weekend.
Australian captain Tom Edgar, himself new at the job after being appointed last month, is in no doubt about the challenge confronting his 13th-ranked Volleyroos team.
“Brazil in Brazil will always be difficult, because they’ll have all their fans at the matches because we’re playing in a city where they don’t always play,” Edgar said.
“We’re going to have a tough series there, but I’m really looking forward to it. They have the best players in the world, they have such a culture and such a great history of volleyball.
“It’s an honour for me to even play in a professional tournament there, it’s my first time so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Tickets for both Friday and Sunday’s matches have already sold out, but that didn’t stop volleyball-hungry fans queuing on Tuesday in the hope more tickets would be available.
Australia earned it’s place in World League Group 1 after winning the Group 2 Finals in Sydney last year.
The team will head to Italy after this weekend for the return leg of their fixture, before heading to Serbia and then back to Australia.
The Volleyroos will host Brazil in Sydney and Serbia in Melbourne over consecutive weekends in late June/early July.