Conceding their all-out running game was too easy to defuse against England in June, Test No.10 Bernard Foley revealed the Wallabies were working hard on their tactical kicking game in camp at Terrigal on the Central Coast.

"We're just looking to have variation in our game," Foley said.

"Teams probably were able to defend our running game and our attacking game pretty easily last time we played, so we just want to keep that variation and keep challenging defences and also back-fields as well.

"Whenever we kick we want to do it with an attacking mindset, to get the ball back, we're not going to be kicking for the sake of it or to improve the statistics. We want to kick with a desired outcome."

It is a significant development for the Wallabies, who staunchly defended their ball-in-hand style after the three-nil series loss to England.

Foley said defence was also a big focus, with new national skills coach Mick Byrne and Nathan Grey putting the heat on the squad during training this week.

The Waratahs five-eighth said he was confident there was enough time on the training paddock for the playmakers to tweak their game before the first Test on August 20.

"It's not that we don't do it in practice or hone those skills, it's just the gameplan has been steered towards being more attacking with ball in hand," he said.

"Now we know that that's not always effective in Test match rugby and we have to find ways to win games. We see the kicking game as a way to challenge defences differently and maybe just something they don't expect us to do."

Foley said the Ewen McKenzie and Jim McKay-coached Reds used it to great effect five years ago.

"When they won the competition back in 2011, while they utilised their kicking game they were very efficient, very smart with it," he said.

"So for us we're looking to have a balanced gameplan where we can challenge teams through our kicks, through our runs and also when our passing game is on."

Byrne, appointed last month to the role, is in his second week with the Australians. He came via a long stint with the All Blacks, giving him a strong insight into the strengths and weaknesses of both systems.

A former AFL player, he said he was impressed with the work ethic in the Wallabies' squad.

"I'm confident that the boys have adapted well to the messages I've been giving. It's only early days but the boys' enthusiasm to take on a couple of new challenges around their skill sets has been great.

"It takes time but you can't fault the guys' attitude to get involved in stuff they haven't done before."