RWC QF 4 AUS v SCO (Twickenham) 19th Oct 0200 AEDT

[jollyswagman]

To pick up on the AUS V WALES thread.......what do we expect to see next weekend against Scotland?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^
Expect This!

 

[Highlander35]

You guys should win reasonably comfortably based on our performance over the pool stages.

There are two positives to come out of the Samoa game for us.

1. No significant injuries. Hogg is the only one who's under any cloud from that game.

2. No less than eight starting players had a game that would easily be in their bottom 3 performances, if not the worst performance at international level. Dickinson, Jonny Gray, Wilson, Russell, Scott, Bennett, Seymour and Hogg all can't play as bad as they did last night.

Comparing it to the Wales game, I think we'll be less impotent in attack, but much less stalwart in defence.

39-16 Australias way.

 

[rod skellet]

was Scotland 4 points shy of missing the quarters?

 

[The Red Baron]

My boss is a Scotsman so it will be an interesting week at work!

We underestimate Scotland at our peril. They have beaten us twice in recent years, and a Quarter Final is no place to be complacent.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^^
Never forget Newcastle on 5 Jun 2012 or Murrayfield on 21 Nov 2009.

 

[Marcelo]

My starting XV to face Scotland:

1 Sio
2 Moore (c)
3 Kepu
4 Simmons
5 Douglas
6 Fardy
7 Hooper
8 McCalman
9 Genia
10 Foley
11 Tomane
12 Giteau
13 Kuridrani
14 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15 Beale

16 TPN
17 Slipper
18 Holmes
19 Mumm
20 McMahon
21 Phipps
22 To'omua
23 Mitchell

Poey and Izzy need a rest

 

[Brisbok]

My starting XV to face Scotland:

1 Sio
2 Moore (c)
3 Kepu
4 Simmons
5 Douglas
6 Fardy
7 Hooper
8 McCalman
9 Genia
10 Foley
11 Tomane
12 Giteau
13 Kuridrani
14 AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
15 Beale

16 TPN
17 Slipper
18 Holmes
19 Mumm
20 McMahon
21 Phipps
22 To'omua
23 Mitchell

Poey and Izzy need a rest

Haha resting players in a RWC QF? You're lucky the coaching staff will have more sense than you.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

This game should be Stephen Moore's 100th Test Cap. Congratulations Squeaky.

A melon only his mother could love.

 

[disco]

I'm actually with MHCS on resting Pocock & Izzy for Scotland.
Folau has had his two worst games in a Wallaby Jersey & needs a rest. If Pocock has a calf tear then he needs two weeks off.

Beale is looking great & we have Hooper, McMahon & McCalman all playing well at 7/8.

I think the depth is looking that good at the moment we could have a few more changes in the forwards after such a tough battle against Wales.

 

[Omar Comin']

If Folau isn't at least 90% I'd rest him too. He wasn't the same player against Wales, you could tell he wasn't right. If he plays he'll keep exacerbating his injury. I'd rather he gets to 100% for a probable semi final than keep playing him well below his best.

 

[KOB1987]

That's it, there's no upside in playing them if they aren't right.

 

[Brisbok]

IMO if you let your focus drift slightly from this week's game to which players you need fit for the SF and Final and who you might face there, you risk letting that mindset spread through the rest of the squad and setting yourselves up for a flat performance in the QF.

Obviously the extent of the players' injuries is the key factor, but 'resting' players for next week is a risky strategy at this stage of a RWC.

 

[Braveheart81]

This game should be Stephen Moore's 100th Test Cap. Congratulations Squeaky.

It will also be Giteau's 100th cap.

 

[the sabanator]

For what it's worth, Sportsbet have installed Wallabies as 14.5 point favourites.

The Scots will come to play. Having not watched much of them the past few years and only reading (mostly) negative reviews they have impressed me and definitely hung in there with the Boks up in Newcastle.

Agree on resting Po and Folau. Both injured and when they have back ups more than capable of playing I'd put them there.

 

[Braveheart81]

I agree that if Folau and Pocock aren't 100% next week we shouldn't play them.

It's not about resting them. It's about having the confidence in the rest of our squad that a healthy player is a better selection than one of our stars who is not fully fit.

So far this tournament all our squad are showing the ability to step up and get the job done.

 

[Tahtrajic]

If Folau isn't at least 90% I'd rest him too. He wasn't the same player against Wales, you could tell he wasn't right. If he plays he'll keep exacerbating his injury. I'd rather he gets to 100% for a probable semi final than keep playing him well below his best.

I'd rest him even if he is 90%. You coud see he didn't want to jump for ball at all in the second half.

 

[jollyswagman]

I agree that if Folau and Pocock aren't 100% next week we shouldn't play them.

It's not about resting them. It's about having the confidence in the rest of our squad that a healthy player is a better selection than one of our stars who is not fully fit.

So far this tournament all our squad are showing the ability to step up and get the job done.

Yep, we have plenty of depth across the park and why run the risk of losing someone for the rest of the tournament? Hooper and McMahon can boss the breakdown this weekend and Kurtley is in great form at the moment. Poey is impossible to replace but the combo above will get the job done.

 

[KOB1987]

Yep, we have plenty of depth across the park and why run the risk of losing someone for the rest of the tournament? Hooper and McMahon can boss the breakdown this weekend and Kurtley is in great form at the moment. Poey is impossible to replace but the combo above will get the job done.

I don' think they'd play Hooper & McMahon together, it will be McCalman if they rest Poey.

 

[Viking]

I'd think about putting Poey on the bench to unleash the pooper in the last 20mins. No way I'd leave him out completely in a Quarter-Final