RWC: AUS v ENG (Twickenham): POOL A; 6am (AEDT) Sunday 4 October

[dru]

@TSR, I like your thinking. If we play 10 man rugby we play to England's strengths. Activating the outside backs seems imperative, and then the team needs the smarts to avoid getting sucked in to the England game.

But I don't see Quade having played himself onto this team. Pity. Of course Cheika will also be considering what is happening at training. I don't see Quade on the pine coming on to finish the game either. Beale just provides more flexibility.

I suspect a 10-12 of Foley and To'omua would play to the 10 man thing too.

I see Foley paired to Gitts with Beale at 12 to finish. This isn't the best theoretical, but has to be close to the best that is actually available. On form. Would have loved Quade to have upset that grouping. I just don't think he has.

Let's hope Folau comes looking for action, other wise he could be quit quiet.

 

[No4918]

A tight game will suit Pocock and Hooper. The tight 5 is another issue. Douglas is still a perplexing call and I would have Mumm ahead of him. Kepu and Sio have had a lot of minutes in the first 2 games. This means a possible starting front row of Slipper/Moore/Holmes. Holmes has the set piece covered but is short of Kepu's impact around the park and Moore hasn't set the world on fire, nor has TPN. Slipper is almost as broken as Palu (ok, maybe not that bad).

I think a 6/2 bench will be the go.

19. Mumm
20. McCalman
21. McMahon
22. To'omua/Phipps
23. Beale

Dice rolled.

England will be absolutely desperate. I don't like desperate opposition. Always makes me nervous.

 

[TSR]

Well, I doubt we'll win a penalty shoot out - but we still need our kickers to kick most available chances to maintain scoreboard pressure, be they penalties or conversions.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Mitchell's first 20 minutes were terrible. Weak in contact and didn't treat the ball with security. As long as Horne shuts down the space on May or Watson he won't get beaten for pace.

Agree Mitchell started badly but he then played strongly for the rest of the 60 mins so neck in neck probably with Horne....I personally am on the fence for
Horne vs Mitchell but they are the the only two contenders I see....Beale better bench option......Tomane and Spreight not in the contest

 

[jollyswagman]

Given the accuracy that the pommy goal kickers work at (seemingly 100%) are the Wobblys going to be able to score enough to win this? Sub question are your kickers accurate enough to kick at 100% in this big a game?

I can't imagine that trying to keep the penalty count down is going to work in your favour.

The short answer to your questions is NO, given the likely backline Cheika will trot out we are going to struggle to score against a fired up pommy team with their backs to the wall....and no, our kickers are no accurate enough to kick 100% during this game. None of them have done anything to suggest they can be relied upon to kick 100% or anything near to that week-in-week-out. Sadly we will just have to stick with our poor-to-mediocre kickers and hope like hell we can score some tries.

The reality is that Wales have not done Australia any favors at all. As much as we love seeing England go down, they are going to be a heck of a lot harder to beat next weekend. Having attended matches at pretty much every major international rugby fortress over the years, I can say that a full house @ Twickenham makes the pressure of Eden Park look and sound like a subbies sunday touch match.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

There is one thing that is bothering me about the Wallabies backline at the moment and that is Tevita Kuridrani. He just does not seem to have that ability to break the line like he did last year. I don't think his defence has been rock solid either. I think To'omua or AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) at 13 is offering more at this stage.

On another note, I thought Cooper did some good things last night, but far too many bad ones like major crabbing sideways, passing to no-one and his two kicks in play were woeful - one went out in goal and the second straight down the throat of the opposition who made good meters. I don't need to say anything about the place kicks.

Have to agree with you that TK has not had any great games for a while and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) would probably be threatening to replace him at 13 if we had an abundance of world class wing options...sadly for the latter we don't so TK will retain his place at 13

 

[FrankLind]

Wales did the Wallabies a massive disservice by beating England.

A desperate England, home ground advantage - I can't see the Wallabies winning this.

Bonus points will really matter because I also think the Wallabies will beat Wales.

 

[notapatrioticboneinme]

Genia, Moore and Holmes the only guys on the bench not used. I suspect they'll all start.

Phipps was good yesterday but I don't think his 'pass first look second' game is right for that pommy rushing defence.

Phipps nailed it last night; can't understand picking Genia with that stuttering SLOW delivery

 

[Ignoto]

The reality is that Wales have not done Australia any favors at all. As much as we love seeing England go down, they are going to be a heck of a lot harder to beat next weekend.

At the same time, every single person in Camp England will be shitting themselves not to screw up due to the extra pressure on them. Having this extra pressure can either help or hinder, I haven't followed the English closely enough to know what their mental state as a team is under pressure.

If we're wanting to cut the supply of the English on the scoreboard, then I can't imagine Kepu will start over Holmes. Sure Kepu offers more around the park, but Holmes's ability at scrum time will probably be more of an asset than ball running. I guess having Pooper on the field gives us the ability to sacrifice a more mobile prop for more of a pot plant based prop.

 

[Marcelo]

We have the advantage that our top players like Pocock, Hooper and Folau only have played a game, while the top English players have played 2 in a row. So we must to take that advantage

 

[ChargerWA]

Tomane and Spreight not in the contest

Agreed, Hrorne, Mritchell and Arashley Crooper are all ahead of Spreight.

 

[biggsy]

Wallabies win will rely heavily on the poopper and goal kicking.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Agreed, Hrorne, Mritchell and Arashley Crooper are all ahead of Spreight.

opps fat fingers....CrhargerWA

 

[ChargerWA]

Wales did the Wallabies a massive disservice by beating England.

A desperate England, home ground advantage - I can't see the Wallabies winning this.

But on the plus side, it gives us a chance to bundle England out in the pools, so swings and roundabouts.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think it is completely inaccurate to suggest that our gameplan without Cooper is 10 man rugby.

It's not even close to what is described as 10 man rugby.

I tend to think our advantage lies in the forwards. This is where we need to assert dominance.

The backlines are pretty similar. England have more flair in the outside backs and we have more flair in the inside backs.

I think England will be most threatening on counter attack, particularly through Mike Brown.

We need to unlock more interplay in the midfield rather than going straight out to Folau and hope he breaks tackles.

I reckon it's going to be a cracking game. I'll be bloody nervous but I can't wait!

 

[Rugbynutter39]

So big game for England they say - but beware of the wounded lion and the hunted wallaby as we lose against England - England back in front seat given they got bonus point against Fiji - yep pool of death coming home to roost...

Why can't we be in pool with SA, Scotland, Japan, USA etc as what a pisweak pool that is turning out to be

 

[ChargerWA]

opps fat fingers..CrhargerWA

Fat fingers last night too

So what did we learn from this match..



Spreight.think we have seen best past him.as well as Tommane..unlikely to be first choice wallabies.

 

[notapatrioticboneinme]

.. The tight 5 is another issue. Douglas is still a perplexing call and I would have Mumm ahead of him. ...

.. only point I can't agree on, much prefer Douglas, Mumm over-rated (only dominant against opposition backs) and Douglas 12 kg heavier; surely better behind the tight-head

 

[TSR]

I think it is completely inaccurate to suggest that our gameplan without Cooper is 10 man rugby.

I can't recall a single post that has suggested this.

But if you think we are looking overly threatening in attack at the moment than you and I are watching different games (last nights game against the number 19 ranked side in the world excluded.)

 

[Braveheart81]

At the same time, every single person in Camp England will be shitting themselves not to screw up due to the extra pressure on them. Having this extra pressure can either help or hinder, I haven't followed the English closely enough to know what their mental state as a team is under pressure.

If we're wanting to cut the supply of the English on the scoreboard, then I can't imagine Kepu will start over Holmes. Sure Kepu offers more around the park, but Holmes's ability at scrum time will probably be more of an asset than ball running. I guess having Pooper on the field gives us the ability to sacrifice a more mobile prop for more of a pot plant based prop.

What doesn't Kepu offer at scrumtime?

He was the least penalised THP in Super Rugby this year.