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Before a full house at one of rugby’s great theatres, the Wallabies face a huge World Cup match in Wales on Saturday. The position of the Wallabies is somewhat analogous to Rudd Labor’s over the Howard Government. Australia should win easily, except that the recent record of poor results between the nations at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium nags like hell.
If Australia is to be a serious contender for the 2007 Cup, this is the match in which the Wallabies must lay waste to the ghosts of northern tours past. We’ve won 11 of the last 13 Tests against Wales, but haven’t defeated the country at the Millennium Stadium in the two matches we’ve played there since 2001. Showing early glimpses of the post-Crazy Eddie era, we played a drawn Test, 29-all, at the ground last year.
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The Wallabies are aiming up. The messages from the camp have all been similar. Rocky Elsom has been reported to have the “serious shits” about Wales’ record, and is “going for the jugular”. Nathan Sharpe has repeatedly said that the past mistake has been “taking the foot off their throat”. George Smith has shrugged off the home-ground advantage that Wales swindled out of the French in the IRB vote, and is reported to be looking forward to slaying Wales before 75,000 of its fans. Canadian assistant coach, former Wallaby Glen Ella, has predicted a “bloodbath”.
I’ll settle for a narrow win and an appreciable improvement. Knuckles has made some interesting changes. The return of Guy Shepherdson as tight-head prop in place of Al Baxter is to be welcomed, for what will be a major test for this pack, and a crucial base for building its confidence going into the finals. Expect a big game from Dan Vickerman, who’s playing his 50th match for the Wallabies. If we do smash the Joneses, Williamses, Thomases and Jenkinses early, Smithy will no doubt put his feet up to give Phil Waugh a much needed airing.
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In the backs, the left wing’s a worry, where the replacement for Adam Ashley-Cooper, Drew Mitchell, hasn’t yet convinced that he’s mature enough for top level international rugby, even though he can excel in the lower grades. The All Blacks treat him as snack food, and he’s bound to be tested. On the other hand, it’s great to see Scott Staniforth (right) on the bench, who can take over if the kid gets trashed. If Mitchell stands up, watch for Knuckles to do the switch, giving Greegs an early shower in favour of Gits at 9 and Staniforth taking 12. This second-half re-orchestration of the backs has been sensational in its precious few outings to date.
Although the Welsh will be prepared to die on their pitch, the Wallabies will go in firm favourites and we’ve got good reason to be confident. All the players should be better for their Japan romp, where they looked the goods, and everything about the team seems in fine fettle. Perhaps just to annoy John O’Neil, Knuckles is even talking about staying on as coach! The stars look well set. Yet, like Rudd Labor, there can be no chicken counting. Until the job’s done, discipline is at a premium.
Go the Wallabies!
Crazy Eddie Watch #2: Dig this. Eddie “calculated that that scrums took up no more than eight minutes of playing time and so he would devote precisely eight minutes of training time to the set-piece.” What next? Eddie calculated that the players spent more time training than playing and so he would devote the games to training?
Update: A 32-20 win at Cardiff will do me, anytime! Good show Barnsey. Boy Wonder had a first-half blinder. Cliffy Palu also stood up. Much to be digested … later. The immediate takeaway: hurdle jumped.
Crazy Eddie Watch #3: From the Oz: “Connolly’s concession that Barnes’ current form hadn’t warranted selection earned him another media pilloring, but the sub-text clearly was that Barnes was left so confused and hesitant after constantly being tongue-lashed by Eddie Jones that he ended up showing nothing at all for the Queensland Reds. ‘He said he felt like he had been standing in a mud puddle at the Reds,’ said Connolly…”
Crazy Eddie Watch #4: From Tim Horan: “Before the tournament, former Wallabies and Queensland coach Eddie Jones questioned the durability of Australia’s forwards, in particular backrowers Rocky Elsom and Palu.”
[Sign the Bone Growden Petition.]
You are going out of your way to be cautious! Odds aren’t in yet but frankly everything points to our smashing them by five to eight tries.
And to them scoring 9 points or so. Mitchell gets a famously lucky break here because he doesn’t have to be test-ready to score a hatrick, and the Welsh wingers will be lucky if they see the ball.
If Wales are feeling confident they will try and play substantially like Argentina against France, but kicking longer and wider for Henson Williams Morgan Thomas etc to chase. With Latham to do the heavy lifting and Tuquiri, Larkham and Smith backing up the test for Wales will be how long they take before changing that tactic.
If they aren’t they will try and keep it tight – but this only really works if you can do the line-out thing as well, or if you can push 25 yards in tight and then spin it wide against a disjointed defensive line. None of which Wales are going to be able to do.
Which leaves run around desperately and get smashed – which they will.
PS – go the all-South semifinals! RSA v ARG; NZ v AUS!
Mind you, if France can beat NZ in the quarters, that would be even better than an all-South semis :)
In a fit of boredom the other night I flicked through and watched Wales I assume they were playing,the commentator was on about the shoulder and neck development,pity he did not look at there stomach development as well.
Fair Dinkum where do the Rugby Union find them,some of those blokes look like they should be propping up a bar,by the looks of some of them they have.
I mean you got admit the so call Rugby world cup is a joke,you will end up with the same old same old,by the way have the rateings in rugby heartlands beaten a club match for Rugby League yet,and I know on FOX which I have they are battleing to beat the Back Page
If you don’t like it, don’t watch it, dummy. The less the better, as the fans would then be able to watch it free to air on the ABC. If we can drive enough of the numnuts away, we might even be able to have games in the afternoon again. Bliss.
I guess we should strive to have as competitive a global competition as Rugby League!
Q: What do you call the League World Cup again?
A: State of Origin!
what does Greg say?
Bloody hell, this far out and Sheil’s post has me all fired up. Might have to hit submit and go for a run.
The boys are heading out of fairyland and into the redded heavy valley where Rugby is rooted a mile underground. We know they claim heaven as that and their Gods’ garb defined as boots.
How’s their scrum? If it’s competitive we have a game on, for they regard any ball they get from that as born from the belly of the beast, cleansed by their sweat and pumped with fire then readied by blood and blessed by bulging eyes to be delivered, pregnant with its own cherished possibility, to the channel one, two or three. Sitting there at the back, it holds destiny for a team of not fifteen players, but fifty thousand.
They’ll want to win, and the Aussies will feel that Cup contention for the first time. Unfortunately, Wales have also learned how to lose in more recent times and they could indeed get a pizzling.
Wales, too.
We’ve an exciting team. This little exodus into the valley will do us incredible good, as we break the gooly spell of la la France, win hard and well, and return with the inner goods to enter battle.
If Wales are to beat Oz then Wales will have to bring their A game and we will have to bring our D game. The thing is, like the Labor party, we’ve been known to do that quite a lot in recent years.
Oh, and Wales having the home ground advantage shouldn’t be sneered at. It’s good that the Australian pack sounds like they are relishing the chance to play at Millenium stadium though.
I’m certainly looking forward to it.
Any tips on SA vs England (I’ve been giving my English flatmates hell about coping a potential pounding on Friday night).
Any tips on SA vs England (Ive been giving my English flatmates hell about coping a potential pounding on Friday night).
A huge game for both teams. The Boks should be a shoe-in, but can we be confident that we really have the length of the northern hemisphere at this early point? The southern hemisphere has come into the tournament at its end of season peak; the northern hemisphere season is just starting. We’ll know after the weekend, for there’ll be no hiding in this one – nor ours.
While y’all buzzing round the telly Sat night in giddy anticipation and in a sports mood, why not switch over to SBS at 10 for the start of the Matildas v the powerhouse of Norway in the women’s World Cup. Catch a bit and have plenty of time for that other game. Go Matilads!
Amanda, absolutely. Second that. I ventured off to the Matildas in the real, that what they may be may be more attractive than the convoluted game they play, and like everyone in the crowd was heartened and thrilled by their spirit, style and.. yep.. the game they play.
If you want to be made to feel proud and wonderful, don’t miss the chance to see them live. A rare treat. Go Matildas!
That reminds me of one of my favorite throw-away lines – we could combat obesity and umpteen other social ills far more cost-effectively than anything else suggested just by funding rugby education in every school in the country :)
The welsh have been more than disappointing in the lead up and so far in the RWC.
The Wallabies should thump them.
Speaking of mungo-fans making fools of themselves when discussing Union .. I recall being at a Brumbies match many moons ago and a couple of clueless twats in front of me were waxing lyrical about how Wendall Sailor would run through all these clowns like they weren’t there if he played union.
Hah! Will he did. And we know how that turned out. Classic.
yea, damn shame you couldn’t have caught up with those boys later…seriously, had they ever see Tune decking Lomu time after time?
Odds are in and the keenest pricing is on Australia 13+. Sportsbet are paying $1.90 on it! But the international odds are more like $2.10 – $2.20, which suggests that Australians rate themselves ;)
The Pommies were appalling against the Boks. Woeful. Hopeless. Abysmal. Lost in space. They’ll be lucky to defeat Samoa.
Bad news for the Wallabies, with Bernie only rated a 50-50 chance of starting due to a knee injury at training. Can’t see Knuckles risking Barnes with a start in a big one like this. If Bernie doesn’t make it, I expect Boy Wonder to move to 10, and Staniforth to start at 12.
Update: Bernie looks a good chance. But if he doesn’t start, Knuckles is going with young Barnes. Hold on to your hats! Full story here.
Good God the poms were bad last night. That was one of the most dismal World Cup games I’ve ever watched. The English didn’t even get a sniff of a try.
Larkham is out and will also miss next week’s match against Fiji. He’s having exploratory surgery on Monday. Bugger.
Hopefully South Africa celebrate themselves out of contention. But how’s that Crazy Eddie Watch update? Some words were never meant to go together, in a sane world – that quote from Eddie is one of them. I would worry for him but I’m not sure how many footsteps there are between me and him, so I cannot divide this by the number of blue wren sightings to know how I really feel about it.
For those who haven’t caught it, an enjoyable read here about playing Wales in Cardiff.
Bernie’s injury is a tragedy. Can’t deal with it yet. Let’s await the news on the surgery … and meanwhile, get Kurtley on the plane pronto.
That’s a neat piece by Wayne Smith, Robert. Mark Ella is also worth a read, with a warning about Gareth Thomas and opening up the Tuqiri question.
By contrast, after a blessed Growden-free week, I bought the SMH today, Saturday being the sole exception to the rule. This column, one of Growden’s less exciteable, is still a sackable offence to all sports journalism. I mean, the lead is now as stale as old vomit, but check out the conclusion. What is wrong with this reasoning?
… Giteau at inside-centre is under-utilised as an alternative attacking option to Stirling Mortlock. There is no point cutting him out of the play.
This is an abomination by someone who describes himself as a “Chief Rugby Correspondent”. Growden is a complete idiot, as if we didn’t know that already. Gits gets cut out to get the ball more quickly to Mortlock, and potentially the wingers. That’s the “point”. It’s bleeding obvious. We all know what the “point” is, except poor Greg, who thinks that “there is no point”. It’s not flaming rocket-science, for godsakes. It’s bloody elementary.
When Growden grows up and begins to understand the game, he might try to discuss strategies, plays and tactics. He might then even work up to mounting an argument about the strengths and weaknesses of, say, the cut-out to Morts, and we might then even all have a useful discussion. First, however, Growden has to learn that there is in fact a “point” to the cut-out.
Someone have mercy and take the pen off this clown.
Who knows, Chris, there may come a time when bloggers play MSM in a friendly, when you can say a little hello to him personally.
For some preliminary mood:
Here’s Gareth Thomas in 1988 vs Boks, for comparison tonight.
Here is Wales during their peak, to my mind the greatest team in the world at the time, and ranking there of all time. No doubt Latham of Socks Down modelled himself, visually at least, on the master custodian, JPR Williams.
vs England 1977
vs England a year earlier. Check out Gareth Edward’s pass – a short one for him.
a quickie from 72.
And a compilation of Welsh tries, nine minutes of the very stuff the crowd will be remembering and feeling – as though yesterday – and wanting that spirit to descend on the park again, against the Australian Wallabies tonight our time.
(Just a note, obviously, about the clips above.. that’s a heavy leather ball they’re playing with. The modern ball is a delight, it can be passed and caught with ease one handed, and curved around players for long distances to hit their mark. The pig skin could also do this, but with more difficulty. Hard to think, really, that international players of today can so often bugger up the basics with suregrip, lighter pills).
One more? Pleasure. If only Gregan modelled his play on what you see here, and in not only the 76 but the 77 one above, and look for the reverse pass in the 9 minute compilation if the Gregan issue matters to you. Perhaps it’s worth bearing in mind that to do what Gareth does at home in the backyard, or at training – to have a go at it – is hard enough; he did it all under intense international pressure, a nation to win or lose. Why? To honour the forwards work, and service the backs for theirs.
Well Gareth sure got what was coming to him the pig. I’ve felt sorrier for All Blacks than I did for him!
NOt that he stopped Barnes kicking that drop-goal just minutes later – what a star Barnes is!
Ultimately that match highlighted the unfairness of playing in Wales – on a French ground (ie harder and dry) we would have put daylight between us and them in 30 minutes. And if the touch-judge didn’t see the knock-on for Wales second try then he probably shouldn’t be touch-judge (you wouldn’t believe who it was!).
I hope Mortlock’s all right – I reckon he is even more important than Larkham. Certainly, judging by the second half, we need at least one of them.
Finally, congratulations to Portugal and Georgia! Well done!
The first half set the base line. The worry was the third quarter, where we struggled with our concentration, yet again. The All Blacks specialise in big third quarters, which means we still have a way to go, and a lot to work on.
I would have given Gits man of the match, especially for recovering Tuqiri’s ball for his pass to Mitchell that led to Latham’s first try, but he had a big hand in all the first three.
Anyway, that’s the first Cup half over for us. Provided we can lift our approach to the third quarter, things look good for the Wallabies. Morts is only out for Fiji, and Bernie is talking about the possibility of being back for Canada, and certainly for the quarter-final – which is almost certainly going to be against Samoa. With Robinson gone, I reckon the Poms will struggle to beat Tonga.
This means our sequence is likely to be Samoa/All Blacks/Springboks – with the last depending on whether the French turn up. So far, so OK.
Anguish in France: http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2964469.ece
Berrick entered that stadium – the Aussies probably couldn’t hear themselves think – and showed glimpses of that electricity we want to see at fly half. He showed signs of internationally significant, long term potential. And cheers to Greegan for the good service.
The young bloke won’t leave himself so open (re Thomas) next time.
Lote must be going apeshit. The plays must be building up in his head..! I’d put him in the centres for a move or two.
A valuable match to win, good take out for the guys, yet they’d know now how much they have to lift – and hold that – for the All Blacks. The earlier parts of the first half showed we have what it takes to win this Cup, which I think is the main thing from the match.
Being pummelled by the Fijians won’t be fun, with injuries the danger. It’s a bit concerning.
except Mortlock is slower than a clapton riff
Geez I wish you could be Gareth Thomas for a certain few minutes of Saturday’s match.
When exactly did he get slow, btw? I assume it must have been in the last four years only – cause four years ago he outran half the all blacks, although that was probably not interesting enough a match for one of such refined tastes as yourself.
We shouldn’t have many injuries against the Fijians. Really these days the Wallabies are actually more likely to injure the Fijians just because they are that much better conditioned.
I’m sure you’re right there, Patrick. It’s just tournament jitters, thinking of the Fijian’s hard, loose style at this point in the progression. For a while there against Wales, the Australians rode that commanding rhythm that we used to know of them under Macqueen. We can conquer the world with that play, and it was brilliant to see it back again, albeit for I guess twenty minutes or so. The trajectory for us overall is that we are getting into the right space to win this, notwithstanding the loss of command during Wales in the second half, and injuries are a major stoppage to that continuing. Jitters aside, the Fijian match will be a good hit out before the biggie.
And didn’t our guts champion captain provide the perfect reply for his team, and the young Barnes, against the Thomas’ shot. Shower time.
Not to mention, although it was hard to catch on the television, as Thomas is holding his shoulder and thinking ‘where are we again?’, Rocky Elsom jogs past and claps him one across the back that must have echoed in his ribcage :)
Think of Fiji, Canada and whichever of Tonga and England progress as a good opportunity to run the reserves through some match-time and get the combinations ticking over. Playing Wales in our second match was really good for us, in fact – a game to get into it, a solid hit-out against a top-ten team, and now three games to get everything right and everyone pulling together for NZ or FRA.
Speaking of which, has anyone noticed that NZ have conceded more tries than RSA, AUS, FRA and ARG? I reckon France are a decent chance to repeat their 1999 heroics in the quarters (although it was the semis then). Ironically, that will see them, just like in 1999, fronting up to the Wallabies straight afterwards.
Here’s to history repeating :)
I was glad to see Tim Horan giving Palu high praise. It was Cliffy’s best game for the Wallabies to date for mine. Go, big guy.
I also savoured the way Wayne Smith finished his wrap-up:
Everyone at this tournament knows the Wallabies are coming, it’s just that the radar isn’t picking them up. They are winning well but not wantonly, doing enough but no more. It’s the time-honoured Australian way of walking away with the World Cup.
Yes, Palu seems to be relishing it over there. Very exciting to imagine what he might do. And here’s to him or Rocky getting a hat-trick just to keep those goods in the pack…why not let’s have some pointy heads getting their backs up!
In agreement there, Patrick. That is very interesting about New Zealand. Given they’re hot favourites, this image comes to mind.
not much of a mickey mouse world cup that a second rate Australian side can easily topple one of the European top nuts
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That was a yawn – silly wordpress.
Homer bags Micky Mouse in a clash of comic credibility.
Poido comes onside.
*Over in Montpellier, onlookers are astonished to see the Wallabies all suddenly grow an inch taller*
don’t you wish all Australia was watching it like they were last year!!!
Stay off the drugs Homer.