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BERRICK Barnes' chances of holding on to a starting spot for the Wallabies' quarter-final appear to be fading, with the Australian camp talking up a huge physical battle with the Springboks and a rainy slog forecast for Wellington.
Both factors could nudge returning No.12 Pat McCabe in front at the selection table, with coach Robbie Deans leaning towards deploying the hard-running, direct centre to deal with a huge South African centre pairing of Jean De Villiers and Jaque Fourie.
The Wallabies arrived in Wellington yesterday to prepare for the sudden-death playoff, buoyant with news that all players bar Rob Horne were available - including back-three stars Digby Ioane and Kurtley Beale.
The make-up of the midfield shapes as the main point of interest this week, however.
Barnes impressed at inside centre in the Wallabies' victory over Russia, adding another effective playmaking element and helping Quade Cooper control the game.
But McCabe - who missed the game with a shoulder injury - was the man who started in the Wallabies' Tri-Nations victories over the Springboks in Durban and the All Blacks in Brisbane and his style of game could be what Deans turns to for a war of gainline attrition on Sunday.
Wallabies coaching co-ordinator David Nucifora said yesterday they had taken note of the huge physical fight Samoa had launched at the Boks - and said it was a World Cup trend.
"All the games have showed that. The Welsh game, the Irish game last night - physicality that's come in at all the contact points; it's gone up a couple of steps," he said.
"You have to be in it if you are going to win it, so you really have to take teams on in that part of the game."
Injury to the Springboks' gun No.12 Frans Steyn is a boost for the Wallabies in removing his long-range penalty and drop-goal kicking but DeVilliers is a big, experienced centre with 71 Test caps.
Strong defence will be required, with the 30-year-old weighing 103kg and Fourie another handful at 105kg.
Both are 1.9m tall.
Nucifora said the physical battle - and the likely prospect of a wet weather game - would be factors in selection.
McCabe and Anthony Faingaa are seen as a tough-tackling pair but Barnes' fans argue the Waratah is no slouch in defence either, and his composure and creativity may be exactly what is required to help Cooper outsmart the Boks.
Flanker David Pocock said the Wallabies' unavoidable path to victory was muscling up in the forwards.
"They are a big physical team," he said. "They've got Schalk Burger back and he adds a bit more. It is definitely going to be an area where if you want to do well and beat the Springboks, you have to meet their physicality - there is no way around it."
Nucifora said it was also crucial to perform well in the set-piece against the big Springbok forwards.
"It's an area where you have to make sure you are really efficient," he said.
"They will try to strangle you through the set-piece."
http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rug...-1226157522983
If old Patty is in the run on team we will lose. Not only does Barnes give us more in every facet of the game but it’s what he bring to the rest of the team. QC looked so free out there with BB on the field where he didn’t need to produce magic every time he got the ball. Look at what Ireland did to McCabe every time he got the ball held him up and bang turnover, what do you think the big bokkes forwards will do? This is a massive joke the bloke shouldn’t even be in the squad let alone the match day 22 and god help us if he is in the 15!
Could not agree more, how is a bloke with a doidgy shoulder going to take them on. Barnes must start. Hard to believe last year we were debating which of Cooper, Giteau and Barnes would have to give way to the others, now Giteau is totally out of the picture and Barnes in the same position as Sharpie, asking what the hell he has done wrong to keep being ignored.![]()
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
The biggest challenge for us is nullifying broussow. He is one of a few of their players that has been missing in our last 2wins and hes been huge for
them in the WC
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It will be an absolute joke if he doesnt pick Barnes. Robbie seems like the only person in Aus that thinks McCabe should be starting.
Surely if it is going to be raining then Barnes's tactical kicking could be a benefit as well as the possibility of drop goals?
The forecast that I saw for Wellington on Sunday looked pretty clear.
You DO NOT blood players in a world cup!
Play the boys who have been there all along and the rest of the team knows EVERY aspect of their game!
Barnes to start!!! As well as sharpie
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Typical Deans - what is he doing?? McCabe whilst a fine player is so bleeding predictable. The Saafas will have him for breakfast.
Don't tell me, let me guess, this article was written by Bret Harris
C'mon the![]()
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We'll....that's a surprise, Ian Payten also seems to push players as the best in the world for the sole reason that they ay for the Brumbies.....go figure!
C'mon the![]()
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McCabe is a plodder. He isn't a 12 and has been manufactured by the slow witted, slow talking Deans.
It's just dumb
Barnes is a really good player who can slot into 10 and distribute well. He has a great kicking game. He is a very smart runner of the football as well with great acceleratioon and stepping. He is very good at organising a backline and putting runners into holes.
Barnes as an ex leaguey tackles well.......mungo style.
According to "The RugbyClub" the inside word is that they don't like Barnes because they feel he is a defensive weakness.
Well, Mccabe brings us fark all. Ireland showed how to beat us by smashing the predictable McCabe behind the ad line and flooding the breakdown. He also has shite body height and was held up off the ground quite a few times against the Micks.
McCabe is toilet
Deans is a dunderhead
The fleet footed backs can be very useful in the wet.
It's a shame McCabe's injury wasn't more serious so that Deans would stop farking picking him
Controversy corner
I don't agree with the basic principle of the piece: "It's going to be wet so we need big runners".
No, if it's going to be wet you need good ball skills and good passers. Passing the ball is easy when it's dry; when it's wet you need good hand - McCabe hasn't got those. Also, if it's heavy going underfoot, then let the ball do the work - pass it round and make the defence run to cover.
Oh well there is always 2015....... with Deans still in charge??? hmm