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Given the multitude of public (some may argue "disgruntled") naysayers and the odd Eddie-optimist, the Wallabies go into the RWC being ranked anywhere from a basket case to a roughy for the title.
So, given the climate coming into the Tournament, what would you adjudged the campaign to be a success?
Given the majority of the media seem to think they may not even make it out of the Pools, does that make a QF appearance a success?
It's a question that needs to be asked pre kick off as in retrospect everyone will forget the base camp assessment and say they could have done better.
To be clear, the conversation and your vote is for what is a pass mark, not what they "might" achieve.
Last edited by Burgs; 01-09-23 at 15:53.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
I'm at semi final loss. Quietly confident we can get past the pool stage and would be disappointed if we didn't deal with England in a quarter. Argentina would be tougher but on the evidence of the France match I think we have the set piece to match them as well, particularly if Slipper comes good. We'll know more about that after the dockyard brawl against Georgia.
Any better than that would be a bonus for a squad on the rebuild.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Pass mark won't the quarter final.
Despite all the bullshit being thrown around our pool consts of teams ranked no higher than 8th (I think, too lazy to check) so exciting the pool is an absolute expectation. Therefore they haven't done anything meaningful unless they make the quarters, so winning it has to be the pass mark.
What will they do? I mean it could be anything. They certainly have shown patches of ability and if everything falls into place I can see some justification for the statements that they could do anything however they have NO momentum and I think that is needed.
I expect one hiccup in the pool games, hopefully Fiji because it's early enough to correct and put a game together for Wales. That might end up with us getting a tougher quarter so playing it safe I'm going to push for qf loss, Eddie still somehow spins it so he's the saviour of Australian rugby because he's decided to start a rebuild 5 games out of rwc.
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Unless there have been moves in the IRB ranking in the past week (which is possible) our pool contains both the lowest highest ranked team (Fiji, 7th) and the highest lowest ranked team (Portugal, 16th). Australia, Wales and Georgia are 9th, 10th & 11th respectively.
So being beaten by Fiji technically isn't a hiccup, it's going to form. And while we have a good record against Wales historically, neither side are putting consistent, 80-minute games together against anyone.
Being beaten by Georgia might be considered a hiccup, but 15 of their side play for the one professional Georgian team (Black Lions, who play in the European Super Rugby Cup, and seem to play in the Currie Cup, too!) and the rest play for French sides (mix of Top 14 and D2). They shouldn't be underestimated.
So with four, fairly evenly matched sides, and a Portuguese side who might be smelling an upset, Australia *should* get out of Pool C, but I wouldn't be that surprised if we don't.
Put it this way, I won't be taking any Australian gear to the QFs; I'll be sporting my Force gear instead!
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Based on form I would say quarter final would be pass mark but because of our favourable draw a pass mark is semi finals