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Here comes the big one. The pool decider. We were always going to beat Italy despite the worrying half time score. It was the way that we steamrolled the Italians in the second half that has set a tone for how we can crack on against the Irish. This one is shaping to be the match of the weekend with two teams chock full of exciting backs and two sets of forwards who pack a fair bit of grunt.
How are they travelling?
The Wallabies made it three consecutive test victories, away from home no less, with their second half demolition of Italy. Italy almost never looked like scoring until of course the final few minutes where key players had been subbed off and the game was beyond doubt. You have to give credit to the Wallabies for their mental strength in keeping their try-line unbreached as the Italians came despairingly close a couple of times. Where the All Blacks faded against Tonga to let in a late try, the Wallabies have found some steel and we’ll all be hoping they can bring it into play against Ireland.
Ireland have not been having such a swell time of it. Their win over the USA was hardly inspiring. You might say the luck of the Irish didn’t make it through quarantine (or was stolen from their bags when they did a stopover in Johannesburg) but then again they weren’t that crash hot in their warm-up matches either. Losses to England (home), Scotland (away) and twice to France (home and away) in the build up brings back memories of their woeful RWC 2007 campaign that saw them bungled out in the pool stages and almost lose to Georgia. So what is up with the Irish? This is dangerous really. Ireland aren’t a team likely to play a handful of bad games in a row little own 6. For all their bad form recently, I think the Irish will come out all guns blazing for a cracker of a match.
How they will win it…
Ireland are one of those few teams who have danger men across the park, particularly in their backline. They may not have the talent of the Wallabies but neither do they have the potential Achilles heels of the likes of Quade Cooper (tackling and decision making), Kurtley Beale (silly chip-kicks) or James O’Connor (goal-kicking). With forward dominance the Irish backs are more than capable of making it a tough night at the office for the Wallabies. This is something the Australians may find difficult as there is a distinct lack of leadership outside of Will Genia in the Wallaby backline. But they will need their forwards to do the hard work, which to be fair they are more than able to. The Irish back five is particularly menacing with a potent mix of experience, power, skill and aggression. You get the impression that Paul O’Connell wasn’t hugged enough as a child. And probably only ever got a potato at Christmas time. So that’s where it is: Make sure the scrum holds up, bash bash bash at the breakdown, make an absolute nuisance of yourselves whenever the Wallabies have the pill and spin it wide to the likes of O’Driscoll, Kearney and Bowe to put the icing on the cake. Ohh and hope that it rains.
Australia will like their chances against Ireland despite the two teams having quite a lot in common. Ireland are one of the few teams in the world where we can claim a scrum advantage. The advantage is probably extended as Ireland are without veteran John Hayes, although they did scrummage very well against the USA. They also appear to be opting against having a recognised openside flanker and in going with the trio of Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip. They will make a great partnership if the game stays tight and the Wallabies’ defence doesn’t hold up, but there is also great potential for David Pocock to make it a miserable night for the Irish. Man for man the two back fives are hard to separate, however the scrum advantage and the quality of the Wallaby bench should see a gold advantage. That being the case, the backs then just have to do what they do best. The Irish haven’t had a lot of experience playing against Quade Cooper and no doubt he can have them at 6s and 7s with some of the little gems in his bag of tricks. Just so long as he doesn’t do anything really, really stupid.
Players to watch out for…
Sean O’Brien is a danger man in the Irish backrow. He may not be a renowned ball scavenger like David Pocock, but what he lacks in finesse he makes up for with power in the counter-ruck. Expect him to force a few turnovers in this way if the Wallabies get complacent. O’Brien, who is in much the same mould as South Africa’s Pierre Spies, is also a devastating ball runner, an option in the line-out, and a ferocious tackler. He will be a big danger man around the fringes and will need to be shut down quickly before he can build up Ireland a head of steam.
James O’Connor has served his punishment for being a jackass and has re-earned a starting spot courtesy of a fine performance in the second half against Italy and an injured Digby Ioane. It is definitely handy having O’Connor back because, despite the odd case of a bad day at the kicking office, he still presents a better goal kicking option than Quade Cooper. He will be eager to atone for missing the team announcement and hopefully that will translate into a good points haul. The zip that he adds to the Wallaby backline can’t be underestimated either with the youngsters deft ball handling and elusive running acting as a good foil for the powerful running and tackling of the likes of Ashley-Cooper, Fainga’a and McCabe.
The Prediction
Tough one to call. You’d have to bank on the Wallabies here. We have been in fine form and the team isn’t likely to take their eyes off the ball in this one. Ireland certainly have the potential to win it but will have to play a few gears higher than they have for the last few matches. Expect a pretty tight first half with about a three point different leading into half time only for the Wallabies to edge ahead in the second half and let in a late Irish resurgence once the game is beyond doubt. Wallabies by 8.
The Teams:
IRELAND
15 - Rob Kearney
14 - Tommy Bowe
13 - Brian O'Driscoll
12 - Gordon D'Arcy
11 - Keith Earls
10 - Jonathan Sexton
9 - Eoin Reddan
1 - Cian Healy
2 - Rory Best
3 - Mike Ross
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan
5 - Paul O'Connell
6 - Stephen Ferris
7 - Sean O'Brien
8 - Jamie Heaslip
16 - Jerry Flannery
17 - Tom Court
18 - Donnacha Ryan
19 - Denis Leamy
20 - Conor Murray
21 - Ronan O'Gara
22 - Andrew Trimble
WALLABIES
15 - Kurtley Beale
14 - James O'Connor
13 - Anthony Fainga'a
12 - Pat McCabe
11 - Adam Ashley-Cooper
10 - Quade Cooper
9 - Will Genia
1 - Sekope Kepu
2 - Stephen Moore
3 - Ben Alexander
4 - Dan Vickerman
5 - James Horwill
6 - Rocky Elsom
7 - David Pocock
8 - Radike Samo
16 - Tatafu Polota Nau
17 - James Slipper
18 - Rob Simmons
19 - Ben McCalman
20 - Scott Higginbotham
21 - Luke Burgess
22 - Drew Mitchell
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Originally Posted by brokendown gunfighter
its been pretty wet...
