Pool A - Australia, England, Wales, Fiji, Uruguay

[the big bambino]

Press is talking up Quade Cooper here. All respect to Uruguay but you'd think whatever Cooper achieved would be tempered by the quality of the opposition. With that in mind the only thing relevant from his game was his sin binning. It reinforces that Cooper will far more often pull a boner that loses a game than the magic that wins one. With that in mind and the fact we need a more reliable goal kicker I'd go with a more conservative option at five eighth and trust we have a better chance of producing something unexpected and good relying on match winners out wider.

 

[ripper868]

Did you watch the match v Uruguay? Cooper was very very good in general play, his yellow card was the softest I've seen, and will hopefully be overturned. Kicking 5/11 isn't great, but Cooper has never been a sharpshooter, even less of one when 9 (from memory) of the kicks were from the sideline. I do think we'll go with Foley for the big matches, but just feel cooper cops way more **** then he should be.

If we want to criticise someone for only achieving v minnow teams, have a look at Drew Mitchell's try scoring record. The highest ranked team he has scored against at a RWC is Fiji.

 

[Hurricane]

I didn't watch the match but have firm opinions about Cooper. He has been at times the best Super Rugby 1st 5 travelling better than Dan Carter and his Saffer counterparts. If Quade Cooper believes he is good enough to take you apart then he will. He tends to get rushed and pressed for time a little bit by some of the top test teams. That shouldn't be enough to stop him - but for some reason it affects his self belief hence he has a patchy record against the top 2-3 teams in the world. By patchy I mean just that. Some days he looks very very good and like he belongs as Australia's number 1 stand off and in other matches he gets off to a bad start and he gets on a roll of poor decision making.
Foley is not as talented as Quade but seems to be more consistent. I would start him in all the big matches and let some of your other men do the play making. Foley won't make mistakes, and that might just be enough to see Australia through this pool.

I have tipped Wales to beat Australia but that was before the latest round of injuries. Should be a helter skelter match when they meet, And the England Australia match should also be compelling viewing.

Group A has surpassed all my expectations so far.

 

[ripper868]

Tom Wood let off with a warning...I wonder if it was Quade Cooper who 'accidentally' kicked Liam Williams into concussion if the outcome would have been the same.

 

[social]

Australia have suffered a couple of injuries

Should've delayed naming replacements until after the league GF and paid Thurston whatever it took to fly in

 

[social]

Tom Wood let off with a warning...I wonder if it was Quade Cooper who 'accidentally' kicked Liam Williams into concussion if the outcome would have been the same.

Good news for Oz as Wood is ****

 

[dermo]

Everyone is aware that Quade Cooper has the ability to do things Foley can't but he's also far more likely to do things foley won't. No doubt at the top of his game he's our best 10 but he's yet to really bring his best to a high pressure international so with that in mind he really can't be picked.

agree with ripper though he definitely cops way more **** than he deserves

also not sure what fuller pitch is on about claiming nz's 3 reserve flankers are the equivalent of Pocock and Hooper

 

[dermo]

Rugby World Cup: New campaign time #ScrumStraightJoe | The Roar

 

[Hurricane]

Everyone is aware that Quade Cooper has the ability to do things Foley can't but he's also far more likely to do things foley won't. No doubt at the top of his game he's our best 10 but he's yet to really bring his best to a high pressure international so with that in mind he really can't be picked.

agree with ripper though he definitely cops way more **** than he deserves

also not sure what fuller pitch is on about claiming nz's 3 reserve flankers are the equivalent of Pocock and Hooper

Agree with all of this. Especially the last sentence. Perhaps Fuller Pinch meant something else.

 

[social]

Dreaming

As a pilferer, Pocock is arguably the best ever

Hooper has different skills but is an amazing footballer

McGrath and Gill would make virtually every test team

Little doubt that Oz have 4/5 best 7s in world rugby

It's the rest of our team that is the worry

 

[dermo]

Dreaming

As a pilferer, Pocock is arguably the best ever

Hooper has different skills but is an amazing footballer

McGrath and Gill would make virtually every test team

Little doubt that Oz have 4/5 best 7s in world rugby

It's the rest of our team that is the worry

surprised your so negative about our chances, think we've put together quite a good team personally

 

[Spark]

Yeah it looks decent to me. The perennial worry is that the front row will fold like a sponge in an important match for the 2988248th time, but it seems to be alright (or, at least, not hopelessly outmatched in the group on current performances). Really enjoying seeing Giteau again.

 

[social]

surprised your so negative about our chances, think we've put together quite a good team personally

On paper, we should beat England comfortably and have a great chance to win the whole thing

However, glaring deficiencies in the lineout, five-eighth and with goal kicking could just as easily see us lose on Saturday and eliminated from the group

 

[dermo]

the lineout was only really poor against fiji when simmons went off, who is a very good line out general.

agree with you that the halves could certainly be better, but i think they'll do the job.

 

[Hurricane]

WALLABIES v ENGLAND​

1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore (captain)
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Rob Simmons
5. Kane Douglas
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hoopah
8. David Pocock
9. Will Genia
10. Bernard Foley
11. Rob Horne
12. Matt Giteau
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
15. Israel Folau

Bench (two to be omitted): Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Toby Smith, Sam Carter, Dean Mumm, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale

Would have Slipper starting. Apart from that it is their best team.

If Sean McMahon plays more than 10 minutes Australia lose.

 

[ripper868]

Like the 15 that's been named. Also like that Cheika is waiting to name the bench
Sio Moore Kepu
Douglas Simmons
Fardy Pocock Hooper
Genia
Foley, Giteau, Kuridrani
Horne, Folau, Ashley Cooper

No Cooper but think there is enough in that backline to cause some trouble, while also containg Brown/Watson/Jospeh. though i do think Joseph may surprise most Aussies.

 

[hendrix]

Kuridrani is an underrated player.

 

[Hurricane]

Kuridrani is an underrated player.

He was a revelation against us in his first few tests and provided real go forward from 3rd phase ball. Some believe he has been out of form of late.

 

[Hurricane]

Some fan speculation that cheika may only have two backs on the bench. Wants to have plenty of fresh legs up front for what he sees as a real battle between the packs.

 

[dermo]

Kuridrani was just about a best back a little while ago, though his form has dropped off a little he's certainly still our most dangerous player after Folau

Hurricane do you not rate McMahon? He's arguably the equal if not better than the english backrow, just about the most damaging ball running forward in Australia