Wallabies v...those who stole this...
October 6th 2007 06:11
It's on for Young and Ol' Blighty...
1st Quarter Final
Saturday, 6 October 2007
3pm (local time) 11pm (AEST)
Marseille, France
Saturday, 6 October 2007
3pm (local time) 11pm (AEST)
Marseille, France
Telecast Times:
Live on Channel 10 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane from 10:00pm,
9:30pm in Adelaide and 8:00pm in Perth.
Replay on Sunday 7th October at 12:00pm in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Well...this is it. Sudden death. It's do or die. For England. God Save The Team. I'm sorry but I cannot and will not think any other way.
Mainly the front row....so I'm hoping Baxter replaces Dunning asap. Dunning will get penalised for dropping the scrum time and time again. He just does not have the strength nor the cunning to get away with it.
Happy with our Back row and although we will need Elsom, Smith and Palu for the whole 80minutes, am hopiong to see Hoiles come on at some time because he always makes a difference. He has incredible ball skills, pace, vision and agility and he is a very versatile and rare player, in that he can play Forward and Back.
Alas, that is also his curse and not just because Forwards should never play at being Backs!
Unlike most bench players, who know what positions they will most likely be covering, Hoiles has no idea until the moment he is called up to run on. Hoiles has said;
You just hope you go on as a forward...But you do feel as though you waste a bit of lineout tape around your legs if you run on at No.12 or on the wing.
Also very happy with our Backline...Mortlock is back, which is great because when he's on fire, he doesn't just break, he burns that line. Let's hope it's just the line he breaks and not another bone in his body.
Gits is on fire. No all he has to do to get me to respect him again is to go back to the Brumbies. Traitorous bastard. But damn he's good. Watch him...he will chew metres.
Not sure what Tuqiri will do...probably play everywhere else except his wing position then whinge afterwards that he didn't get the ball.
I have faith in Berrick but...he hasn't been tested so far. Playing as well as he has against Wales, Fiji and Canada proves nothing except that he's got the future skills to take over Larkhams' position at 10. Not as The Perfect 10.
Ashley-Cooper may get nervous but then he'll get mad. Then look out people...it's try time. As for Latham...knee operations? What knee operations? He has definitely pulled his socks up...although not literally! It must be his game play superstition.
The Wallabies haven't played badly throughout the tournament. I feel they haven't played as well as they should and I don't blame Larkham's absence for that.
They are taking too long to 'gel'. They cannot afford to give England (and certainly not the All Black's) any leeway.
The reigning world champions they may be but that was 4 years ago. I'm not convinced that England is a total threat. England's scrum and line-out is not to be pushed nor taken lightly but the The Wallabies are in no mood to be pushed around.
...and NO...I do not wish to discuss that player wearing the #10 jersey for England.
It has been an interesting lead up to this match with England throwing a lot of pun-ches and sledging, our way. The Wallabies have restrained themselves, saving their energy and wrath for on field.
As long as we don't concede penalities, keep them out of our half and beat the s**t out of that naff ponce's left boot...we'll be fine.
The Wallabies kick England's boot by 10-15.
Go ahead...quote me.
*****************
Key match-ups (as per Rugby Heaven)
Berrick Barnes (Australian five-eighth) v Jonny Wilkinson (England five-eighth)
Barnes has looked impressive in his rushed job to fill the boots of Stephen Larkham but the real test comes now.
His teenage idol Wilkinson is working his way back from injury but still isn't close to his vintage 2003 form. Their individual kicking games are crucial.
His teenage idol Wilkinson is working his way back from injury but still isn't close to his vintage 2003 form. Their individual kicking games are crucial.
George Smith (Australian openside flanker) v Lewis Moody (England openside flanker)
Nicknamed "Mad Dog" by his teammates for his no-holds-barred style of play, Moody - playing his milestone 50th Test - rates Smith alongside Richie McCaw as the two best No.7s in the world.
And, for England to compete, he will probably need to match the Wallabies vice-captain, who has arguably been the Wallabies' most consistent performer this campaign.
And, for England to compete, he will probably need to match the Wallabies vice-captain, who has arguably been the Wallabies' most consistent performer this campaign.
Guy Shepherdson (Australian tighthead prop) v Andrew Sheridan (England tighthead prop)
Still developing as a world-class front-rower, albeit quickly, Shepherdson faces his acid test against England's main man who destroyed the Wallabies scrum and almost ended the international careers of Matt Dunning and Al Baxter in the process at Twickenham on Australia's 2005 spring tour.
Stirling Mortlock (Australian outside centre) v Matthew Tait (England outside centre)
A master versus apprentice match-up if ever there was one, the vastly-experienced Mortlock has been in career form in 2007 and looms as the Wallabies' trump against a youngster who has yet to live up to his immense promise on the international stage.
*********************
Australia
Forwards:
1. Matt Dunning, 2. Stephen Moore, 3. Guy Shepherdson, 4.Nathan Sharpe, 5.Dan Vickerman, 6.Rocky Elsom, 7.George Smith, 8.Wycliff Palu
Backs:
9. George Gregan (vc), 10. Berrick Barnes, 11.Lote Tuqiri. 12. Matt Giteau, 13.Stirling Mortlock (c), 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper. 15.Chris Latham
Reserves:
16. Adam Freier, 17. Al Baxter. 18.Hugh McMeniman, 19. Stephen Hoiles, 20. Phil Waugh (vc), 21. Julian Huxley. 22. Drew Mitchell
England
Forwards:
1. Andrew Sheridan, 2. Mark Regan, 3. Phil Vickery (captain), 4. Simon Shaw, 5. Ben Kay, 6. Martin Corry, 7. Lewis Moody, 8. Nick Easter,
Backs:
9. Andy Gomarsall, 10. Jonny Wilkinson, 11. Josh Lewsey, 12. Mike Catt, 13. Mathew Tait, 14. Paul Sackey, 15. Jason Robinson.
Reserves:
16. George Chuter, 17. Matt Stevens, 18. Lawrence Dallaglio, 19. Joe Worsley, 20. Peter Richards, 21. Olly Barkley, 22. Dan Hipkiss.
Go
The
Wallabies!!....now please God...make Stephen all better...we have a semi coming up...
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Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
but seeing as I like the green and gold colours
(and I`d like to not be banned from your site)GO THE WALLABIES!!!!!!!!
I raise my red to your Corona - happy drinking, happy munching and HAPPY VIEWING
luffs n hugs
Ash
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
Damn, Skaifey's on the front row. GO SKAIFEY.
I'm writing this after the finish of the game and, even though I'm a little ... um ... the worse for drink ... I can ... say ... um ...
... go Skaifey?
Yay it's Bathurst weekend!!
Um ... sorry the W's lost.!?!
Big hugs and lots of love
A.xxxx
Comment by cleangreenneen
My condolences, but
"Well may you say "God Save The Team", because nothing can save the ARU."
I'm not a believer in Karma, and I think "The Secret" is bollocks, but it felt like the Wallabies had it coming.