RWC 2011 The 3rd/4th place: Wales vs. Australia

[Jer1cho]

I really REALLY hope Wales can win this one. Nothing would please me more than for the Wallacheats to go home having lost 3 games in the tournament. This will probably be a far tighter game than the final in my opinion.

 

[RyotoTheDragon]

cmon the aussies!! will be cheering for you's

 

[Ostrayian]

I would like to see James O'Connor at flyhalf or inside. Not going to happen though. The best we can hope for is Barnes.

The Brand def needs a run after RWC at 12. he's wasted out on the wing imo and would like to see digby developed at 13.

 

[madflyhalf]

I hope for this Aussie side

Alexander
Moore
Slipper

(really can't understand why use Alexander 3 when he usually plays 1, and Slipper 1 when usually plays 3! try them in this combination)

Horwill
Sharpe (100th caps)

Higginbotham
Pocock
Samo

Genia
Barnes
Ioane
Horne
Ashley-Cooper
O'Connor
Beale

if Beale not fit yet QC at 15 or (similar to 2010 wallabies, from 10 to 15): Cooper, Ioane, Barnes, Horne, JOC, AAC

 

[lynam1104]

Coper ar FB can you imagine if he was your last line of defense on a counter attack?

 

[madflyhalf]

If you're the last line of defence in a counter attack, your task is not easy even if you're name is John Rambo and you have a M16 in your hands.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Doesn't cooper defend a lot at 15, during games, anyway?

 

[Draggs]

Wales: L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); G North (Scarlets), J Davies (Scarlets), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); J Hook (Perpignan), M Phillips (Bayonne); G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues, capt), H Bennett (Ospreys), P James (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Jones (Ospreys).
Replacements: L Burns (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Bevington (Ospreys), A-W Jones (Ospreys), A Powell (Sale Sharks), L Williams (Cardiff Blues), S Jones (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets).

Think Toby will do well at openside, but I don't think the number on his back will really change the way he plays. We need another massive effort from Dan and Luke, who have been exemplary.
Not sure why they have gone for Paul James at TH. I'd rather have a proper tighthead with James backing up. If the ref decides to not bother with scrummaging, I'd bring on Bevington and switch Geth to TH, might as well have two good runners if there is no point of competing in the scrums.

Hopefully Hook will shake off his game from last week. It would have been a tough call between him and Wellies, with both playing two of their worst games.

 

[lynam1104]

Doesn't cooper defend a lot at 15, during games, anyway?

Yes he dose, but its when theres slow ball and nobody is relying on him to tackle.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR][TD] Wales [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD]Australia[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Leigh Halfpenny [/TD][TD] 15 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] George North [/TD][TD] 14 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Jonathan Davies [/TD][TD] 13 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Jamie Roberts [/TD][TD] 12 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Shane Williams [/TD][TD] 11 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] James Hook [/TD][TD] 10 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Mike Phillips [/TD][TD] 9 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Ryan Jones [/TD][TD] 8 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Toby Faletau [/TD][TD] 7 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Dan Lydiate [/TD][TD] 6 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Luke Charteris [/TD][TD] 5 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Bradley Davies [/TD][TD] 4 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Paul James [/TD][TD] 3 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Huw Bennett [/TD][TD] 2 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Gethin Jenkins [/TD][TD] 1 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Lloyd Burns [/TD][TD] 16 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Ryan Bevington [/TD][TD] 17 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Alun Wyn Jones [/TD][TD] 18 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Andy Powell [/TD][TD] 19 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Lloyd Williams [/TD][TD] 20 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Stephen Jones [/TD][TD] 21 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Scott Williams [/TD][TD] 22 [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Darwin]

Looks like Australia have a number of injury problems for this match, with Vickermann, Kepu, Moore, and McCabe all ruled out, and Beale in doubt. Deans has even suggested that he may rest some top-line players to ensure little-used reserves get their chance. The team is due to be named in a few hours time so I suppose we will find out then.

Vickermann, Kepu, and Moore are all losses, but I feel McCabe will actually be the biggest lost of the four. He is certainly not the most creative player, but he does one thing incredible well..... tackle. In my mind he is the best defensive 12 in world rugby - not only does he make a pile of tackles, but he makes hard tackles, often driving the player back. I think he would have been the ideal player to neutralize the threat that Roberts (and Davies) pose. With him out Australia needs to choose between Faingaa and Barnes in the 12 jersey - Faingaa can tackle hard, but he does slip off a few tackles, and while Barnes is a solid tackler he will certainly be tested by the physical running of Roberts/Davies.

If I was picking Australia's 22 I'd go for:

Alexander
Polota-Nau
Slipper (Alexander at 1 and Slipper at 3 as madflyhalf suggests)
Horwill
Simmons
Higginbotham (I feel he deserves another chance at 6)
Pocock
McCalman (Samo hasn't done much since the Brisbance test... the long season may be taking its toll on the old man!)
Genia
Cooper
Ioane
A Faingaa
Ashley-Cooper
O'Connor
Beale (If still injured Turner to the wing, and O'Connor to fullback - I don't like the idea of moving AAC away from centre!)

Bench: S Faingaa, Ma'afu, Sharpe, Elsom, Burgess, Barnes, Turner

 

[Wally]

Australia (15-1)
Kurtley Beale; James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Digby Ioane; Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Ben McCalman, David Pocock, Scott Higginbotham; Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill (capt); Salesi Ma'afu, Tatafu Polota Nau, James Slipper
Replacements: Saia Fainga'a, Ben Alexander, Rob Simmons, Radike Samo, Luke Burgess, Anthony Fainga'a, Rob Horne

Two centres on the bench? Should have dropped Faingaa altogether in my opinion and put Turner on the bench.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Loving the Barnes/AAC midfield, it's the best Aus have put out in a while (since the last time these two took to the pitch together, probably)
Is Moore injured? The only two changes I would have made would be Moore in and Samo/McCalman switching places. Hopefully Higginbotham can step up, he's not shown his club form in a Wallabies shirt, and hasn't really been great in his starts (though did all right in his sub appearances, I think)

I'm more interested in watching this match than the final, to be honest, can't wait to see how it goes - Wales will have the upper hand in the scrum, no doubt, but with Warburton gone who knows what will happen come breakdown time
Both teams have a good set of backs, though I think that the Wallabies midfield is better (don't rate Davies in a Welsh shirt, think S.Williams should have started in his place for this match)
Hopefully Wales continue their great form, and Wallabies can step up, and we have a great game of rugby to watch

 

[Seaton]

The return of Higginbotham, what the Wallabies could have done with him throughout the tourney...

 

[Darwin]

Loving the Barnes/AAC midfield, it's the best Aus have put out in a while (since the last time these two took to the pitch together, probably)
Is Moore injured? The only two changes I would have made would be Moore in and Samo/McCalman switching places. Hopefully Higginbotham can step up, he's not shown his club form in a Wallabies shirt, and hasn't really been great in his starts (though did all right in his sub appearances, I think)

I'm more interested in watching this match than the final, to be honest, can't wait to see how it goes - Wales will have the upper hand in the scrum, no doubt, but with Warburton gone who knows what will happen come breakdown time
Both teams have a good set of backs, though I think that the Wallabies midfield is better (don't rate Davies in a Welsh shirt, think S.Williams should have started in his place for this match)
Hopefully Wales continue their great form, and Wallabies can step up, and we have a great game of rugby to watch

Moore is out with a knee injury

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR][TD] Wales [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD]Australia[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Leigh Halfpenny [/TD][TD] 15 [/TD][TD] Kurtley Beale [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] George North [/TD][TD] 14 [/TD][TD] James O'Connor [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Jonathan Davies [/TD][TD] 13 [/TD][TD] Adam Ashley-Cooper [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Jamie Roberts [/TD][TD] 12 [/TD][TD] Berrick Barnes [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Shane Williams [/TD][TD] 11 [/TD][TD] Digby Ioane [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] James Hook [/TD][TD] 10 [/TD][TD] Quade Cooper [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Mike Phillips [/TD][TD] 9 [/TD][TD] Will Genia [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Ryan Jones [/TD][TD] 8 [/TD][TD] Ben McCalman [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Toby Faletau [/TD][TD] 7 [/TD][TD] David Pocock [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Dan Lydiate [/TD][TD] 6 [/TD][TD] Scott Higginbotham [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Luke Charteris [/TD][TD] 5 [/TD][TD] Nathan Sharpe [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Bradley Davies [/TD][TD] 4 [/TD][TD] James Horwill [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Paul James [/TD][TD] 3 [/TD][TD] Salefi Ma'afu [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Huw Bennett [/TD][TD] 2 [/TD][TD] Tatafu Polota-Nau [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Gethin Jenkins [/TD][TD] 1 [/TD][TD] James Slipper [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][TD] [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Lloyd Burns [/TD][TD] 16 [/TD][TD] Saia Faingaa [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Ryan Bevington [/TD][TD] 17 [/TD][TD] Ben Alexander [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Alun Wyn Jones [/TD][TD] 18 [/TD][TD] Rob Simmons [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Andy Powell [/TD][TD] 19 [/TD][TD] Radike Samo [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Lloyd Williams [/TD][TD] 20 [/TD][TD] Luke Burgess [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Stephen Jones [/TD][TD] 21 [/TD][TD] Athony Faingaa [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD] Scott Williams [/TD][TD] 22 [/TD][TD] Robert Horne [/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Larksea]

good to see sharpe get 100, he should have played last week

 

[Rhyer]

Is there going to be a vBookie?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Yes, I was waiting for the odds to be announced by Bwin

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

vBookie consolation final

There is a vBookie now for the consolation final. Go ahead!!!