Wallabies vs Japan

[The TRUTH]

Wallabies team to play Japan:

15.Chris Latham
14.Adam Ashley-Cooper
13.Stirling Mortlock (capt)
12.Matt Giteau
11.Lote Tuqiri
10.Stephen Larkham
9.George Gregan
8.Wycliff Palu
7.George Smith
6.Rocky Elsom
5.Dan Vickerman
4.Nathan Sharpe
3.Al Baxter
2.Stephen Moore
1.Matt Dunning

Replacements: Adam Freier, Guy Shepherdson, Hugh McMeniman, Stephen Hoiles, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Mark Gerrard.

Japan team to play Australia:

(TBA)

The Wallabies kick off there WC campaign with what should be a relatively easy match against Japan at the Stade Gerland in Lyon.

So, considering Knuckles has selected a close to a full strength starting XV, what kind of scoreline should we expect for this match?.... would anything less than a 50 point win be considered a failure in your eyes?.

 

[An Tarbh]

Well Australia tend to be fairly ruthless with the minnows when it comes to the world cup so I'd expect more of the same in Lyon, anything from 60 at a canter to possibly 80 or 90, I don't see that as an unreasonable expectation.

 

[BokMagic]

I`d have to agree with that- Japan might be very energetic and have an incredibly detailed plan A- but you just can`t play this game without the ball. And if Japan gets even 25% possession in this game, I`d be pleasantly surprised. Wallabies should win it by 80+.

 

[The TRUTH]

I was pretty impressed with some of their play in the PNC - they beat the Tongans and gave Samoa 'n' Fiji a bit of a fright. However, they do seem out of their depth against well drilled sides - the Jnr AB's put 50 on them and Aussie 'A' did 'em by over 60.



$1.55 for the 50+ win looks like a good bet.

 

[RC]

Yeah, there's a definite trouncing on the cards here.
I'm not sure how many points the Jap's will put on the Wallabies, but i full expect the boys in gold to hit the half century mark easily and then add a few more tries to that total by the end of the game.

 

[Fushitsusha]

Australia will probably get off to a slow start in the first 20mins of the first half and then start piling on the points.

I'd expect Connolly to make massive changes early in the second half with key players like Larkham and Latham to come off early.

I'm surprised Staniforth isn't on the bench, but I'd also expect Mortlock to come off early and Ashley-Cooper to slot into outside centre where he'll probably palm off half of the Japanese team to score a try.

 

[Juggernaut]

Add to that Japan has named a fairly inexperienced 10 to come up against Larkham. He's only got 4 caps to his name.



Wallabies by 40.

 

[aussie1st]

It's all about handling. If the Wallabies can hang on to the passes it'll be a blow out if not could be less than 50.

 

[Hamster]

Japans best player is out for the game which f***s up there chances a lot.

 

[Haj]

It's all about handling. If the Wallabies can hang on to the passes it'll be a blow out if not could be less than 50. [/b]

What he said.

Japan were impressive at times during the pacific nations if anyone watched on ABC2

 

[RC]

Bloody hell, just finished watching All Blacks game and it's straight onto this game now.
Rugby non-stop - i fecking love it!

 

[Hinch]

Bloody hell, just finished watching All Blacks game and it's straight onto this game now.
Rugby non-stop - i fecking love it!
[/b]

And a quick breather before England. Three games in a row, what a great day.

And man, you have to admire the Japanese team. They love to run.

 

[AllezWasps]

Good start by Japan, few good runs and at one point was against the last defender.

Aus penality, Mortlock to take.

Aus 3 Jap 0

 

[Prestwick]

Truly an awesome day to watch rugby.

And blimey, Japan are playing pretty well...well...better than Italy against New Zealand in the first twenty minutes though. Excellent running from deep there to turn things on its head. Noticed the Aussies trying to bully and intimidate the Japs at every opportunity. The brutes.

EDIT: Oh bugger. They got Andy Nichol as 2nd commentator for this game.

Nichol> "You know, what Japan needs is Matt Williams...
ITV Commentator> "Shut up..."

 

[Hinch]

Noticed the Aussies trying to bully and intimidate the Japs at every opportunity. The brutes.
[/b]

It's an interesting contrast of styles, when ball running.

The Japanese are employing the 'dart, evade. accelerate and dive.'

The Aussies have gone with the less subtle but eye pleasing "why run round them, when we can run through them?"

Loving the Japanese so far. They won't lie down.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

dont be surprised to see a japanese try today. They're looking pretty composed.

 

[AllezWasps]

Second penalty, 6-0

 

[Prestwick]

dont be surprised to see a japanese try today. They're looking pretty composed. [/b]

They are! Kirwan has worked wonders with this Japan team. I think he'll want to try and get Japan bulked up in the next four years so they can compete in 2011. The problem is that they're just too small to compete at the breakdown so they'll get pinged allot I think.

 

[RC]

Very impressed with the way the blossoms composed themselves in the first half.
Very disciplined, looked dangerous with ball in hand, adventerous and quite stable in defence.
Of course the ozzies deserve to be in the lead, but they don't deserve to be any further ahead than they already are. The commentator said the ozzies have at last settled in to the game, but if that's the ozzies settled then they need to work on their game.
All round their game has been quite sloppy.
And Mortlock is either a **** kicker or an abover average kicker: today he's ****.

 

[Haj]

LoL.....wallaby scrum cant even get it right against japan!! Hahahaha!!

Al %#!* Baxter!