Group A: Australia vs Wales Kickoff: 4:45pm Sat 10th Oct

TheGoldenAges

The Teams
Australia


Wales


Where things stand
It's the penultimate battle of Group A; The Group of Death! Australia and Wales coming into this in a winner takes all where the winner will avoid a Quarter Final match up against South Africa in favour of a matchup against Scotland or Japan. After England became the first hosts in the history of the tournament to go out at the group stage both sides have taken significant scalps albeit Australia the more impressive team in their win. Wales also haven't beaten Australia since 2008 so a significant psychological barrier will also need to be overcome.

The Teams
Folau is the major injury concern on the Wallabies side, although named in the team he didn't train today (Friday) but they remain confident he'll be fit to start. Elsewhere, after Hooper was suspended for rucking without binding last week, he's replaced by Sean McMahon who is another groundhog like Hooper who alleviates some concerns that the Green and Gold would miss Hooper Dearly.



With Wales still depleted due to injuries sustained before and during the tournament, they make six changes to the team who won a hard fought game versus Fiji over a week ago including a first start for Gareth Anscrombe at full back. What a first test match to make your debut there. Elsewhere, Samson Lee and James come into the front row, Charteris starts in the second row and George North joins Jamie Roberts in the centres.

Predictions
Based on their respective wins against England and the fact Australia have had Wales' number in the past few years, anything less than a win for the Wallabies is unseeable for me at least. A little like the England game, Wales just need to stay in it as long as possible, let Biggar kick his goals and hope that's enough. The battle of the respective backrows will be relishing, with probably the best backrows in the world on the ground; Warburton and Pocock in battle.

Fun Fact: In their last 3 meetings, it has taken a late score (74th minute, 78th minute & 79th minute) to win the game for Australia.

Australia 27 - 17 Wales

Photo Credits: Rugby World Cup twitter account and Sydney Stars Rugby

stephen_n

Nice write up, can't see beyond Australia in this one. The injuries are going to be an issue at this stage, Wales are still a good team and the break down contest will be fascinating but just think Australia will have too much for them.

matthew8

Samson Lee should strengthen the Welsh scrum. I like the look of the backs Wales have named, their big weakness against Fiji was the high ball, it seemed like they didn't win a single contest in the air. Liam Williams should strengthen them there, I don't know much about Anscombe's aerial ability but Cuthbert should be very vulnerable there again. Wales haven't beaten Australia in a while but they've run them very close the last 8 times and will really come into this game feeling very confident and with a good attitude, that they have everything to gain but nothing to lose.

Losty Dublin

Of all the teams I've seen in RWC 2015 the Australia have looked most like World Cup winners, and yet they still have plenty left in the tank. I'm going to do with a 31-21 win though IMO the Aussies are capable of putting far far more on Wales than this.

corny

Warburton is normally crazy tough at the breakdown is these games. He won't get as many flashy turnovers as Pocock but imo he's capable of being just as influential. England broke the line against the Aussies numerous times but paid for not having a man good enough to protect possession. Warburton can do that. The image of him isolated but single handedly protecting possession while being bashed for the Lions comes to mind. If Wales can indeed get through phases they might just put up a score.

For Australia? James and Lee are certainly Wales' best options in the scrum but i have my doubts they'll survive. Australia should be able to set a game winning platform from the scrum.

Should be a cracker. Logic dictates an Australia win but i'm gonna go for Wales by 2.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Australia's schedule fell out the best of the top 3 teams in this pool. They were able to split their team in two for the first two games, then put their strongest team out to face England having been well rested beforehand. By the time they've come to face Wales they've already qualified and obviously they'll want to win but it takes the pressure off. Wales are at the opposite end of the spectrum. They've just about got a starting 15 and have had to play most of them for every game. They were wrecked against Fiji and although they've had a longer time to recover for Australia I just think their spirit won't be enough to get them over the line here.

irishbucsfan

The battle between Warburton and Pocock will be immense. Worth the admission fee alone. If anyone in the Northern Hemisphere can keep Pocock off the ball it's Warburton.

RedemptionZ

Reckon we'd take the aussies tbh, once we avoid NZ I think we're in with a fair chance. Australia should have this though given Wales' lack of a squad. Fatigue has got to start playing a part now.

noway12345

Of what I've seen of McMahon, he offers a lot. Different than Hooper but a very good player.

efb

Wales! Wales Wales! 🌾🐲

Narcissus

Dammit BOD don't close the top button :pac:

cameramonkey

wales, no scrum or lineout, the Australians by 15+.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Fair amount of gold in the crowd there.

Celly Smunt

Well here it is, the game that was set up for England in Twickenham while they play up north for nothing.


Australia by 10.

efb

The winners do deserve a break after this pool, I wonder will Scotland put out a weakened side like they did against RSA

ThisRegard

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Fair amount of gold in the crowd there.

Elizabeth Duke or the expensive stuff?

Stheno

This should be a good game.

Keith Woods is backing the Welsh!

total former

Celly Smunt wrote: »

Well here it is, the game that was set up for England in Twickenham while they play up north for nothing.

What?

irishbucsfan

total former wrote: »

What?

I don't get it either!

efb

Went for a Welsh double tonight!



€1 😜😂

efb

ThisRegard wrote: »

Elizabeth Duke or the expensive stuff?

Fosters, so it's Amber!!!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Are we #TeamEurope for this? Or do we not really care either way?

aimee1

Joubert

efb

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Are we #TeamEurope for this? Or do we not really care either way?

Wales! Cymru

nehe milner skudder

tipuric with a lydiate special to start the game

total former

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Are we #TeamEurope for this? Or do we not really care either way?

Yeah I am anyway. Would love to see Wales win.

awec

Held up.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Shambles there.

Not sure he touched it down though?

efb

Well I'm over next weekend, might as well support my hosts...

Held up!

thomond2006

Not sure if the kick was the right option from Anscombe.

nehe milner skudder

i love the slow mo of north being held up there. aussie player ,number 5 i think, just bridges over the ball to give the perception that he is jackling it. an athletic thespian.

Stheno

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I don't get it either!

Me either.

total former wrote: »

Yeah I am anyway. Would love to see Wales win.

team europe here also if we win our qf, are we meeting the winner of whoever plays scotland?

Ed The Equalizer

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Are we #TeamEurope for this? Or do we not really care either way?

Wales!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I don't really mind who wins I just want Biggar and Pocock to rack up the Fantasy points

Stheno

Was that australian fifteen not illegal with the arm around the welsh 6 in the maul?

Stheno

Wales winning in the scrum so far.

Flipper22

total former wrote: »

What?

Presumably saying that England would know exactly what they needed against Uruguay if it had come to points difference.

case885

North seemed in trouble there.

captbarnacles

Great kick and brilliant rucking before.

ThisRegard

Flipper22 wrote: »

Presumably saying that England would know exactly what they needed against Uruguay if it had come to points difference.

That's what I take from it.

ongarite

Risky area for a trick pass, Wales could make them pay for it.

Neil3030

What Charteris just did is why Dev starts ahead of Hendy.

ThisRegard

aimee1 wrote: »

Joubert

He's letting things flow, good communication with the 2 packs there too.

rrpc

Neil3030 wrote: »

What Charteris just did is why Dev starts ahead of Hendy.

And he gets in the way of the opposition doing it.

But brilliant by Charteris.

This is crap

awec

FFS Joubert it took you all day to see that.

mfceiling

Ref taking a fcuking age to give oz the penalty for a great steal.

A-Train

I thought Wales said the choke tackle was Anti-Rugby?

nehe milner skudder

he seems to have this criteria where you have to survive the clear out first. if your man is on the ground holding it you should have all the rights clear out or not.

stephen_n

Was that Wales using the choke tackle they abhor so much.

captbarnacles

Just get the ball out of the scrum Wales ffs