Tuesday’s rugby news has the Wallabies’ injury concerns, Cheika’s ‘juniors’, Hansen criticising the northern hemisphere and World Rugby’s review of Joubert.
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Wallabies still under injury cloud
The Wallabies’ World Cup hopes could rest on the medical reports of injured trio David Pocock, Israel Folau and Scott Sio – all of whom are in doubt for next week’s semi-final against Argentina. The Brumbies prop was seen late in the match with his right arm in a sling and will have further assessment on Monday.
While replacement Ben McCalman and Kurtley Beale stepped up for the Wallabies, Cheika will be sweating on the fitness of Pocock and Folau. “A guy like David, he’s a very special player,” captain Stephen Moore emphasised. “He brings so much to the game that you’re certainly going to miss that (when he’s not playing).”
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Joubert review
A review committee has found that, while South African referee Craig Joubert could not refer to the television match official, he should not have awarded the last minute penalty that secured Australia victory, with the touch by Nick Phipps putting Scotland player Jon Welsh onside, and a scrum should of been awarded according to Law 11.3(c).
Joubert was also criticised for sprinting to the stands without shaking the hands of any of the players after the match. World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper has suggested that Joubert’s decision to sprint off the Twickenham pitch was just because “maybe he was keen to get to the bathroom.”
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Australia ‘junior’ members of finals
Michael Cheika has said that the Wallabies are the “junior member” of the countries left in the final four. Cheika has tried to set his team up as the underdogs because he is a self-described international novice, taking over the Wallabies’ job just 12 months ago when Ewen McKenzie quit.
“We’re the junior member of the four because I’ve only been coaching one Rugby Championships,” Cheika said. “[Argentina coach] Daniel [Hourcade] has been there four years, as has Steve Hansen [New Zealand] and Heyneke [Meyer of South Africa] as well. We’ll prepare the best we possibly can and set out a plan to perform on Sunday.”
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Hansen criticises northern hemisphere
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has lamented the state of rugby in the Northern Hemisphere following their disappointing showing at the Rugby World Cup. The Kiwi believes the various unions need to work together and show loyalty to home-based players if they want to improve their standard of rugby.
Hansen has criticised the degree of foreign-players in the Top 14 and English rugby, which may heighten the level of play for the competition, but adversely affect the national team, similar to the outcomes of the English Premier League. “If you want to be successful at international level you have to be united from the top down,” Hansen emphasised.
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