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Bruce, the wobs are getting closer no doubt and are always a formidible side in Australia (Although have lost to England and Samoa over the last year as well as NZ and SA, although SA last win was in 2009) but I found it interesting to look at their away record over the last 2 years (I haven't...

I think you are being far too generous to you front row, loosies and centres on defence. I suppose you could say wing defence to NZ if Coops is out there when Aus are on defence (As you have mentioned on your flyhalf analysis?). fair enough, everyone can be accused of national bias, even me...

NO, hardly talked about. Only really Thorn is defying age at 36, most players are 27-30 which is generally accepted the age that players hit their peak. Has any side as young as the wallabies ever won a world cup? Maybe '87 but clearly, experience counts.

Mils, Jane and Gear would be my preferred back 3. provides a good balance really - pace and power of Gear, silky skills and athleticism of Jane and Mils strong all round game is a potent back 3. Probably not the pace of the aussie back 3 but easily matches it in other areas

Dissapointed with the ABs at times, i thought we took the foot off the throat too often and some of the passing was wayward with wrong options taken at time. We really needed someone to straighten up on attack and it is noticeable that we don't have as much pick and go from the forwards yet...

I would be careful on using stats such as the above to predict a golden era. Clearly, the wallabies haven't had much to write home about for quite some time so your record doesn't point to anything great on the horizon. It's more about personnel, age, experience and time together and...

or a mungo in a dog?

With regards the opening post, the AB's top pack is quite different to the one started on Friday night. The top pack would be Woody, Mealamu, O franks, Thorn, Whitelock, McCaw, Reid, Kaino. So I think that would 6 changes from friday's side? Having said that, Woody is injured anyway and you...

GC, they were the springboks in name only.

not much point trying to compare the relaltive strengths of the PIs vs the Aus and NZ team selected. It's too hard! We wont have to wait too long to find out just how far behind the Ab's this Wallabies side is ;-)

I should clarifyu that by saying he will capable of of brilliance to win a match or could do something to lose it. Bit of campo in him I guess

I would say Genia and at the moment he is in red hot form. Cooper is great at S15 level but I am unsure whether he is the type of player you want when the Wobs are under pressure in the business end of the RWC

3rd best tight 5? I wouldn't say so. A full strength SA tight 5 is very strong. I think Aus are close to France and Ireland but the tight 5 is likely to be the reason why you don't win the RWC.

while it will be an open world cup, this AB side that you saw today would be very different if it was world cup final. Good hit out for some of the fringe players but the real stuff starts next week.

Hammett was the crusaders forward coach and was eleavted beyond his experience to stop him going to Aus. A good forwards coach but struggled to step up to Head coach role which is vastly different

well done reds. great team all season and well dserved

Not a bad shout on Higginbotham, he has really impressed me this year and a shoe in for the wobs. should be a good match, Reds must be favoured due to home advantage and travel. Unfortuantely for them, they are playing the only team that can overcome those factors and prevail. Very close...

you are the only one. Kaino and Mealamu to come into the ab pack rest crusaders

whatty, just out of interest who was out for the Stormers?

Aus have a great chance and are peaking nicely. The big question mark will be how your forwards will be able to put three huge efforts on consecutive saturdays to win it. Home advantage will be a big thing for us, in most tournaments across sports, home advantage means that the home side...