Dai bando,
Our front row did pretty well that day but a few of us who watch European rugby have already written that we were fortunate that Adam Jones wasn't playing in that game after being injured in the S/F. We wouldn't have been crying crocodile tears for Wales though because our best LHP, Benn Robinson, who should have been opposing him in the perfect world, did his ACL before 3N. He missed the RWC and won't be playing until next year.
The best Oz THP in Super Rugby this year, Kepu, had to play LHP in the RWC though Deans would have probably used Alexander at THP anyway for non-scrummaging stuff. Probably one of the reasons why the Oz scrum was good against Wales is that Alexander didn't start. Kepu was injured in the Oz S/F so Ma'afu, probably our 3rd best THP (I rate Alexander 4th now), did well against Jenkins, who I rate highly. The fellow who played LHP for Oz, Slipper, did well against James, which didn't surprise some of us, because we knew he was really a LHP, and one mentioned it before the game.
Slipper is probably our 2nd best LHP and THP though it's hard to say because he is quite young and he missed a lot of the Super season and 3N. We'll probably be able to judge him in the pecking order better next year after a full season in 2012.
With 1. Jenkins and 3. Adam Jones starting against us next month, again without Robinson, you should have the edge because unfortunately Deans will probably pick Alexander at THP again. If one is injured though we should have the edge.
With everybody healthy for next year, including Robinson for us, when Wales comes to Oz, it should be even but if both teams have one prop out I would back us because we have better replacements. With both Jenkins and A. Jones out and two of ours missing, we would be stronger.
PS Gnostic - Agree about Tommy "Mighty Mouse" Smith.
On the French scrum: everybody seems to be surprised that the French scrum did so well with such a small pack in the RWC, but they've had a small pack for most of the last 10 years, as one has mentioned for yonks - and very few giraffes in the 2nd row also.