RWC 2019 1/4 Final England vs Australia

[Strewthcobber]

Petaia has also never faced a defence as well organised and quick as this English one will be.

It's a very courageous descision.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Happy to eat my hat on this but.. this could be the first World Cup where we don't actually play one good game.

1995

 

[Braveheart81]

Happy to eat my hat on this but.. this could be the first World Cup where we don't actually play one good game. Everything has been highly underwhelming thus far and the weekend's selections (Beale, Petaia) are so mindless that we appear to be set for an almighty implosion. England by 20+.

Did we play a good game in 2007? Maybe the Fiji team we flogged in the pool match? Wales were pretty poor then.

Petaia is a huge risk but also has lots of potential upside. If it happens then it is a gamble but at the same time, this is the player we've wanted to select at 13 all year but never got the chance through injury. If we lose it's Cheika's last game as coach so I don't blame him and the other selectors for not wanting to die wondering.

If Beale passes fit then I don't see an issue with his selection. DHP has been solid without setting the world on fire. Beale has had his ups and downs but his best this year has been better than DHPs. We're playing under a roof so some of issues where you'd favour a selection of DHP are mitigated.

 

[Dctarget]

Ignoring the inevitable spanking we get this weekend, I'm very excited about our future. Clearly, Petaia's promise isn't just hot air, Cheika knows best out of all us, and he's chosen him ahead of two pretty competent 13s. What a vote of confidence.

 

[Derpus]

Curry and Underhill superior to both. Should be great to watch who has most influence.

In my opinion on current form Hooper would still walk into the 7 jersey in both teams, followed by the two England lads and poor old Poey coming in last.

 

[wamberal]

Petaia has also never faced a defence as well organised and quick as this English one will be.

It's a very courageous descision.

Smells of desperation. But that is appropriate, because we are desperate.

 

[Tex]

Cheika has his faults but it looks like the main string to his bow is the ability to back his players and instill belief. Play the ace and see what happens. I can't see them carving us up, so if he starts to fall off tackles there are other options to slot in and shore up the midfield.

Anyway, the dodgers are a iffy Vunipola ankle, Farrell card or Tuilagi hamstring away from being a fairly mediocre team bereft of game breakers or leaders.

 

[Tomikin]

I think it really depends on the ref and how they interpret the breakdown. I couldn't help thinking watching the Scotland V Japan game that Pocock would have carved it up.

But then his turnovers against Fiji (i think it was Fiji) were penalised which seemed legal at first glace.

You may be right, but I think only slightly tougher - certainly not enough to drop a specialist fetcher, especially one regarded the best in the world - if he was in form.

I think his form is the bigger issue regarding his selection, I wouldn't even be considering the laws if he was playing in his previous years form.

But last game he was awesome.. I think its turned a corner..

 

[Up the Guts]

Seems like Cheika watches a lot of feel good, underdog rises up movies.

Go well, JP.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Seems like Cheika watches a lot of feel good, underdog rises up movies.

Go well, JP.

QUACK QUACK QUACK

 

[Sully]

QUACK QUACK QUACK

There you go mate.

 

[Uh huh]

It's probably stating the obvious, but it's hard to say how dumb the Petaia selection may or may not be until Saturday.

It MAY be a genius selection in the Larkham-to-10 mould, or it could be the last desperate gasp of a team that has lost its way.

Yeah it MAY be, but MacQueen tried out Larkham at 10 in the 1998 Tri-Nations, not in the knock-out phase of a World Cup!

I think this is as calculated a decision as a man of Cheika's faculties is capable. He knows it's his last game if the Wallabies lose, and there is simply no chance they will beat this England team without a strong showing from the centres; in defence, attack, or both. So if it comes off, he's a genius; if it doesn't, well he was out anyway so c'est la vie.

 

[PhilClinton]

We are sometimes quick to forget that JOC (James O'Connor) only just came back into Wallabies contention a month or so prior to the RWC.

Based on his last outings in Australia there is no way he should have been selected. Cheika identified him from his play over in Europe and threw him back into the deep end. He hasn't lit the world on fire but I reckon he's been more than serviceable.

If Cheika now thinks that Petaia is ready to take the 13 mantle then I trust that process as he made a good call with the JOC (James O'Connor) selection from out of nowhere, at least to the public eye.

 

[Sully]

Petaia is up to it. JOC (James O'Connor) is on the bench in case.

 

[Uh huh]

View attachment 11130



There you go mate.

I can't wait to see a bemused Garces blow the easiest obstruction penalty of his career when they attempt the 'flying V'.

 

[wamberal]

It might be a red herring, I suppose. It would throw Eddie Eyebrows into a bit of a spin for sure.

 

[Braveheart81]

I can't wait to see a bemused Garces blow the easiest obstruction penalty of his career when they attempt the 'flying V'.

As a bit of a rugby laws boffin, it will be a great time to finally see a Cavalry Charge or Flying Wedge penalty called.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

U

undercooked injury prone youngster who has never played 13 at international level In against England in a quarterfinal.



At the very least it means we need a bench player that can cover 13.



I'd just play him on the wing.

still better than any other 13 in Australia.

 

[fatprop]

Did we play a good game in 2007? Maybe the Fiji team we flogged in the pool match? Wales were pretty poor then.

Petaia is a huge risk but also has lots of potential upside. If it happens then it is a gamble but at the same time, this is the player we've wanted to select at 13 all year but never got the chance through injury. If we lose it's Cheika's last game as coach so I don't blame him and the other selectors for not wanting to die wondering.

If Beale passes fit then I don't see an issue with his selection. DHP has been solid without setting the world on fire. Beale has had his ups and downs but his best this year has been better than DHPs. We're playing under a roof so some of issues where you'd favour a selection of DHP are mitigated.

I have concerns about Beale being continually rag dolled on kick return against effective organised defenses as he gets held up, mauled and turned over or he just runs sideways

DHP has the habit of getting through that first tackle and providing clean ball

 

[Tex]

I'm going to deal with the stress of Saturday evening by hiking to a remote alpine hut in freezing weather with some friends, lighting a stove and playing cards by candlelight while a late season squall dusts the bush with snow.

If we win, I'll grease myself up and spend Sunday evening in a rugby lather reading every rugby blog and newspaper from England until my eyes glaze over.

If we lose, cest la vie.