Australia vs Wales RWC Pool A 10th October

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AUSTRALIA v WALES
10 October 2015
KO: 16:45
Twickenham, London

Live on [tbc]

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Touch judges: Jérôme Garcès (France) & Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

A. Head to Head

38 Played 38
27 Won 10
1 Drawn 1
10 Lost 27
897 Points 590

B. Recent Form

8 November 2014
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
28 – 33 Australia

30 November 2013
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
26 – 30 Australia

1 December 2012
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
12 – 14 Australia

23 June 2012
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
20 – 19 Australia

16 June 2012
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
25 – 23 Australia

9 June 2012
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
27 – 19 Australia

3 December 2011
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
18 – 24 Australia

21 October 2011
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand
21 – 18 Australia

TEAMS:

AUSTRALIA

I Folau; A Ashley-Cooper, T Kuridrani, M Giteau, D Mitchell; B Foley, W Genia; S Sio, S Moore, S Kepu; K Douglas, D Mumm; S Fardy, S McMahon, D Pocock.

Replacements: T Polota-Nau, J Slipper, G Holmes, R Simmons, B MCCalman, N Phipps, M Toomua, K Beale.

WALES

G Anscombe; A Cuthbert, G North, J Roberts, L Williams; D Biggar, G Davies; P James, S Baldwin, S Lee; L Charteris, AW Jones; S Warburton, J Tipuric, T Faletau.

Replacements: K Owens, A Jarvis, T Francis, J Ball, R Moriarty, Ll Williams, R Priestland, J Hook.

*************
The pool decider.

Damn those boys in the Canary yellow shirts look good, really good. Going through top of the pool Wales would be likely to meet Japan or Scotland...! Go through second and we meet a refuvinated Bok side.

Don't forget to tweet in your man of the match, gents. I've already voted for Launchbury.

Gee I sure do feel so much more connected to the rugby now than I ever did under the old system of having so-called 'experts' picking it.

Wales on a final warning?

Australia are always taking the space on the wrong side of the ruck, they used the tactic against England too

Far out. Faletau was born on the side of a volcano.

The Biggar shuffle pulls birds

Australia (like the AB's) are excellent at doing the naughty things at the breakdown and getting away with it.

eirebilly wrote:Australia (like the AB's) are excellent at doing the naughty things at the breakdown and getting away with it.

they are indeed

As are Ireland

Wales having to throw a lot into the breakdown to ward against Pocock, but as a result there is not much space out wide. Need to get the balance right.

Biggar's first miss

and England.... once upon a time.

Aus gving away same stupid pens england usually do lol

enjoying this

lol, he looks such a muppet when about to kick

Anscombe is having a shocker thus far.

The Loaded Dog wrote:and England.... once upon a time.

We're making up for it now by ineffectively doing the naughty stuff and STILL getting penalised for it.

HammerofThunor wrote:As are Ireland

Wash your mouth out with soap sir, Ireland are

Very English of the Welsh to give Australia that last penalty chance.

Nice Irish game played by Wales so far... they're learning

Englishitus is spreading to Wales, set to then make its way up north

SecretFly wrote:Nice Irish game played by Wales so far... they're learning

Yes, the holding up of our runners and general spoiling tactics. It's working well.

run low.... sweet carriers... like a wombat into its bur-row....

only just noticed nigel owens is in the samsung adverts

Artful_Dodger wrote:Anscombe is having a shocker thus far.

I think 'shocker' is a bit over the top, but he hasn't been great. We'll have to see if he can grow into the role.

Wales have to wisen up to the Aussies in the second half. They always have a man ready to attack the ball after a tackle, Wales need to get support there much quicker.

eirebilly wrote:Wales have to wisen up to the Aussies in the second half. They always have a man ready to attack the ball after a tackle, Wales need to get support there much quicker.

Was thinking the opposite actually. Australia need to wisen up too. They are a clever side Wales.... much like Ireland.

Anyway, game going as I expected. Joubert pretty much allows a free-for-all at the breakdown. He's always been inconsistent with the laws around driving lineouts and like our last match against Aus he is continuing the trend. So for me, it's advantage Australia so far, especially now that they seem to have the better of our scrum.

Really LD? I thought that the Aussies were very quick to the tackle area and either slowing the ball down beautifully or turning it over.

eirebilly wrote:Really LD? I thought that the Aussies were very quick to the tackle area and either slowing the ball down beautifully or turning it over.

Wiser re: the running of the ball into the contact area and getting held up.

Cheika will have a word about that at halftime

Yeah, Gregan talking about exactly the same thing now. It has Gatland (and Ireland) tactics written all over it.

The Loaded Dog wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Really LD? I thought that the Aussies were very quick to the tackle area and either slowing the ball down beautifully or turning it over.

Wiser re: the running of the ball into the contact area and getting held up.

Aha, there I agree with you, Wales have deployed the choke tackle excellently.

Joubert has not had a good WC and let's players off with far too much. Did he not penalise a team about 30 times but didn't bin anyone? It will be interesting to see if he follows up on his "threat" to bin the next Wales player but I am not holding my breath.
Anyway,come on Wales. I fancy Scotland's chances are marginally better against Wales than Oz. Plus it would be good to have at least one NH team in the SFs!

I would say that at least 9 of the 15 points scored have been down to unecessary lapses in discipline rather than pressure. This is a fascinating contest - thankfully Wales are more competitive than I had feared.

Aus backs are their biggest weakness at the moment!

Great defence from the outside backs

Silly offload from Liam Williams there, we need to be putting points on the board in those areas, we haven't been clinical enough so far.

How on earth does David Pocock appear in those moments.

Beautiful flat pass from Anscombe in the line.

Again, Wales don't come away with points.

Cuthbert is a pansy

Absolutely pathetic from Cuthbert there, simply poor and showing no commitment.

Was about to say it was a nothing kick from Folau but the ball can do funny things.

Faletau has been great this world cup, but now he has given away 2 needless kickable penalties

Omg who is that touchie

Dirty play from Faletau. He is clearly frustrated by Pocock.

Faletau will be off for Moriarty the way it's going.

A very tight game so far. Warburton having a great game up to now.

Would not like to call this game at all.

Terrible pass

Not a try-fest but enjoying this!

Enthralling contest albeit for totally different reasons to the Scotland/Samoa match.
Two incredibly well matched teams going at it hammer and tongs. I reckon the benches will win (or lose) this one.

Not sure I'd bring Francis on...

Wales not doing well in the scrums, hell feed it to the second row, Joubert wont notice

Both defences are brutal.

Australian player off his feet playing the ball but it is a turnover?

Australian players lying all over the wrong side there