Australia v England 3am Sunday 4 OCT 2015

[travelling_gerry]

KEY WALLABIES RETURN FOR RUGBY WORLD CUP SHOWDOWN AGAINST ENGLAND AT TWICKENHAM

10/1/2015




Michael Cheika has named his side to face England.


Michael Cheika has named an unchanged starting line up from the Wallabies’ opening match against Fiji to face England at Twickenham, London on Saturday (6:00am Sunday AEDT).


The fourteen changes to the starting XV from the team's most recent Pool A clash with Uruguay includes the return of Wallabies Captain Stephen Moore for his 98th Test appearance, while Adam Ashley-Cooper and Michael Hooper will once again share the vice-captaincy.


Starting the tournament with a double against Fiji, David Pocock will start his third match at number 8 this season, in what is now familiar surroundings for the 27-year-old.


The Wallabies go into the match against the home nation still looking to build on the first two performance of the tournament.


"We've been working hard each day this week to improve our game before we play England on Saturday” said Cheika.


“I believe that this selection, the same starting team that ran out v Fiji, has been really clear on where we must improve and the level we must be at to compete with England and we know that it's going to be a very tough challenge."


“The group is really committed to making all Australian's truly proud of how we represent them at this Rugby World Cup and Saturday night will be another opportunity for us to do that"


Cheika will name his eight-man bench following the Wallabies training session at Dulwich College in London later today.


Australia’s third Pool A match at Rugby World Cup 2015 will be screened LIVE in Australia on FOX SPORTS 502 from 5:00am, and GEM from 5:45am AEDT on Sunday.


Rugby World Cup 2015 Match 26: Wallabies starting XV to play England at Twickenham, London, Saturday, October 3, 8:00pm local time (6:00am Sunday AEDT)


1. Scott Sio (12 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (c) (97 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (58 Tests)
4. Kane Douglas (18 Tests)
5. Rob Simmons (55 Tests)
6. Scott Fardy (25 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (vc) (47 Tests)
8. David Pocock (51 Tests)
9. Will Genia (61 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (22 Tests)
11. Rob Horne (28 Tests)
12. Matt Giteau (97 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (25 Tests)
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (vc) (109 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (34 Tests)

*Reserves to be confirmed

[andrewg]

Good to get Hodgo's view of the likely outcome.

https://www.westernforce.com.au/arti...ee63-174669537

[GIGS20]

Just like I said of the team when it ran out against Fiji, there's not a lot to complain about. Horne on the wing maybe, AAC might be slow for 14, but you have to put him there somewhere.

The bench will be of more interest. I think Toomua needs to be there, and a speedy outside back, but if Cheika wants to run a six two split, Toomua probably needs to sit, since we,ve got Gits to cover 10 if necessary whereas we don't have a lot in the wings (pun intended)

That being said, I'm struggling to come up with a credible name for that outside back.....probably why Horne and AAC have the start!

[oxleymoron]

Simple equation for England on Saturday- they must win or get a 4 try BP Draw (3pts) to keep their chance alive to make the knockout stages.

[GIGS20]

The equation is much more simple than that ox, beat England, beat Wales, any less indicates we're vulnerable in the knockout anyway.

[travelling_gerry]

AUSTRALIA V ENGLAND: MCCALMAN REPLACES SKELTON ON WALLABIES BENCH

10/2/2015


Ben McCalman will replace the injured Will Skelton on the Wallabies bench.

Following the Wallabies training session at Dulwich College earlier this morning, Michael Cheika has named his bench for Saturday's match against England at Twickenham.

Ben McCalman, who served as the side’s vice-captain in last week’s 65-3 win over Uruguay replaces the injured Will Skelton, joining Dean Mumm in the replacement back fives.

James Slipper returns to the match day 23 for his 70th Test appearance, after missing the Uruguay game with concussion, sitting alongside reserve front row forwards Greg Holmes and Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Rugby World Cup 2015 Match 26: Wallabies team including reserves to play England at Twickenham, London, Saturday, October 3, 8:00pm local time (6:00am Sunday AEDT)

1. Scott Sio (12 Tests)

2. Stephen Moore (c) (97 Tests)

3. Sekope Kepu (58 Tests)

4. Kane Douglas (18 Tests)

5. Rob Simmons (55 Tests)

6. Scott Fardy (25 Tests)

7. Michael Hooper (vc) (47 Tests)

8. David Pocock (51 Tests)

9. Will Genia (61 Tests)

10. Bernard Foley (22 Tests)

11. Rob Horne (28 Tests)

12. Matt Giteau (97 Tests)

13. Tevita Kuridrani (25 Tests)

14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (vc) (109 Tests)

15. Israel Folau (34 Tests)


Reserves


16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (56 Tests)

17. James Slipper (69 Tests)

18. Greg Holmes (19 Tests)

19. Dean Mumm (39 Tests)

20. Ben McCalman (42 Tests)

21. Nick Phipps (34 Tests)

22. Matt Toomua (27 Tests)

23. Kurtley Beale (55 Tests)

[GIGS20]

I wouldn't have blamed Cheika for naming six forwards for this match....it appears that he had a free spot on the bench, he named Beale after all!

How good would it have been to name McMahon instead of Beale? (Don't reply talking about the backline, with Hooper in the squad, there's plenty of cover for the backs!)

[andrewg]

Very pleased to see Ben McC in the mix for this important game

Some numbers:

Average Age - Wallabies 27 - England 28

Starting XV Tests - Wallabies Total 739 Av 49 - England Total 524 Av 35

Bench Tests - Wallabies Total 341 Av 43 - England Total 161 Av 20

Squad Tests - Wallabies 1080 Av 47 - England 685 Av 30

Starting Pack - Wallabies 903kg - England 896kg

Bench Front Row - Wallabies 346kg - England 350kg

Liking our experience.
Weights all square. Will be all about technique.
Going to be a cracking game.
Hope we want this more than them!

[chibi]

I am feeling quietly confident about this match, I hope it doesn't come back to bite me on the arse

[Tazzmania]

Thank goodness Benny Mac is on the bench, I hope that he at least gets a decent run.

Will make the potential win even more enjoyable if he is there at the end.

[SinBin]

Scrum-half Ben Youngs says England intend to give the Wallabies "a reason to quit" in do-or-die clash at Twickenham on Saturday

England intend to “blow Australia away” with a ferocious opening quarter to the do-or-die World Cup match at Twickenham, with scrum-half Ben Youngs warning they intend to give the Wallabies “a reason to quit”.

Youngs insists that England will not be daunted by the immense pressure on Stuart Lancaster’s side as they attempt to avoid the ignominy of becoming the first World Cup hosts to crash out of the tournament at the pool stages.

Instead the Leicester scrum-half vowed that it would be Australia, not England, who would feel the heat as the home side draw confidence from back-to-back victories over the Wallabies.

A defeat would not necessarily end Australia’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals as they still have to play Wales at Twickenham next Saturday. For England, in contrast, it is win or bust, and Youngs believes that will give Lancaster’s side the mental edge.

“Australia have potentially got a reason to quit,” said Youngs, who has won all three games he has started against Australia at scrum-half, including the 26-17 victory at Twickenham last November.

“They can go to Wales and get a result. They can afford to lose a game. We can’t and we’ve got to make sure we give them a reason to quit. We’ve got to make sure we come out for the game and, in that first 20 minutes, we blow them away. We’ve got come out with a real intensity and edge to our game, physicality. Don’t match what they bring. We’ve got to above that: above and beyond.”

Full story here

We can outpace them in the first 20 - bring it on..

[SinBin]

There's a link in that story from perennial whinger Brian Moore - does he ever STFU.. Apparently our driving maul has been illegal so he's pointing it out in advance to give Poite more reasons to penalise us.

[WFDom]

There's a link in that story from perennial whinger Brian Moore - does he ever STFU.. Apparently our driving maul has been illegal so he's pointing it out in advance to give Poite more reasons to penalise us.

Fair's fair

http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-union/rugb...30-gjylb7.html

[DazloT]

Lots of gold jumpers at breakfast this morning.

[SinBin]

Fair's fair
http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-union/rugb...30-gjylb7.html

Yep. Let's just hope Poite is fair and consistent.