Rupert Guinness
Tuesday, August 7, 2007


The Wallabies' World Cup clash with Wales in Cardiff will be as much of a danger for Australia as it ever was despite England's thrashing of the Welsh at the weekend, coach John Connolly has warned.

As his World Cup squad went through the first 24 hours of a five-day bonding boot camp in Dunwich near Brisbane yesterday, Connolly said Wales' home advantage would be immeasurable.

He also said the Welsh line-up that the Wallabies would face in their September 15 poolB match should be vastly different to the "third-string" side that got a record 62-5 thrashing by England at Twickenham.

"They will probably make six or seven changes to that side," he said of a 22-man Welsh line-up that included 10 from the "second-string" 22-man squad beaten 29-23 by Australia in Sydney in May.

"One thing we have seen - [in preparing for] a World Cup in France where we are playing Wales in Wales - [is that] the history of this game shows an incredible advantage to [teams that] play at home.

"Every team that plays at home, South Africa, Australia - though the All Blacks perform well on the road - but the other countries always struggle to some extent [when they play away].

"Playing Wales in Wales, we've already seen how difficult it is in the end-of-season tours. It's a huge advantage. Cardiff Arms [Millennium Stadium] with 80,000 people … it's massive. Anyone who goes there will have a tight game, including the All Blacks."

The Wallabies are unlikely to be complacent. Memories of their frustrating 29-29 draw with the Red Dragons in Cardiff on last year's tour are fresh, as are those of their 24-22 loss to them there in 2005.

Connolly is also adamant the win on Saturday proved defending World Cup champions England were deserved contenders.

That is despite their waning record since beating the Wallabies in the 2003 Sydney final that has them at seventh on the International Rugby board rankings behind New Zealand [first] and Australia [second]. "If they can pull back, if they can lift, rebuild, train and get their best players on the field, they will be a handful," said Connolly, who joined the chorus of praise for the English pack that monstered Wales.

While not mentioning English back-rower Nick Easter, who started as No.8 and scored four tries against Wales, he lauded a number of the English forwards as names to watch at the Cup.

"Phil Vickery and Andrew Sheridan were the props in England two years ago when they towelled us up," Connolly said. "They had Steve Borthwick calling the lineouts. He is probably one of the best lineout callers in world rugby. Then there is a back row of Martin Corry, Lewis Moody [who was a reserve against Wales] and Joe Worsley. You have three good ball carriers there and hard workers.

"You have Shaun Perry, who, I think, is an outstanding halfback and a threat, and Jonny Wilkinson is coming back to form. And they have multiple options in the outside backs."

Connolly even suggested he would prefer that the Wallabies played South Africa in the quarter-finals in Marseilles rather than England, which is possible under two scenarios: if Australia finish top in their pool and the Springboks are second in pool A, or if Australia are second in pool B and South Africa head their pool.

"If we get through to play South Africa in the quarter-finals, I am not convinced that South Africa are the ones … South Africa may be the ones we want to play," Connolly said. "England at that time of year, up there, will be a handful."

Connolly still believes the World Cup will be fought between "the usual suspects. England, ourselves, South Africa, New Zealand, [and] France, [whose draw] at home puts them in a totally different plane, of course".
Of the "emerging countries", Connolly rated Argentina, sixth on the IRB table, as a threat. He said Italy, ninth in the world, "won't be ready for this World Cup. They have their forward pack, but they are probably a Cup away".
Connolly said fifth-ranked Ireland have a terrible pool (against France, Argentina, Georgia and Namibia).