The wobbling Wallabies are taking on Ireland at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 12:05 SA Time.
What will happen this week… will the Wobblies front row crumble again in front of different opponents? Will the Wobblies potent backline save them against a far more potent Irish backline than England could muster?
The Wallabies ALWAYS field an exciting backline, and this week is certainly no different, yet playmaker Will Genia is out injured. Quade Cooper and Matt Giteau will test the Ireland defence all day and the rest of the backline could make the day long for Ireland.
The Wallabie front row does not inspire any confidence and after 2 weeks of reversing and giving away a plethera of penalties, will be marked men. The locks are solid and the backrow is solid enough although it lacks the grunt of a Phil Waugh or a George Smith.
Ireland on the other hand will be out for Aussie blood, having watched the Wallabie front row implode for 2 weeks in a row, and will be targeting the Wallabie scrum like their England rivals showed just how to demolish the Wallabies up front.
Solid locks make up the second row but the backrow forwards are probably not as strong as we’re used to from Ireland.
In the backline, Brian O’Driscoll and his compatriots are certainly a much tougher nut to crack than the somewhat pedestrian English backline Australia faced for 2 weeks in a row.
This match is tough to call, considering the Wallabie frailties we saw for 2 weeks…. but I will still call a Southern Hemisphere win on this one… Wallabies by 7.
Recent results:
2009: Australia and Ireland drew 20-20, Dublin
2008: Australia win 18-12, Melbourne
2006: Ireland won 21-6, Dublin
2006: Australia won 37-15, Perth
2005: Australia won 30-14, Dublin
Teams:
Australia: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (captain), 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Ben Daley.
Replacements: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 James Slipper, 18 Mitchell Chapman, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Josh Valentine, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Kurtley Beale.
Ireland: 15 Robert Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O’Driscoll (captain), 12 Paddy Wallace, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Tomas O’Leary, 8 Chris Henry, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Niall Ronan, 5 Mick O’Driscoll, 4 Donncha O’Callaghan, 3 Tony Buckley, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 Damien Varley, 17 Tom Court, 18 Dan Tuohy, 19 Rhys Ruddock, 20 Eoin Reddan, 21 Ronan O’Gara, 22 Geordan Murphy
Date: Saturday, June 26
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 20.05 AEST (12.05 SA Time)
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
You know…..what with the football I’m feeling a bit ‘sported out’!!!
Might just take a break!
GBS You make valid points in this article. Who knows what to expect when the Wallas take the field tonight? Brilliance OR decimation? Deans must be feeling the maximum frustration with his players – I’m frustrated just watching them!
Sick of saying it, but: Wallabies – stand up and play against the Irish the way we know you can; the forwards need to harden up and play with heart and passion, not a powder-puff attitude, while the backs need to forget about the style of their hair or the colour of the boots and knuckledown and go forward; get over the advantage line, then get over the tryline – and make it happen.
As for goalkicking? What can we say, when a world class number 10/12 doesn’t focus and misses a kick in front of the posts – and we lose the game, as in England last week and Scotland last year? Note to Giteau: if you can’t kick it between the posts when it’s in front, give me a ring, I’ll send my 6 year old grandson down to kick it for you – he puts them over from right in front.
Time to pull the finger out, Wallabies! Anything but a win against the Irish will be unacceptable.
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