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The Pumas are playing better Wallaby rugby than the Wallabies

16th September, 2016
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The wobbly win over Scotland still kept the Wallabies on track for the Grand Slam. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Expert
16th September, 2016
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After the Wallabies come-from-behind win over the Boks 23-17 last week, Michael Cheika made a very pertinent point at the media conference.

“We’ve been getting a fair bit of heat (after six successive losses), but I believe we are rock solid as a group”.

That solidarity will be put to the acid test in Perth tonight with the Pumas playing better Wallaby rugby than the Wallabies.

The men in light blue and white bands boast a hardened and experienced pack led by 52-cap hooker Augustin Creevy, supported by slick backs who delight in spinning the ball wide in a flash, with inside passes deftly timed, and accurate.

The speed of possession up front will decide which backline wins the game tonight.

The 9-10-12 Wallaby combination of Will Genia-Quade Cooper-Bernard Foley will have an absorbing battle with Tomas Cubelli-Nicolas Sanchez and Santiago Gonzales Iglesias.

The Puma trio cut holes in the All Blacks defence last week, but they will be hounded by Michael Hooper and David Pocock tonight.

There’s no doubt the inclusion of the Pumas in the Rugby Championship since 2012, and the Jaquares in Super Rugby this year, has made an enormous difference to the Pumas experience base.

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They have changed as a result, but then so have the Wallabies since these two team last met in the Rugby World Cup semis last year.

The Wallabies won 29-15 scoring four unanswered tries to five penalties.

But this is a very different Wallaby line-up with ten changes.

Gone are Adam Ashley-Cooper who scored a hat-trick in that Rugby World Cup semi, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Kane Douglas, and Scott Fardy from the starting line-up, plus Toby Smith, Greg Holmes, Ben McCalman, Matt Toomua, and Kurtley Beale from the bench.

The replacements – Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi, Dane Haylett-Petty, Adam Coleman, and Dean Mumm, with James Slipper, Tom Robertson, Rory Arnold, Lopeti Timani, and Sean McMahon the new bench men.

Timani will make a huge difference to the Wallaby pack when he makes his debut, where he’s likely to replace Mumm.

The Wallaby backrow of Hooper, Pocock, and Timani will keep the Puma backline quiet, providing Cheika introduces Timani early.

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And it will be interesting to see how the Wallabies’ sixth new lock combination of Coleman and the re-instated Simmons click.

This a very vital game for both sides, but from the Wallabies point of view their last international at home.

The next eight to complete the year will be away.

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