The Wallabies will face major rivals England and Wales in their final two pivotal group games in the `pool of death’ at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The International Rugby Board and Cup organisers on Wednesday announced the schedule and venues for the showpiece tournament, which sees Australia kick off their campaign in Cardiff on September 24.
They will play an Oceania qualifier, highly likely to be Fiji, before backing up four days later against another qualifying nation in Birmingham.
The two easier games will allow coach Ewen McKenzie to play his strongest team in the first game and then rest them from the second to freshen up and face hosts England on October 3 at Twickenham.
The Wallabies then finalise their pool play against the Welsh at Twickenham on October 10.
Australia and England are world ranked No.3 and No.4, respectively, while Wales are the reigning Six Nations champions.
Losses to both in the group stage would see the Wallabies miss the playoff stage for the first time in the tournament’s 28-year history.
But they would be desperate to win all four pool matches to avoid South Africa, the top ranked team in pool B, in the quarterfinals and instead draw the likes of Samoa or Scotland.
Australia can also avoid a likely semifinal meeting with the defending champion All Blacks, who are in pool C, by topping their pool.
New Zealand and South Africa, rugby’s top two ranked nations, are on a collision course for a semifinal while the Wallabies would be more likely to face France or Ireland if they make their way through to the final four.
The tournament decider has been scheduled for October 31, which would be played at 3am November 1 (AEDT).
The Wallabies, who last held the Webb Ellis Trophy aloft in 1999, finished third at the 2011 World Cup after being knocked out by the All Blacks in a one-sided semifinal.
soapit
Guest
is there any way we can seed these things a bit closer to the tournament. this pool of death seems a lot more deadly than mot others
dmac
Guest
Best scenario imo is easy, hard, easy, hard. One game to warm up for a tough one, then a chance to rest some players before hitting the second hard one. I think it's good to finish the pool with a tough game so you don't hit the QF underdone, but finishing with two tough games is going to wear you out a bit too much.
dmac
Guest
Um...the teams currently ranked 3, 4, 5 (and probably 11) in the world are in pool A, which means that one of the top 5 teams in the world cannot make the top 8. Meanwhile, pool C has teams ranked 1, 10, 12. Pool D has no teams ranked higher than any of the top three in pool A. It's a complete dog's breakfast of a draw, which is what you get when you seed teams based on their ranking 3 years out from the cup....
Jerry
Guest
No, it's not a coincidence - the teams keep losing before they get a chance. In 87 Aus lost to France. In 91 NZ & Aus were on the same side of the draw but that was due to Aus coming 4th in 87. In 1999 all 3 made the semis but NZ lost to France. In 03 SA lost to England in pool play which put them on the same side of the draw to NZ & Aus. In 07 NA & Aus lost their 1/4 finals, if they'd both won there'd have been another all SH final. In 2011 Aus were on the other side of the draw but lost to Ireland. The only way to guarantee that one side of the draw doesn't have all the TN teams is to put two of them in one pool (which happened in 95) but based on their rankings that would be inequitable. And even having them on different sides of the draw in knockout play doesn't guarantee an all SH final as 07 and 99 show.
richard
Guest
And yet,there has still only been one same hemisphere final.Just a coincidence? WC after WC?
Ken Stewart
Guest
Every group in the World Cup is a group of death. If you are not in the top two you are eliminated. What is the big deal?
Jerry
Guest
It's really not - there's only been one time when all 3 TN sides were actually seeded on the same side of the draw (2007 though as it turned out SA actually won their pool and got to the other side of the draw). The rest of the time they've either been on opposite sides of the draw but have lost before they could play each other or have ended up on the same side of the draw because one of them ended up coming 2nd in their pool.
richard
Guest
moaman @ 10.11 am - the whole tournament is set up in a way that tends to guarantee a NH-SH final.It is no coincidence that there has only been one final with the same hemisphere represented i.e 1995.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
So the Wallas get the two easier games first up followed by the two toughest. At the last World Cup we got the two toughest games first up followed by the two weakest. What is the best scenario ? If the Wallas are good enough to win the group they will get an easier Qtr & Semi Final. That is the reward for winning the toughest group I've ever seen in a World Cup. Link absolutely has to get the pack right to get out of the group.
Tane Mahuta
Guest
Harry. The comments have closed on the other thread. You said I was wrong about Australia only winning 2 games and yes I was, they have won 3. So far Im 1 off, that was the Ireland game. However I picked the Lions to beat Australia 2-1. Australia to lose every game against both SA and NZ. Aust to beat Arg in Aus, Aus to beat Italy and Scotland. Aust to lose to England. Out of Australias entire year I have picked 2 wrong from 14 so "oh dear" is a bit much mate. Of all the games SANZAR teams have played in 2013 I have picked 3 wrong. Thats about 3 wrong in 26 or so. This is not a boast but a suggestion that me picking Aus to win 2 from 5 but them being 3 from 4 isnt what you make it out to be. Im now picking them to be 3 from 5 instead of 2 from 5.
Tane Mahuta
Guest
It will be very interesting to see how the Australian team takes shape towards 2015. Will Kurindrani remain at 13? Will JOC be back and where will he play? Who will be captain? Will Quade keep his form up or will he get WC jitters? Will Godwin and Sio be there? I think Australia will do alittle bit of rearranging before WC 2015 but I have no idea what the final result will be.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah I know we're worried, but Wales will be sh!tt!ng themselves about their pool. I expect us to be going well.
cantab
Guest
I realise you're only kidding Moaman, but I reckon England will be genuinely worried about getting knocked during the pool rounds, especially embarrassing as host nation! I know it's super obvious thing to say but one of Wales, Aust or England are going to go (or stay) home very disappointed.
Harry
Guest
Yeah I saw that (SA v NZ in a semi is likely) and I have to say that's disappointing from the neutral's perspective in that it makes a final between those teams highly unlikely (unless the Saffa's stuff up their pool again, but can't see it) So IF we qualify top could be easier! (To that end, glad to get the bad refereeing out of the way this year in Aus v Eng rather that the RWC clash)
Hoy
Roar Guru
As with the World Cup every time, good teams go out. It is the nature of it. You get into the Quaters, and good teams go. In the Pool of Death, every time, one of the top teams goes out. Playing the two top teams last could be both a blessing and a curse for us. We could build some momentum, but it might be false, given the early opposition...
moaman
Guest
Harry-if you (Oz) qualify-the reward is an easier road to the final-if you qualify top ie.In fact-a relatively EASY route to the final.It looks rigged to get England into the last two,to me.(I'm sure it's not,really) RSA and NZ will obligingly knock one of each other out;should they meet in the semis......
Harry
Guest
Worst possible draw - means Australia will have to play extremely well for 5 weeks in a row. England and Wales will be desperate and tough opponents, then the quarters, semi's and final. No respite unless a mug gets through to the quarters. Chances of Aus winning the RWC 15 just plummeted. Only thing that might change that is if both Australia and England defeat Wales before the Oct 10 game, making that less sudden death.
moaman
Guest
Obviously how they manage their players in the first two pool matches is going to be pivotal to Australia's chances of performing well in the last two games at Twickenham. Depth in the squad and trust in the bench will need to be further developed between now and then.........