A fit and uncompromising James Slipper will ensure the Wallabies have their most experienced front-row of the Rugby Championship ready for an Argentine scrum onslaught on Saturday night.
Vice-captain Slipper on Thursday proved he was completely over injury and sickness concerns in an important boost to Australia ahead of the clash at Cbus Super Stadium.
While a disappointing crowd of only 15,000 is expected on the Gold Coast, the Wallabies pack know the Pumas will well and truly turn up aiming for a breakthrough victory.
Yet to win in their 15 Tests and three seasons in the competition, Argentina gave Australia a major fright in their 2012 and ’13 matches Down Under and will again employ a powerful scrum as their main weapon.
Braced for the challenge is the 148-Test front-row combination of Slipper (55 caps), recalled rake Tatafu Polota-Nau (49) and Sekope Kepu (44).
Slipper trained strongly on Thursday morning, completing the set-piece and mauling drills he was rested from early this week, to show he was over the shoulder-neck problem which forced him from the field in the 24-23 win over South Africa.
Former captain James Horwill said the ever-improving loosehead would be a vital contributor against the Pumas forwards.
“Slippy, especially in attack, has been one of our strongest ball-carriers and he gets through a lot of work,” the second-rower said.
“His scrummaging over the last two years has improved out of sight and on that loose-head side he’s become a real handful for opposition sides.”
Horwill puts his Queensland teammate’s continued rise down to his fierce competitiveness and full-time move from tighthead to loosehead.
“He’s a guy that doesn’t like being second best and doesn’t accept mediocrity,” he said. “He gets the s**** a bit when things don’t go well.
“That’s good, that’s what you want from guys.”
The return of Polota-Nau, from a knee injury, to solve Australia’s hooking crisis will also prove crucial early.
“The Pumas will come out of the blocks and be very hard and very physical early so we need that calm head that Taf provides,” Horwill said.
“From numbers one to 15 they are very combative. You have to get stuck in at the breakdown and match up with them physically.”
trent
Guest
I'm still surprised that Fardy retained his starting place give his lack of form the last 3 Games. If we must keep Hooper the I would prefer Hodgson at 6. And for those who have a fit about the lineout he won add many lineouts in his 10 minutes as Fardy did in 70. He also got as many pilfers as Hooper in 1/8 of the game time. We need to be contesting strongly at the breakdown from the start. A McCalman Hodgson proven combination would do this. Let's hope they don't have Higgers and Hooper on together without Hodgson in the mix. Both have a strong tendency to still avoid strong breakdown involvement although Higgers is making an effort.
Ra
Guest
I bags being one of the hecklers on Hill 13
Sorted
Guest
Hi Justin, I did notice that, but I looked like a one off, not the norm
g_man
Guest
That would have been a great idea. As is, they'll be competing directly with arguably the best night of rugby league in the year with three finals matches back-to-back. Gold Coast is a rugby league town first and foremost and union administrators should have recognised this. Perhaps it's an issue with the broadcast time back to Argentina?
Hoy
Roar Guru
Slipper has hands down been our best forward this year. That includes the wonderboy Hooper I think. Who would you have there instead?
Justin3
Guest
Reflect on last season please Ricc ;-)
Justin3
Guest
Who is this flog Loosey?
Justin3
Guest
No mention of the flogging in Argentina I see...
Justin3
Guest
They do but it is played au the wrong stadium.
Dave
Guest
Oh the humanity. Hand back you wall poster McCaw immediately!
Magic Sponge
Guest
Perth don't deserve a test match with their crap facilities and little interest in rugby compared to the east coast
bryan
Guest
Are you really comparing a Brumbies match in Late July vs a wallabies September match? I've been to Canberra stadium in late July, and if it is above -5 degrees, you are lucky. Also, league has finished for Canberra, and I'm not sure the Wallabies have even played in Canberra before.
Sorted
Guest
Good Point Loosey The wallabies have had no trouble with the Pumas this year, but then they haven't played yet. And if you look back over the last couple of seasons I see the oz team has always crushed the Puma. like in 2012 smashing them 23-19 and 25-19, then last year the wallabies dealt to them 14-13. I wonder why it is people think Aust will be the first to loose to the Puma.
Brett McKay
Expert
But then there was well over 20K for the Brumbies-Lions game last year, Bakkies. I think one-off events like that, and the few Tests Canberra has been afforded - and even the League Test last year would be and have been well-attended..
Andy
Guest
Yeah I agree that final was nothing but a disappointment, however, I believe the test would attract bigger crowds (although as others have said it may scare them off). When they played the ANZAC league test there was a very decent crowd and Canberra is hardly a league town. I am just sick of rugby powerhouses like the GC or Perth being preferable to the ARU rather than rewarding those of us who have been going to the Brumbies for almost two decades. We deserve a decent match, but the ARU would rather play into the hands of the Boks by playing them in Perth. I believe Canberra could really be a fortress if the ARU got their act together.
Paul
Guest
It was the same story last year. Everyone expected given the poor form of the Wallabies that the Argie scrum was going to push them back to the bus, but it didn't happen. Argentina are a much better side now than last year, but their scrum is no stronger than before. Australia were not dominated last year and they won't be this year. Australia is also going into this game in a much better position than last year. We lost the set piece, the line out, the kicking duel, the penalty count and the territory against SA and still won. Even if we lose the scrum battle it won't be enough to turn the result.
Squirrel
Guest
The ref will save our scrum, maybe uncontested because it will be deemed to be too dangerous against our pussy forwards who would not know what a scrum machine looks like or too lazy to push.
Loosey
Guest
Ok calm down Alex, I believe you.
Riccardo
Guest
The Manu are getting stronger each year Alex. They are not crap. That said Loosey, Alex sort of has a point. If the Wallabies had played the Puma's first up it may have been a more difficult fixture. The Wallabies are probably going to win in the weekend but not before they have been touched up at set-piece and the breakdown. As Sanchez gets better and the Pumas learn how to finish they will become a force to be reckoned with. They already have an excellent pack; the rest is coming...
Lroy
Guest
"...A fit and uncompromising James Slipper will ensure the Wallabies.... etc etc" Is this the same James Slipper that spent most of Saturday night eating dirt after being dominated in the scrums.. or the same James Slipper who got his ass handed to him on a plate scrumming against Argentina last year? Wallaby scrum was much better when he was on the bench. Honest toiler no question... but Im struggling to understand how he has played 50 games at test level. But Aussie coaches love a fat man who can run the football.