Cheika well aware of Pumas threat

Yes he's inspirational, scored two very good tries against the ABs this year albeit it off the rolling maul but I'd say he's up for player of the year- have they been nominated?

Creevy running ball in one hand scares me. He's good.

They are scary good on the counter, so clinical in those tight channels even with 3-4 people running straight lines and their catch and pass in the tight has been impressive. Aussie better bring their A game and be ready to run for at least the 80 minutes, can't pick a winner, but i expect it to be 4 points or less for the difference.

I was thinking the same thing!

Some thoughts on the Pumas: I am surprised how similar they are to the Wallabies. It seems to me they have been improving steadily since the start of TRC. Their forwards attack in pretty standard pods of 3, but they are very well drilled. They make the decision quickly on whether to reinforce rucks, and they recycle the ball quickly. This will be a high tempo match in the forwards. Their ability to organise a rapid counter-attack after a turnover is very impressive, up there with the ABs. Their backline is very capable, cut out passes, sometimes consecutive, so that they get the pill out to the wing quickly. Like New Zealand and Australia, their forwards expect to work hard in the backline during the attack specially Creevy and Senatore. Passing is rapid and flat. Our wings are going to be tested more this time. Sanchez is a very capable flyhalf, understated, similar to Foley. They are at their best in broken play. Whereas I don’t think their forwards are as good as ours attacking or defending close, e.g. pick and go or 1 man out. So I would think seriously about playing some 10 man rugby against them in the first half, keeping the ball in tight for several phases. Defence is interesting. Pumas don’t employ one off defender ahead of the line as much as we do – esp. Hooper, Beale. But their line moves up on the attacker deceptively quick. And they aren’t so much in to aggressive body shifting in the counter ruck, but more into speed to the breakdown or the first receiver. I think one of the best tactics against them would be a big man hitting and bending the line with an offload, to make the initial crack in their defence. It’s a pity Skelton is out. I hope Folau is fit and firing, and that TK is back in form – we need a big game from both of them, especially in the midfield. Rolling maul defence – they get very low and hit the maul en masse, driving it back. I don’t know how well this will work against Australia. But they are clinical – adding more defenders one at a time but rapidly. So they aren’t trying to sack the maul or defuse it by reaching through, but to stop it in its tracks. Same with rucks, they can seem on the backfoot, then rapidly feed defenders into a ruck so that the balance shifts before the attackers are aware. Their scrum is very good. The stand out player is the THP Herrera. But their lineout seems brittle to me – I would aim to hit the sideline with kicks in play, because I think there is a good chance we will get the pill back again. Kicking it down field just invites them to run. And pace some people above, I don’t think Wallabies should bank on wearing the Pumas out. These lads are fit.

Puma counter attack reminds me very much of New Zealand.

Maybe. I'd be keeping the ball in the forwards a lot. Plenty of 10 man rugby, especially early in the match. won't know till we play though.

Really? I haven't seen McMahon doing much of that. That's not a criticism, just that I see him as far more like Hooper than Poey.

Something not mentioned, which is the thing that most worries me about Pumas - they are very quick to counter-attack. They have a number of jackals, e.g. Creevey, Matera, probably not as good as ours, but good enough. But its what they do with it afterwards. Its only seconds before a counter-attack is rolling forward. Also, they prefer to get it out quickly to the backline when counter-punching, rather than a Tahs-style forwards-in-tight counterattack. I hope Wallabies haven't been lulled by playing the Scots and English - both those teams won the occasional turnover, but then didn't seem to know what to do with the pill once they had it. The Pumas won't give the Wallabies that luxury.

I am not so sure Pumas will run out of steam, they showed against Ireland they had that extra gear in the second half when Ireland pulled closer.

Argentina will run out of steam, they will fall apart late to WBs superior fitness. My semi final tips, Sth Africa by 4 (Boks raging underdogs will upset ABs) Australia by 20 after tough 60-65 mins. Boks grind out RWC final by 8. Buzzard

I agree with Canetragic, McMahon should start instead of Hooper. The first 30mn will be attrition war around the ruck and McMahon will be more efficient there than flying Hooper. Hooper the last 30mn. The scrum will be decisive all through the match. We will see how solid the Aussies progress have been. I think the game will be won on freshness in the end. Tight. But after all it's a semi-final. Go Wallabies. Go to the Final and win it.

Agree with most of what you say Canetragic, except not being able to cover for SIO, he has been great but Slipper I believe is well up to the task, who replaces Slipper after 60 minutes I don't know, Pocock though, is irreplaceable.

And McMahon - if they find they need more effort over the ball at the breakdown he's the man to do the job in Pocock's absence

Cooper on the pine at least ..He has got to be ....

Good points. Yes, I think best way for us v Argentina is via 10,12 channel. I think we need to lift the tempo v Argentina, and perhaps play a slightly different team to the team we will use v NZ, if we get that far. I think that parity in the forwards is possible (scrums, lineout, general play), and we will get a bit of turnover ball, even if Pocock doesn't play. We need occasional big hit-ups from Kepu, Douglas, TPN, Sio/Smith, interspaced with fast wide ball, and inside switches. I think Phipps can deliver this better than Genia. I also think Beale has to be on the field for 30min plus, or start. If Folau doesn't play, Cooper should, possibly at fullback. I know it sounds like heresy, but Giteau looks better suited to playing NZ than Argentina, so I'd start Beale instead, but start Giteau if we reach final. If we play a very up tempo game, with lots of switches, especially switches inside to 10/12 channel, we can win.

From what I saw in their latest match in the QF they are indeed very dangerous out wide with their outside backs, in particular Imhoff. They seemed to set a platform with the forwards and look to move the ball out to their dangerous outside backs, with regular hit ups by the inside backs, look to secure the ball and recycle, and again spin wide. This was successful against Ireland. From memory against the ABs in their opening match they were also dangerous in broken play, but I didnt see much of that in the QF. I didnt see much of a threat from their inside backs in the QF, but good security and recycling. If the WBs are to prevail I think they need to achieve parity in the forwards, dominance at the ruck and security out wide, then rely on their relatively more creative inside backs to break the line and create the scoring opportunitie. Now we come to the injury concerns for Australia - if all three of Sio, Pocock and Folau are unable to play then I think there is a problem. Beale covered full back admirably in the QF so that should be OK, but the loss of Sio at scrum time, and Pocock over the ball will be significant.