In-form Wallabies will punish us: Vunipola

I don't disagree with anything you've written. Remember in 2015 when people were seriously arguing that Phipps should remain at scrumhalf? It seems the Wallabies can manage without him after all. With more starts, Genia has reached his potential. Anyone want to pick Phipps now? The same would happen with Foley. He is a millstone around the Wallabies' necks. Dump him so that we can progress.

Those journalists are delusional.

They are just more astute rugby judges than you

Genia, Folau and Beale are world class. Hodge, Koroibete and Kuridrani just the next tier down. Foley is the backline's weak link, and we won't win the RWC or Bledisloe with him. Carter just played him out of the game in the 2015 final. Maybe Lealiifano will be our man? If Link was in charge then Quade would be our 10 but Cheika just has no interest.

but when a player such as Foley is using his boot as the baton, then it is so easy to be mesmerised by his tune think that bloke needs to lay off the crack pipe

Do words like fantastic, clinical, brilliant and mesmerising count as superlatives? James Corrigan in the UK telegraph: "Bernard Foley soon established himself as the game’s notable conductor and the more he touched the ball the more his side took control. There was not much in it – there rarely has been in the last decade between these two – but when a player such as Foley is using his boot as the baton, then it is so easy to be mesmerised by his tune." Andrew Baldock in the Independent: "Foley had a fine Game for Australia" (photo caption) Christy Doran - Fox Sports/Courier Mail: "It was a clinical return from Foley at fly-half after missing last week because of illness. Foley’s first half in particular was fantastic, with his control and kicking game brilliant. He perhaps attempted to play too much field position in the second half, but nonetheless it was a strong night."

There should be a separate trophy awarded for the first coach to achieve underdog status for his team before each test.

The problem is that Foley is not a very good playmaker. Compare his vision, timing and passing with Genia's. I get why coaches wouldn't pick Quade - he's too flakey - but his passing is far superior to Foley's. Most of our forwards pass as well as Foley. Our backline is fine but Foley is definitely the weakest link. He fails to make use of some of the finest attacking players in the world. In fact our backline looks its most lethal when Genia or Beale take the playmaking role. Beale's attacking skills are sublime. How would you describe Foley's? I'm sure you wouldn't be reaching for superlatives. He's perfectly adequate for a middle ranking provincial side, which is where he's from. He would not get picked at 10 for any other top 10 Test team. And yet our attack and defence are structured around him and his numerous limitations. Cheika put Hodge at 10 and the performance was fair ie no worse than a Foley usually puts in. The answer may not be Hodge. I'd try Hunt or even Beale. We will never win the RWC or Bled with Foley at 10.

Lots of bigging up for Aus from the England camp.

Well, I'm hoping they do Mako......

Yeah, well, good points. One would have thought so...

True, but they were calling moves on the weekend that very deliberately put Kerevi in traffic every time. He started the game well, but then with Wales double and triple teaming him, he kept losing the ball in contact, as Wales were strip tackling towards the end. Foley can call a different move that puts him between the centres, not running into all and sundry can't he?

“..or get ripped apart by a ruthless Australian team at Twickenham.” Ha, ha, how I wish it were true. I don’t think we’ve seen a ruthless Australian team in the last 15 years. Well, they were ruthless against Japan in the first half. The defence against Wales was abysmal, yet again.

Not sure that is Foley's strength, Hoy. He is more of a distributing, running and support running 12 than a playmaking 10 able to really unlock his outside backs.

Nice work to try to claim underdog status.

I think we have to stop using the two Ks as battering rams... Get them space. Get them the ball between players, not make them smash into them. Kerevi has made world class centres look pretty silly at times with good footwork and strength, but if you give him the ball with the plan that he has to smash into the person in front of him, then he won't do anything but smash into the person in front of him. Foley needs to change the attack, and realise that there is no point in battering rams, but use the subtlety of Kerevi's footwork, and put TK between players as well to get over the advantage line.

Most people think the lack of clean breaks, and tackle busts against Wales was because Beale was not at 12. What is overlooked in attack he shifted to 1st or 2nd receiver often just like he did against Japan. Beale plays a very similar game at 15 to what he does at 12, in defense he at the back and on attack controlling play. IMO the biggest cause of lack of thrust if that Folau is missing. Not only for all the breaks, and tackles beaten he does on his own but for how many players have to focus on him , as a decoy and generally, and that leaves gaps to be exploited. Neither Kerevi with less room to move at 12 and TK out wide where Folau is often found were able to do this. TK has little evasiveness to his attack. If the Wallabies are to return to more threatening attack that puts the defence in 2 minds the answer is Kerevi at 13. Yes that means the defence is weakened at 13. That in turn means Hunt needs to be at 12 to organise the backline defence and help Kerevi with his positioning and decision making in defence. You can't do this with Beale at 12 and Hunt at 15 and them switching at defence time. The time taken for musical chairs then would preclude the time needed for Hunt to give Kerevi the help he needs. On attack Beale can inject himself as needed.

'If they had flogged the Argentinian’s... then their hubris might have made our task easier.' Hahahahahahahaha! So, an England player 'bigs up' the WB's and provides a pertinent warning that if England don't improve they will be taken apart on Saturday, yet it's England that are guilty of hubris? I'm sure after the WB's run of 7 straight victories 'your task' couldn't be ANY easier, eh? 'I notice no mention of Argentina playing better!' You evidently 'missed' the EJ press conference where ARG were given due credit but I suspect the reason for this lies in your username.

I wish they had flogged the Argentinian's and then their hubris might have made our task easier. I notice no mention of Argentina playing better! "Stick it to the pommie's boys"