With David Pocock, Kurtley Beale and Adam Ashley-Cooper ruled out against England at the home of rugby, beleaguered Wallaby coach Michael Cheika can end this woeful campaign on a huge high with a victory against all odds.
Pocock passed a fitness test mid-week with his career threatening neck injury, but failed another test the following day, while Beale and Ashley-Cooper will miss out through sanctions for defying team protocol after the shock 6-9 tryless defeat by Wales a fortnight ago.
Why captain Michael Hooper, the leader of the senior tour group of Pocock, Allan Alaatoa, Samu Kerevi, and Nick Phipps avoided telling Cheika of the Beale-AAC problem until 10 days later, defies description.
It would have been far more prudent for the pair to miss the Italian game, and be available for Twickenham, but Hooper saw otherwise.
But it’s given Cheika a mighty chance to end England’s six-game winning streak under Eddie Jones without three heavyweights that have 274 caps between them.
No England side has beaten the Wallabies seven straight, but they are almost unbackable to do just that.
Pete Samu will wear Pocock’s No.8 jersey, Jack Maddocks will replace AAC on the wing, while Marika Koriobete will take over from Beale on the pine.
But there are plenty of pluses for Cheika to snatch a win from seemingly nothing to knock the knockers.
The biggest asset will be Will Genia’s 100th cap, with no better timing than at the home of rugby making it a very special international for all those wearing the outstanding indigenous Wallaby jersey to see the champion halfback celebrate with a win.
The next big plus will be Israel Folau at fullback and fully fit after an uncharacteristic poor showing against Italy last week suffering from a virus. Tomorrow badly needs the “Izzy x-factor” to break out.
Prop Sekope Kepu’s back in the starting lineup after far too many games on the bench, and it’s time for locks Izack Rodda and Adam Coleman to use their big frames to lift considerably to at least compete with the strong England pack, and give the Wallaby backline swift and accurate possession.
And thankfully Bernard Foley will be there as the Wallaby’s most accurate goal-kicker in what looms as a penalty shoot-out with South African referee Jaco Peyper in control.
The biggest negatives will be Foley at inside centre, and Matt Toomua at fly-half, both likely to jolt the speedsters outside them, with loose cannon hooker Tolu Latu’s lineout feeds questionable, and staying on the paddock an even bigger ask.
If he’s yellow carded again, that must be game, set and match on his international career – he’s become a liability.
And it’s a pity halfback Phipps is back on the bench, leaving the promising youngster Jake Gordon languishing in the stand as a spectator.
Hopefully Genia will play the entire 80 minutes, so it won’t matter what Phipps does.
Those are the pluses, and minuses, Cheika faces, but damn it, he must do something radical to stop the Wallaby faithful from deserting in seriously big numbers.
I’m sick to death of saying it, but it would sure be a major plus across the board if this squad got the simple basics right of pass, catch, support, retain possession, and tackle.
The basics should be an automatic given, but not to this Wallaby squad.
Get them right, and they, along with Michael Cheika and his staff, can genuinely enjoy Christmas.
Another loss, the ninth in 13 this campaign, and it won’t be only the turkey that’s stuffed.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hindsight is 20/20
Dodgy_TV_Ref
Roar Rookie
Same game plan, same blokes, same on field tactics....WC....2023. 2019 is highly unlikely
Arthur Uden
Guest
Gregor Paul 'was' a decent writer. Sadly like a lot of journalist's, today, intelligent indepth analysis plays 2nd fiddle to 'likes' etc. I do most of my rugby reading on The Roar. The majority of comments, article's, here, come from people who can look at the big picture and see the reality.
Tipene Roar
Roar Rookie
You still have it wrong.
adam smith
Guest
Believe it or not Bob, imho there is one New Zealand sports writer who is worse, Chris Rattue. Not a fan of either though.
Harry Jones
Expert
Gregor Paul is a decent writer, but for me, when he wrote the (Super Rugby) Lions were just there to make the numbers and bashed the Blues for losing to them, before the three straight Grand Finals, he lost a bit of credibility for me.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Players disciplining each other points to a weak coach and a divided team. Coach should be the person disciplining if required. Start of the end.
Aussieinexile
Roar Rookie
England have a point to prove, Wallabies are staring at a shellacking. Can't do much about the personnel. They need to change tactics. Keep possession and most importantly reduce the penalty count.
Colvin Brown
Roar Guru
Rain forecast; no Pocock; some of the team have been down with a virus; the last game of a long year with players no doubt wanting to go home; poorly selected; players suspended for off the field indiscretions; home crowd of 80,000 against them; players selected out of position; Foley at 12 will again get in the way of 10; confused game plan; coach and captains' positions under scrutiny; how is morale? England with an experienced coaching team ready for this one, particularly as it's Australia. Oh dear...there's not much in the boys' favour.
Bob
Guest
Paul is simply the worst excuse for a sports journo, he’s more a tabloid click baiter and regularly does the AB’s and their supporters a disservice
Rickster
Roar Rookie
Yes overcoached and too much going through their heads re play books.... leading to confusion and poor execution. Larkham trying to coach them how to have his rugby brain. Can't coach spontaneity... you got it or you don't. But everybody needs the basics right to start with.... and pkaying in their right positions utlising their instincts.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Yeah I know that, but Hanson was interviewed and went along with what Paul said. The implication was clear, even if he let his favourite NZ Herald spear chucker do his dirty work.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
The history of sport is absolutely full of these sort of build-ups followed by a ‘shock’ result, and there’s still a lot of quality in that WBs line-up. I wish, as a pom, I was as confident in an England win as you guys seem to be.
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Convincing
Bodger
Roar Rookie
Latest issue with AAC points to a divided team and confidence in each other and coach must very low. A confining loss is going to be the final blow for this team. How they perform today is going to be representative of whether mass change is required or not.
Bill
Guest
David, will a flogging to England finally get you to admit Cheika needs to go? You’ve been defending him from the start. There’s no hope here, no possibility of a win. I’m afraid the current team is done, a massive clean out wouldn’t produce an instant win either, but might start building a foundation of future success. And yeah I’m negative, it’s not an overnight reaction it’s the end result of ridiculous selections, overpaid players playing in the wrong position, bad choice of captain, clown or a coach, inaction from RA. I’ve had enough. Bring on the flogging vs England, I hope the put 50 on us, anything that’s helps see the end of Cheika and the ridiculous fake news journalism that continues to prop up this miserable excuse of a team.
Chukling
Guest
I think it’s actually much much simpler than this. Lose three coaches, four high performance coaches, three shrinks, the ARU admin, and get Simon Cron in there. They are over coached and not enjoying things... a good coach simplifies things, and when the Wallabies start enjoying the game again, rugby in Australia will recover. Trickle-down rugby?
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
David, this statement just will not happen; ".... but it would sure be a major plus across the board if this squad got the simple basics right of pass, catch, support, retain possession, and tackle". The players do not have the ability to do so. This will not happen unless RA and all other State or Rugby Administrations in this country put in place pathways and the means from grassroots to Wallaby level that deliver Quality Coaches and players with the attachment of rugby and ball skills developed and coached from a young age. Rugby smarts are missing from the players, the coaches and the levels of administration. There is nothing in place under Rugby Australia to develop rugby in this country. The Powers that Be are devoid of the ways in which to do so and self interest runs Rugby Australia. Add to that a Wallaby Coaching Panel that cannot select, develop attacking plays and develop defensive structures which involve everybody doing their own tackling. The coaches - and the 1 x selector are devoid of any technical nous at all.
Peter
Guest
I am interested in why "the leadership group" took so long to tell the coach and wash their hands. Beale, AAC and Hooper - Hooper on some sort of revenge for the McKenzie rubbish? Someone else pinged off with the three of them for trying to hide it? The team atmosphere must be a bit like QC's phrase at the moment! Sadly, I am expecting roast Wallaby tonight.
Artie
Guest
Rugby in Australia will be much better off without Beale, Hooper and Ashley-Cooper. Here is an opportunity for Castle to do something and stop the rot. Cheika is a phoney and has been taking everyone for a fool for some time now. He can add cover ups and lies to his next job application with his long list of failures and results. Couldn’t care less if the Wallabies win tonight because the damage has already done.