Rugby Championship: Australia - Argentina (15/09/2012)

[Darwin]

Skilled Park, Gold Coast (15-09-2012, 10:05 GMT)

Referee: W Barnes
Assistants: N Owens & G Jackson
Television match official: M Goddard
​

 

[InsaneAsylum]

My prediction is that the wallabies squeeze argentina out. I'm going with the theory that forced changes will introduce some hungry players (possibly phipps + harris/faingaa) and also the wallabies should have learned by now the inefectiveness of the chip/grubber. Quade should also fire up as he's had some good game time to play himself in, and hopefully deans picks up someone like neville if timani is out instead of simmons. simmons will get pulverized by argentina. samo must also start.

is it just me or are there about 5 tahs players with soft tissue injuries?

 

[Icemn]

What are the odds of AAC making 3 tackles at the same time this week round in 2 weeks time its 4...

 

[Darwin]

It will be very interesting to see how Australia go without Genia, as basically their whole game plan revolves around his play at halfback. Phipps certainly isn't the playmaker that Genia is, but Australia have no shortage of playmakers (Cooper, Barnes, Beale etc), they will just have to change their game plan somewhat. The good news for Australia is that James O'Connor and Pat McCabe are back training with Australia, though O'Connor isn't expected to be back playing for the Wallabies until they play South Africa again. It would be great to see McCabe back in the starting lineup, but they can't afford to rush him back too soon (e.g. Drew Mitchell), and they can't really afford to play him at 12 given Barnes is their primary goal-kicker at the moment (and kicking very well!). He may well be on the bench though.

If Timani is out he will be a big loss, as he has been superb for the Wallabies this tournament (and really proved me wrong!). I would imagine they will bring in Simmons if Timani is ruled out, with Douglas coming onto the bench.

 

[Gena_ZA]

I have stopped giving prediction in this lifetime...
Just hoping for a tense and thrilling game and the continuous good honest rugby Argentina produces

 

[Big Ewis]

^ I think all intelligent human beings do at some point !...no matter how brilliantly and wholly one knows a sport, no matter the experience and the years behind, you can be 180° wrong on almost everything...of course NZ Spain isn't a concerned matchup here...
Australia gets this one, I agree with InsaneAsylum. They survive this one, grind it out and won't be underestimating the Pumas. They wouldn't bear a loss at home, they'll show up this time around surely; they've seen what the Pumas managed to do in Wellington.

 

[petite]

^ I think all intelligent human beings do at some point !...no matter how brilliantly and wholly one knows a sport, no matter the experience and the years behind, you can be 180° wrong on almost everything...of course NZ Spain isn't a concerned matchup here...
Australia gets this one, I agree with InsaneAsylum. They survive this one, grind it out and won't be underestimating the Pumas. They wouldn't bear a loss at home, they'll show up this time around surely; they've seen what the Pumas managed to do in Wellington.

agree mostly. maybe we have a chance here, but i dont see the pumas winning in australia. but i guess the´ll be close. we are going to need better bench to be able to beat any of these teams. we are allways falling apart on the final 20 minutes, for the game with australia we have the psicological advantage of having beaten them before. everybodys mind in argentina is focused on australia, but this wallabies, actual champion of the tri nations, who have just beat sa rather confortably, are as dificult as the other 2 teams

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

AUSTRALIA: Berrick Barnes, Dom Shipperley, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Nick Phipps; Radike Samo, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Kane Douglas, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Res: Stephen Moore/Saia Fainga'a, James Slipper, Scott Higginbotham, Liam Gill, Brett Sheehan, Anthony Fainga'a, Kurtley Beale.

Dropped Beale to the bench for some unknown reason...

 

[Darwin]

Hmmm... a couple of interesting selections, but I quite like them. Douglas comes straight into the starting lineup to make his debut in place of the injured Timani, but I like Douglas, as I think his hard-working style of play is just what the Wallabies need at lock (something Timani was providing them). Interesting to see that yet again there is no lock cover on the bench - is Rob Simmons injured?

As expected Phipps starts at halfback, and McCabe is back at 12, which I think is a good move for the Wallabies (assuming he is fully fit). I have always thought Cooper has performed at his best with a direct running option outside to help create space (or as a bail-out option!), and with McCabe at 12 no-one is going to get through the Wallabies midfield! They couldn't really afford to drop Barnes given his superb goal-kicking recently, and I think he will be fine at fullback - he won't have to do much to be a step-up from Kurtley Beale in any case....

 

[admartian]

It will be very interesting to see how Australia go without Genia, as basically their whole game plan revolves around his play at halfback. Phipps certainly isn't the playmaker that Genia is, but Australia have no shortage of playmakers (Cooper, Barnes, Beale etc), they will just have to change their game plan somewhat. The good news for Australia is that James O'Connor and Pat McCabe are back training with Australia, though O'Connor isn't expected to be back playing for the Wallabies until they play South Africa again. It would be great to see McCabe back in the starting lineup, but they can't afford to rush him back too soon (e.g. Drew Mitchell), and they can't really afford to play him at 12 given Barnes is their primary goal-kicker at the moment (and kicking very well!). He may well be on the bench though.

If Timani is out he will be a big loss, as he has been superb for the Wallabies this tournament (and really proved me wrong!). I would imagine they will bring in Simmons if Timani is ruled out, with Douglas coming onto the bench.

I think Beale is the only player in the Wallabies that can break a game on their own (outside of Genia or even O'Connor). Cooper as I have said earlier, is streaky and needs others around him going great.

Without a genuine distributor at 9 or 10, AUS needs to be quicker or try to pound it up using Samo or whoever else.

 

[Darwin]

I think Beale is the only player in the Wallabies that can break a game on their own (outside of Genia or even O'Connor). Cooper as I have said earlier, is streaky and needs others around him going great.

Without a genuine distributor at 9 or 10, AUS needs to be quicker or try to pound it up using Samo or whoever else.

When Beale is on form there is no doubt he is one of the top fullbacks in world rugby, but he isn't near being at top form at the moment. I'm not convinced he is close to being fully fit - he struggled with hamstring injuries last season, and has had a number of injuries again this season (shoulder, calf, hamstring again - and those are just the ones I remember!). He just doesn't seem to be playing with the confidence of old at the moment - indeed the only game-breaking he is doing at the moment is for the opposition! I think the bench is probably the best place for him at the moment, as coming on with 20-30 mins to go against a tiring side can be a great way to regain your confidence!

 

[EMAX1987]

Pumas Starting Line Up: 1-Rodrigo Roncero 2-Eusebio Guiñazú 3-Juan Figallo 4-Manuel Carizza 5-Patricio Albacete 6-Julio Farías Cabello 7-Juan Manuel Leguizamón 8-Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (captain) 9-Martín Landajo 10-Juan Martín Hernández 11-Horacio Agulla 12-Santiago Fernández 13-Marcelo Bosch 14-Gonzalo Camacho 15-Lucas González Amorosino

bench:16-Agustín Creevy17-Juan Pablo Orlandi18-Leonardo Senatore 19-Tomás Leonardi 20-Nicolás Vergallo 21- Martín Rodríguez22-Juan Imhoff

Coach: Santiago Phelan.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

Farías' exclusive task will be to put pressure on Phipps, and Albacete will glad to help on that. Every team that plays against Quade Copper will try to put as much pressure on im as they can, so I think Leguizamón will be in charge of that. The only ones that have succeeded in that, however, ar the AB, although without Genia I can see Copper having more pressure on him. Also, how experienced is BB at fullback? A tactical kicker like JMH can have quite some fun if the FB is not up to the task.

For Australia, Hopper will have a lot of work. Not starting Higgingbotham and putting Douglas straight on the starting side tells us that Dingo will try to match the Pumas in the forwards. The alternative was to play Higgs, try to get the ball out as quickly as possible and try to outclass the Pumas' in the wide. I don't think that trying to out-Argentina Argentina is a good idea. That's what we tried to do in th RWC 2007 opener and that didn't go well.

Still, Oz are the favourites, and I think they will win.

Edit: my all-time favourite TH prop will be starting for Australia. Will this be another of his memorable performances, as against Ireland in the WC?

 

[drif73r]

Pumas Starting Line Up [...]

Not bad, I'm glad Phelan selected a more ofensive team with Landajo and González Amorosino in the starting XV and Imhoff on the bench. I certainly didn't see that comming, not yet at least (I thought this was the kind of team he would pick up for the home match against Australia, and I thought he would never drop Vergallo).

 

[Shaggy]

... The Pumas to take this one, I was waiting or the home match in Argentina, but I think, given the number of injuries that the Wallabies have, the physicality of the Pumas forwards, their great defense, and their test experience, i think it won't matter that the wallabies won't be surprised by them ... I don't think the Wallabies will be able to counter this.

... Now if only the Pumas can get their goal kicking and indiscipline sorted, so my prediction can come true ... please add VBookie so I can bet the virtual house on them

 

[Gavin]

O'Connor not travelling abroad now.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/a...uts-paid-to-oconnor-hopes-20120911-25qmm.html

 

[LittleGuy]

Argentine lienup has been announced, it's a strong squad mostly unchanged.

Argentina: 15 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (c), 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon,6 Julio Faras Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete,4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 18 Leonardo Senatore, 19 Toms Leonardi, 20 Nicolas Vergallo, 21 Martin Rodriguez, 22 Juan Imhoff

 

[InsaneAsylum]

don't underestimate phipps guys. he will bring some energy to the position. don't forget he's played 2 seasons of SR, and crossed twice against the crusaders. probably one of the few standout players in the rebels lineup.I think douglas is in to lock behind the TH in place of Timani. hope deans has finally realised that simmons is made of marshmallow.I like the Argentine team, should be a good contest.

 

[Darwin]

Australia v Argentina

vBookie added

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I want to go with Argentina for a win against Aus but I've gone with many teams against Aus and ended up wrong most times. You won't understand just how much Aus' streak against us irks me.