As his team begin their final preparations for Saturday’s showdown against New Zealand at Twickenham, Cheika told reporters his players faced a simple question.
Advertisement
Argentina captain Agustin Creevy is confident his country will keep their place at the top table of world rugby despite failing to make the final of Rugby World Cup 2015.
“They are obviously the world’s No1, aren’t they?” said Cheika.
“But as they have done throughout the World Cup, the Wallabies allowed their defensive line to bend but not break and their try line was not breached”.
Napier said New Zealand would fancy their chances of unsettling a Wallabies scrum which looked vulnerable against Argentina without prop Scott Sio.
“I think the players, the people in charge, everyone has the right mindset and they are staying humble”.
Australia have won just one of their last 10 Tests against the All Blacks, although a 27-19 victory in Sydney came as recently as August.
It has been argued that Beale, who has been impressive in his stints off the bench and played a starring role in the 65-3 rout of Uruguay in the pool games, would serve Australia better if he was used from the opening whistle. “I love the fact it’s a short week, before you know it we’re into it. We’ll be back here in six days”. “We gave ourselves an opportunity to now play in the final”.
“From the outset of the eighth Rugby World Cup the All Blacks and Wallabies have been the two best teams – it’s only right, then, the trans-Tasman neighbours will contest their first final”, Fairfax NZ’s Liam Napier said.
“I would like to thank World Rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union for their support over many years”.
Writing for the BBC, Guscott – an elegant centre who also played for the Lions – said Steve Hansen’s All Blacks were “happy to win ugly”.
Ben Smith, Jerome Kaino and Brodie Retallick continued their brilliant form in the semi-final, but this has been Dan Carter’s World Cup.
“We’ve played each other a lot so it’s always an exciting battle”.
But with New Zealand boasting the power-running of Ma’a Nonu, and offloading brilliance of Sonny Bill Williams coming off the bench, Australia can’t afford to let attackers shred their edge defence.
“They’ll be feeling pretty good”, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said.
In fact, Cheika said it doesn’t matter if they win or lose.
“We ” re going to focus entirely on what we’re going to do”.
Advertisement
Pichot, who labelled the Super competition the “NBA of rugby”, in a comparison with the star-studded USA professional basketball league, added: “The only thing the Pumas can do is get better, continue to progress”. We see them on a regular basis over the years now in the Rugby Championship and so we’re not surprised at all at their position now.
