Speaking yesterday, Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika stated that his squad is made up of ‘lovers, fighters and jokers.
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Prince Harry will present the Webb Ellis Cup to the winners at Twickenham as Australia face off against New Zealand for the first time in rugby’s biggest showpiece.
Often ranked one and two in the world, the teams’ failure to meet in the final of the worldwide showpiece has been one of the more curious anomalies of the game.
However, the Puma’s put a tough game for the All Blacks, despite losing 26 – 16.
Argentina great turned administrator Agustin Pichot defended the hardline stance by telling AFP: “It is a policy like they have in New Zealand”.
The All Blacks over-powered Georgia 43 – 10 at the Millennium Stadium and then went on to destroy Tonga, 47 -9.
The two countries who’ve met each other in more Test matches than any other pair of rivals have also, in latter years, tended to provide veritable feasts of running rugby.
“From the coaches, well it is a cuddly sort of week – they will not be beating them with a stick, they have done amazingly well to get here and they all want to win the next one”.
A very good All Black flyhalf in the early 1980s, he transitioned into coaching and led the Crusaders to two Super Rugby titles, which earned him the All Blacks coaching job for two years until he resigned in 2001.
‘Four more years, boys!’ went George Gregan’s cry when Australia overcame the All Blacks in the semi-final in 2003 and he’s never lived it down. “It has been handy having someone back with such an attention to detail and it will not get any easier for us in the final because Australia have a number of different attacking threats and pose a their own problems but we will have a plan for them come Saturday”.
Insisting New Zealand must strike out all thoughts of glory and complete their meticulous preparations, Mealamu said: “I just think it’s an exciting challenge that we’re really walking towards”.
Full-back Israel Folau and No8 David Pocock both missed Australia’s quarter-final victory over Scotland with ankle and calf injuries respectively but came through Sunday’s semi-final against Argentina unscathed.
“They’re obviously the world’s No. 1 and they’re there for a reason”, he said.
“I feel blessed”, he said.
“It was a very good performance”.
“In the end”, he said, “it’s about what we do, but we have to make sure we have most of the scenarios covered: Wherever the scrum is, what can they do? They want to play for Australia, they’re committed”, Cheika said. So they’ll be feeling they’ve got our measure and it’s going to be up to us to do something special, something extra just to be competitive.
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Yet this time New Zealand maintained their composure, and a drop goal by the record points scorer in global rugby, Dan Carter, propelled them toward a thrilling 20-18 win.
