Forget Ashes revenge or redemption for that drop goal from Jonny Wilkinson in 2003, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says his team will be “playing for the wrong reason” if it uses England’s potential embarrassment as a motivator in Saturday night’s World Cup clash.
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One of Wales’ biggest challenges this week has been the short turnaround following their Twickenham triumph, and they will go into battle against Fiji with 12 of the starting XV retained from last Saturday.
Wales can do their chances of reaching the quarter-finals a whoe world of good if they win their match at the Millennium Stadium which kicks-off at 1545 GMT.
Cheika believes Saturday’s pivotal Twickenham showdown will be more than just “fetcher versus fetcher”, but in the same breath conceded Hooper and Pocock’s pure breakdown potency has forced him to dump all his back-row preconceptions.
But Burgess overnight tweeted to assure Williams that he did know who he was, and wishing him luck with his recovery from a knee injury which has ended the Welshman’s World Cup campaign.
Saint-Andre will try out Castres wing Grosso who was called into the squad to replace the injured Yoann Huget, but otherwise has a strong team with captain Thierry Dusautoir back after being rested against Romania.
Lancaster, whose England contract was controversially extended a year ago to run beyond the next World Cup, will come under intense pressure if his side lose to Australia.
Owen Farrell keeps his place at fly-half, and half-back partner Ben Youngs has been passed fit to start at scrum-half after shaking off a foot injury. “The stakes are huge, but the boys will be ready”.
He added: “Australia will have two opensides in their back row, so they are expected to dominate the ruck contest and I can’t see it going any other way with the teams that are going to be selected”.
“England-Australia matches at Twickenham are always massive occasions, this one more than ever, and we want everyone behind us so we can get the result we all want”.
“If you distract yourself with the what-ifs then you aren’t doing your job”.
“It was a really tough physical encounter and I am absolutely delighted with the win”, Gatland said.
Australia head coach Michael Cheika has gone against conventional rugby wisdom by selecting both openside flankers in his side, with Pocock wearing No 8.
“It is a do or die attitude for us now, but we have got to hope that this will bring the best out of us”, said the 30-year-old. If you get concerned about the external effects you are not in a good place.
“I’m just a simple old coach of the Australian team and I know what has impact on us and what doesn’t”.
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‘It is for us to put out our skill set, and I think our skill-set is complimentary.
