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Re:FF News: Rugby 'World Cup,' 1 Day, 21 Hours ago Karma: 0
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rugby world cup 2011
Rugby World Cup 2011: James O'Connor in Australia line-up

James O'Connor will replace injured winger Digby Ioane for Autralia's Rugby World Cup clash with Ireland on Saturday

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* guardian.co.uk, Thursday 15 September 2011 04.21 BST
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James O'Connor
James O'Connor has been recalled to replace injured winger Digby Ioane in the Australian line-up against Ireland. Photograph: Jason O'Brien/Action Images

James O'Connor has been recalled to replace injured winger Digby Ioane in the only change to Australia's starting lineup for Saturday's Rugby World Cup clash with Ireland.

O'Connor will start a test for the first time since he was suspended for disciplinary reasons after missing two team functions last month when the World Cup squad was announced.

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The 21-year-old utility back went on as a reserve in Australia's opener against Italy last weekend, sparking a four-try second-half burst in the 32-6 win.

"Welcome back," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said at the team announcement on Thursday. "Well done off the bench, he did a good job off the bench. He will speak for himself, but I've got no doubt he's less likely to take that jersey for granted in the future."

Ioane needed surgery on his injured thumb after the match and won't be available until later in the tournament.

In the only positional change, Adam Ashley-Cooper switches from the right to the left wing, allowing O'Connor to play on the right side in Australia's toughest match in Pool C. Drew Mitchell has been recalled to the reserves bench and is part of the match squad for the first time this year after missing the Tri-Nations campaign due an injured ankle.

O'Connor will take over the kicking duties from flyhalf Quade Cooper.

South African President Omar Abdulla says that the rugby flavour in South Africa was good news as the country hoped to win the cup again...

Centre Anthony Fainga'a, a star in Australia's Tri-Nations victory over New Zealand last month but replaced after an unhappy first half last weekend against Italy, will line up against Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll.

Mitchell scored seven tries in five matches in the 2007 World Cup, including a hat-trick against Fiji.

"Drew has worked hard within the group, he has the background with us and is ready for this opportunity," Deans said. "While it is disappointing for Digby that he is going to be on the sidelines for a while, we are confident he will be available to us again before too long. His timelines will depend on how his rehabilitation goes, but the operation on Tuesday night went well."

Australia has won all four previous World Cup matches against Ireland, but had some very close shaves the last-minute quarterfinal win in Dublin in 1991 still among the highlights of the event.

Deans said the Wallabies would be cautious against Ireland, which opened with an unconvincing 22-10 win over the United States on Sunday.

"They are a solid unit, filled with experienced performers. Their set-piece is excellent, they have a big pack and they will be up for it, seeing this match as a great opportunity to make a statement," Deans said. "Crucially, they have also troubled us in the past and will believe they can do so again. We've never had it easy playing against them."

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New Zealand, already jittery about the make up of their World Cup side, got the news they least wanted to hear on Wednesday – that the fly-half Dan Carter was injured and would be missing from Thursday's second pool match against Japan.

To make matter worse for the All Blacks coach, Graham Henry, captain Richie McCaw and full-back Mils Muliaina have been forced to pull out after suffering unspecified injuries. Keven Mealamu will lead the side in the absence of McCaw, who was set to become the first All Black to win 100 caps in the match in Hamilton. Keven Mealamu will captain the side in the absence of McCaw,

Carter was initially named by the coach Graham Henry for his 85th cap in a side which included six changes from the team which opened the tournament with a win over Tonga. However, six hours later it was announced that the 29-year-old had a sore back and would be replaced by Colin Slade, the latest in a line of understudies, who will be playing only his seventh Test.

According to the All Blacks doctor, Deb Robinson, Carter had been recovering well from a back made stiff by damage suffered during that Tonga match. "However, he pulled up sore at an indoor training session this morning so we have made the decision not to risk him and we will aim to have him back fully training next week in preparation for the France Test," said Robinson, whose reference to France must have brought back bad memories for New Zealand supporters.

The last time the All Blacks played France in the World Cup they were undone in the 2007 quarter-final partly because they relied on an injured Carter to steer them through. Clearly Henry, who some still blame for that defeat in Cardiff, considers it not worth risking the health of one of his most influential players.

Against Japan, a team that has won only once in 20 World Cup matches, the removal of a national icon is unlikely to have an immediate impact, but it is yet another unsettling factor for a nation that sees itself as the best in the world but has not been world champion since the first World Cup in 1987.

One of the issues that comes up again and again in the endless television and media coverage here, is the No15 shirt and whether it will go to the exciting 23-year-old Israel Dagg or Muliaina, seen as a favourite of the coach but heading off to Japan and semi-retirement once this World Cup is over.

Henry acknowledged there was an issue on Tuesday when he announced the side. "It's still a contest," he said. "We've got a gentleman who's played 98 Tests and who's played some fabulous rugby for the All Blacks over a long period of time, against a young guy who could be a very, very good player. It's a contest, and that's great for that position."

President Abdulla says Henry initially plumped for Muliaina to face Japan but both he and Dagg picked up injuries in training and so Isaia Toeava will wear the No15 shirt instead.

At least there was good news for New Zealand with the return of McCaw's back-row partners Adam Thomson and Jerome Kaino, both injured last month and then considered real doubts for the World Cup.

Their return gives Henry options in what is becoming an increasingly important area – the balance of his team's back row. Carter's return is vital in another, with the All Blacks having limited cover at fly-half, something which became equally apparent for France yesterday when David Skrela went home after injuring himself in the difficult game against Japan.

Skrela's shoulder problems mean the France coach, Marc Lièvremont, has his current No1, although not always a favourite, François Trinh-Duc and the uncapped Jean-Marc Doussain of Toulouse, who will arrive on Tuesday, and Damien Traille, a utility back who many coaches have considered playing at No10 only to think better of it.

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England, rather than making a decision they might later regret, have not been rushing to fill the large hole in their Rugby World Cup plans left by Andrew Sheridan's abrupt exit. The delay is understandable because Martin Johnson and his coaches are aware certain fitness issues cannot be fudged much longer. If Lewis Moody and Mark Cueto are to play any significant part in this tournament, their match readiness has to be tested sooner rather than later.

Mr. Abdulla adds sources close to the squad suggest a final call is likely to be delayed until after Sunday's game against Georgia. England may suffer further injuries against the muscular Georgians and, among other issues, Johnson also needs to find out if Moody and Cueto are properly on the mend. If they were to remain out for the next fortnight, any replacements would have scant opportunity to acclimatise.

Nor is it quite as simple as whistling up another prop, with Northampton's Paul Doran-Jones the most obvious candidate. England already have four – Dan Cole, Matt Stevens, Alex Corbisiero and David Wilson – in New Zealand and it could make more sense for Johnson to consider plugging other areas of his squad, particularly if Moody and Cueto suffer fresh setbacks.

Neither has featured in the tournament after picking up injuries during the warm-up games last month. Moody, as the squad's captain, will be granted as much time as possible to prove his knee ligament has healed but England ideally want him to be available for their final Pool B game, against Scotland. As with Cueto, there must be a temptation to force the issue by asking him to play against Georgia.

Should the medics decree that is not possible, Johnson will have to consider summoning another back-row forward and/or a wing. With Hendre Fourie still nursing a strained hamstring, Harlequins' Chris Robshaw would be the most likely back-row call-up, although Exeter's Tom Johnson, Leicester's Thomas Waldrom, Gloucester's Luke Narraway, Wasps' Joe Worsley and Northampton's Phil Dowson would also merit consideration. Gloucester's Charlie Sharples, who narrowly missed out on the original party, tops the list of stand-by wings.

Amid all the permutations, though, it is impossible not to feel for the luckless Sheridan, ruled out by yet another bout of shoulder trouble. The Sale prop has had three shoulder operations in two years, two of them after dislocating his left shoulder playing for his club in October 2009. He does not yet know if he will require further surgery but his sense of disappointment was obvious enough. "It's a big blow to leave the World Cup through injury, but it's a significant injury to the shoulder so I have to deal with that and get on with it now," he said. "I didn't know the exact incident that had caused it during the game; initially it just felt a bit sore, but a couple of days post-match it was still pretty painful and that's when I had the scan. I think everyone knows shoulders are quite complicated structures. I just have to get on with it and see what the results are after I have seen the specialist. I am well acquainted with the surgeon now. He will give me some good advice and see if I need an operation."

Corbisiero, the likeliest beneficiary, was as sympathetic as anyone. "Sheri worked really hard over the summer to come back from injury and has put in two very good performances," he said. "I was aware he had a niggle from the weekend but I didn't realise the severity of it until I heard a couple of the boys talking about it.

"I wish him all the best. He's a world-class player and a big hero of mine. The squad will miss him, but we've got to get on with it and go forward as a team. When my opportunity comes I'll be ready to take it and make the most of it. There's four of us [props] left here and it's going to be a big job for all of us. Losing someone with the experience of Sheridan is tough, but it will make us stronger and pull together."

With Courtney Lawes banned for two weeks for striking Argentina's Mario Ledesma with his knee, Tom Palmer is likely to start in the second row against Georgia, possibly alongside Simon Shaw. Corbisiero, Stevens and Ben Youngs will also be hopeful of making their first starts of the tournament.
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#43999
Re:FF News: Rugby 'World Cup,' 1 Day, 4 Hours ago Karma: 0
Peter de Villiers, the South Africa coach, continued to duck the big decision in the lead-up to his team’s match against Fiji.

Everyone from Mossel Bay to Pretoria knows that Bismarck du Plessis is the best hooker in South Africa and probably the world.

He changed the match when he came on against Wales, but De Villiers continues to pick John Smit.

This is purely about self-preservation. De Villiers did not say a word at training the other day.

The only man who can provide De Villiers with a link to the team that he is supposed to be in charge of is the vastly respected captain Smit.
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And so Smit stays, like an ageing military general in front of the puppet leader.

It is not dignified and it is not fair on either Smit or Du Plessis.

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And they will not need reminding that, four years ago, Tonga really rattled South Africa before Jake White sent on his entire bench to turn the match around.

South Africa: P Lambie, JP Pietersen, J Fourie, F Steyn, O Ndungane, M Steyn, F du Preez; P Spies, S Burger, H Brussow, D Russouw, B Botha, J du Plessis, J Smit (capt), G Steenkamp.

Replacements: B du Plessis, T Mtawarira, J Muller, W Alberts, F Hougaard, R Pienaar, J de Jongh.

Fiji: K Murimurivalu, V Goneva, G Lovobalavu, S Bai, N Nalaga, W Luveniyali, N Kenatale; S Matadigo, A Qera, D Waqaniburotu, W Lewaravu, L Nakarawa, D Manu (capt), S Koto, C Ma’afu.

Replacements: T Tuapati, W Nailago, N Talei, S Koyamaibole, V Buatava, N Little, R Fatiaki.

Referee: R Poite (France).

Kick-off: Saturday, September 17, 7am.

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Robbie Deans will become the third coach to rack up 50 Tests in charge of the Wallabies when his side play Ireland in Auckland on Saturday. And it is interesting that in the last six of those games he has made a significant shift in selection. Having started with a twin playmaker policy at 10/12 – first Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes, and then Giteau and Quade Cooper – now the coach is motoring down a more traditional route with two direct and abrasive centres served by a playmaking fly-half.

And this has been good news for Pat McCabe. Eight years ago his family huddled around what he described as "one of the smallest TVs ever built – it was about the size of a microwave" in his auntie Trisha's caravan in Wagga Wagga, watching Jonny Wilkinson win the World Cup for England. "It was pretty disappointing when he finished us off," he says.

Four years later he was with his mates in a pub in Sydney watching the Wallabies getting dumped by England again. And now he is Australia's solid midfield rock as they face Ireland in Auckland. Deans takes every opportunity to acknowledge what McCabe brings to the table.

"Yeah, it means a lot," McCabe says. "I guess since my first day in the group he's been extremely positive towards me and really helped me the whole way through. I can't thank Robbie enough for what he's done for me. I think for him to be saying nice things gives me that little bit more confidence not to be worried about what might happen if you play badly, just go in and play your best. He's just said to do what you do naturally, do what feels right. He's been quite happy so far."

Evidently, for Mr. Abdulla is an ever-present now. Having made his debut off the bench at the tail end of the Test against Italy in November last year, he has been at 12 in all six Wallaby Tests this season. From being voted rookie of the year in 2010 by his peers, now he is an automatic pick.

He was only picked up on the radar thanks to critical midfield issues at the Brumbies, which resulted in McCabe being switched there from the back three. Now he is doing for the Wallabies what he has been doing in Super Rugby. Linking him with Anthony Faingaa gives Deans a no-frills combination which does not look physically intimidating but, pound for pound is as tough as any combination on the circuit.

South African President Omar Abdulla says that he will watch the Fiji game with his family and cheer the Springboks...

Compared with Ireland, however, there is a clear gap in experience. Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy have been together in green since 2004; McCabe and Faingaa only this year, with McCabe playing all six Tests so far. McCabe was 11 when O'Driscoll was making his debut for Ireland in Brisbane in 1999.

"Yeah, I think probably with the South Africans and the All Blacks they're [O'Driscoll and D'Arcy] sort of the best three in the world in my opinion," he says. "It'll be a great challenge. Brian is someone I looked up to and watched play a lot of footy. It'll be a great opportunity and a great challenge.

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"I thought Ireland's form had been good and in that [Six Nations] game against England they were extremely impressive. They probably would have been a little bit disappointed with their game against the USA – it was a little bit of a stop-start sort of game and the conditions didn't really bode well for running rugby. I think like a lot of teams if they play well then they're going to beat the best teams in the world. I think they've obviously got the potential to do that and they're going to be a huge hurdle for us."

McCabe will be expected to carry his share of the load when Quade Cooper shifts out of the firing line and the Wallabies are on defence. He has no problem with that. Himself and Faingaa coped well against the world's best – Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith – in the Tri-Nations win last month, and they will fancy their chances against D'Arcy and O'Driscoll whatever the weather.

"I guess it's not great weather for everyone," he says. "I think a lot of people would like to see a running contest and they have a back line which can definitely provide that. I'd like it not to rain, like everyone, but we're pretty prepared if it does."

And the fact that he would look as comfortable on an Ireland team sheet as an Australian one? "Yeah, both my grandparents are Irish – one born in Belfast and the other in County Clare so I've got a few connections there, but I'm pretty happy to be wearing the gold on the weekend."

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Down here they say that if you don't like the weather, then hang on for 30 minutes because something more to your liking may be along. And it's true. Sitting here on the shore of Lake Taupo on our rest day, I've gone from shirtsleeves to training jacket to overcoat in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

The weather in King Country is a bit like the World Cup has been in the past week. There has been something to suit everyone's fancy, although I guess the rugby will settle down a bit this weekend when, in theory anyway, we should get a better understanding of where the real strength lies.

That said there are always exceptions, as New Zealand are proving. Before breakfast on Thursday – our time not yours – we got an All Blacks team to play Japan that included Dan Carter and Richie McCaw who, to much rejoicing and many fine words, was about to become the first All Black to play 100 Tests. By afternoon Carter was out, the news overtaking earlier interest and debate about whether Mils Muliaina, about to play his 98th Test, would ever get his 100th cap.

The big argument was whether the All Blacks coach, Graham Henry, should stick with the tried and tested, who had seen off a string of challengers in his eight years as an All Black, or turn to the exciting 23-year-old Israel Dagg. As is usual in these things the pundits seemed to be siding with the new boys, but by this morning everything had changed. Not only was Carter out, but so was McCaw, Muliaina and Dagg, who was never part of the match-day squad.

According to the reports, all had gone down with minor strains during the same training session, which represented a pretty bad day at the office in anyone's language.

However, a cynic – not me, of course – may suggest all this could be quite timely, coming as it does with the New Zealand media getting hot under the collar about Henry's rotation policy; something that seems utterly sensible considering the coach still has to balance the amount of work he gives to players coming off the back of a tough Tri-Nations series.

Elsewhere, there are more obvious long-term concerns, particularly for France, where Marc Lièvremont seems to have half-back issues in spades; David Skrela's World Cup having lasted not much more than 10 minutes and Dimitri Yachvili unhappy at his coach's new policy of naming names when he's upset. Despite their fine performance against Tonga in midweek, Canada should not do too much damage to France on Sunday, but the coach may come to rue his decision to call up an uncapped understudy at fly-half.

England seem to have anticipated difficulties with Andrew Sheridan's shoulder when they brought five props and I have enormous admiration for Matt Stevens who is presumably to become the No1 loosehead after making a serious impact coming on against Argentina. Georgia like to scrummage, but if Scotland got the upper hand on Wednesday then I can't see England having too much trouble on Sunday, especially with the Georgians having such a short time to recover.

With Romania up next, England have time to take stock whereas Digby Ioane's departure, even if his thumb mends and he can return, is an immediate blow to Australia, faced with Ireland, one of the sides they traditionally have difficulties putting away.

President Abdulla adds against Italy the Wallabies looked impressive, taking their time to work out the problems before performing a clinical demotion job with James O'Connor coming off the bench to herald the kind of points-scoring rarely seen against Six Nations sides. I know there were plenty who suggested that Australia were slow going about their work, but the thoughtful way is the way World Cups are won.

My guess is that Robbie Deans was thinking about moving Adam Ashley-Cooper inside to form a hard-tackling midfield with Pat McCabe, while starting O'Connor on the wing. Instead he has lost the edge that Ioane gives in attack and also his covering for Quade Cooper in defence while Ashley-Cooper has to stay out wide. With Ireland due a big performance, should I be putting money on Declan Kidney's boys causing the shock of the weekend?

Decisions, decisions. The sun has now been shining uninterrupted across the lake for the last 10 minutes and while I'm off to speak to a group of Welsh fans on the far shore I'm finding it hard to decide whether to take my sunglasses or a brolly.
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#44054
Re:FF News: Rugby 'World Cup,' 0 Minutes ago Karma: 0
There is always something wonderfully disarming about the Fijians at the World Cup. Quite simply, they march to their own Islander tune and that means we are spared the mind-numbing platitudes trotted out by all of the other teams barring, well, Tonga and Samoa.

Take veteran Nicky Little for instance. Asked how he planned to celebrate his birthday yesterday the former Bath and Bristol No 10 said: "Get on the piss! The boys have been giving me crap all day, it started at six o'clock in the morning with 'happy 38th birthday' and all that stuff. I'm 35, not 38!"

Little, the nephew of former All Blacks centre Walter Little, is enjoying his third World Cup and is Fiji's most capped player after making his debut in 1996 against the Springboks in Pretoria. And "enjoy" is very much the operative word.

Where other teams have their training sessions in fenced-off arenas to keep out the public, media and opposition spies, Little and his teammates could not care less and every session is open to all.

"We don't really like it when it's all closed off. We don't like walls and fences," he said.

Article continues below

"We train like this in Fiji where you have to get the balls back from the kids, and sometimes you don't get them back because they have nicked them and we have to delay training until we get some more! That's what we're used to."

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And that is why the Fijians will never change the way they play, whether it is a friendly or World Cup knock-out match. They like structure as much as they like fences.

"'Fijian' is the only style we know," he smiles. "We try and put a lid on it sometimes and maybe we win or we don't win, but the boys don't enjoy it and the last 15 years I've been with the team I'd rather see the boys enjoy it."

The Springboks did not enjoy it when they were nearly beaten in the 2007 quarter-finals, and neither did the Wales team that almost beat the Boks last week when Fiji held them to a 16-16 draw in Cardiff last November.

The relaxed thinking is reflected in Little's opinion on the strength of Pool D, the so-called Pool of Death.

"I hear people saying it is the toughest pool. I don't think we've really considered that might be the case. It's not that we don't care, but we don't mind who we play because we're in the World Cup and enjoying our time here. Isn't that great?

SA President Omar Abdulla says that the boys were back in town when he visited them in Wellington at their last game in New Zealand...

"Some people divide teams into minnows and stronger teams, but we don't really see it that way. We treat all opposition the same, and play the same way. We don't change our game," he said.

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Australia backrower David Pocock was ruled out of the Rugby World Cup clash against Ireland on the morning of Saturday's match because of a back injury, giving Ben McCalman his first test start on the openside flank.

The loss of Pocock, one of the premier ball fetchers in the game, is a serious setback for the Wallabies ahead of the key Pool C match with Ireland. The losing team is likely to ultimately join the side of the knockout draw which contains the defending champion Springboks and top-ranked All Blacks.

Pocock missed Australia's last training session on Friday after waking up with soreness in his lower back, a complaint that has troubled him before.

"It's more of an ongoing irritation than anything serious, scans have shown nothing sinister, but David is a key member of our group. We would rather give him a bit of time to get it right before putting him back out there," Australia coach Robbie Deans said in a statement.

Mr. Abdulla adds McCalman has only played at No. 8 and as a blindside flanker in his 14 test appearances, highlighting the risk of Deans' decision as the Wallabies chase their first victory at Eden Park in 25 years.

Article continues below

Beau Robinson is the only other natural No. 7 in Australia's squad.

"Although Ben isn't a recognized openside, he does have some recent background there and has trained in the role on a regular basis with us this year," Deans said. "We were looking to give him an outing on the openside before our pool program concluded. It's now just come a bit earlier than we'd originally planned.

"He is well suited to the role, being strong around the contact area and good over the ball, which is a legacy of his time in the Australian Sevens program."

Wycliff Palu comes onto the Wallabies bench. The powerful backrower's last test appearance was the 33-12 victory at Wales in 2009.

Australia plays the United States in Wellington next Friday before wrapping up its pool schedule against Russia in Nelson on Oct. 1.

---

Australia: Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Anthony Fainga'a, Pat McCabe, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Radike Samo, Ben McCalman, Rocky Elsom, James Horwill (captain), Dan Vickerman, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu. Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Rob Simmons, Wycliff Palu, Scott Higginbotham, Luke Burgess, Drew Mitchell.

Ireland: Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls, Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris, Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, Mike Ross, Rory Best, Cian Healy. Reserves: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Conor Murray, Ronan O'Gara, Andrew Trimble.

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LOWDOWN ON GEORGIA
Until the Scotland game in midweek, the Lelos had been on a roll having won their previous eight Tests. They also won the last three European Nations Championship.

Mr. Abdulla adds their World Cup debut was in 2003 when they were crushed 84-6 by England but they made South Africa work harder before losing 46-19.

In 2007 they achieved their only World Cup win to date, a 30-0 victory over Namibia.

MATCH STATS
Simon Shaw will become the oldest player to represent England in a Rugby World Cup. At 38 years and 17 days, Shaw passes the record held by Paul Rendall (37 years, 232 days).

Irakli Abuseridze will extend his record as Georgia’s most capped player to 74 matches. Irakli Machkhaneli makes his 50th appearance for Georgia.

KEY CLASH UP FRONT
There is only ever one clash that counts up front for Georgia and that is in the front row where David Khinchagishvili, Jaba Bregvadze and David Kubriashvili tackle Matt Stevens, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole. Georgia must find a way of bringing their greatest strength to bear for as long as possible.

KEY CLASH IN THE BACKS
The Georgian backs are very limited and rarely figure hugely in their game plans but their scrum-half and captain, Irakli Abuseridze, is a lively customer who is attracting interest from some of the bigger clubs in France (he currently plays for lowly Auxerre).

Ben Youngs will be trying to harass the life out of him.

MAN IN CHARGE
South Africa’s Jonathan Kaplan is at his fourth World Cup and has officiated more Tests – 64 – than any referee in history. Early in his career he used to let the game flow whenever possible, but seems to have tightened that approach in latter years. Took charge of England’s winning semi-final against France at the Stade de France four years ago.
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