Wallabies spots still up for grabs following Samoan scare
Increasing competition for starting spots in his World Cup team is proving more of a pleasure than a headache for Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
Australia wrapped up their pre-World Cup Test campaign with a 34-15 win over Samoa in Sydney on Saturday.
A good first-half display, which was rewarded with a 22-3 halftime lead, was offset by an unconvincing second-half performance, with Samoa scoring the first 12 points, before two late tries pushed the home side clear.
Cheika said the game had been a really good hit out for the Wallabies, who now have a 3-2 record this year.
Among the most competitive areas of the team are the back row and halves.
Back rowers David Pocock and Jack Dempsey both performed well in their first Test since last November while recalled halves Will Genia and Bernard Foley also got a tick from their coach.
Asked if the game had provided more selection headaches, Cheika said: “No headaches mate, you want to have as many players as possible competing for the spots.
“It’s exactly where you want to be going into the tournament.
“I think realistically what we’re feeling now is we just can’t wait for it to start, which is probably something you may not have said six or seven months ago.”
With regular captain and openside flanker Michael Hooper rested and blindside flanker Lukhan Salakaia-Loto performing well on Saturday, Cheika said there was good competition for the back row spots.
“‘Everyone is looking to step it up and that’s what we want, I think that gives us good options” Cheika said.
Halfback Genia and five-eighth Foley have dominated their positions since the last World Cup, but in recent Tests have been displaced by Nic White and Christian Lealiifano respectively.
Cheika was non-committal about who was ahead in the race for the halves spots.
“You’ve just got to make the right choices on the day, but maybe there isn’t a wrong choice because whoever you pick, they know the competition is there, they are going to be doing their absolute best,” Cheika said.
While Samoa had some success against the Wallabies’ scrum in the second half, Cheika said he was bemused his side didn’t get more penalties awarded in their favour.
But he was upbeat with the way Pocock came through almost 60 minutes in his first game since March.
“It will take him a few games to get re-acclimatised to the pace of things probably but he’s a very quick learner,” Cheika said.
Lock Adam Coleman came off with a thumb injury, but Cheika said he hadn’t suffered any serious damage.
“It will teach him to pass the ball a bit quicker next time because he took his time,” Cheika said.
“The wheels were turning inside his head and the next thing you know he was clattered from the side.”
AAP
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Dickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
1 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to comments