Rugby World Cup: Wallabies can defend better against Scotland, says defence

Australia captain Stephen Moore and centre Matt Giteau are set to win their 100th caps in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Scotland at Twickenham on Sunday.

The reward for the Wallabies was a quarter-final clash with Scotland which edged out Samoa 33-30, and also the knowledge they had avoided a semi-final showdown with World Cup heavyweights South Africa and the All Blacks. “We’ve got a great opportunity to play in the quarterfinal of a World Cup and that’s more than enough to play for”.

“So I don’t want the boys thinking about anything other than the opportunity we’ve got, preparing really well this week and playing our best rugby on the weekend because we’re going to need to do that against Scotland”. “We got away with it this time but won’t at this level too many times”.

The Wallabies’ scrum has been an area of play which has come in for strong criticism in recent years.

But Wales nevertheless emerged from the tournament “s so-called ‘pool of death” in second place behind Australia, and they will face the Springboks in Saturday’s opening last-eight encounter.

Leigh Halfpenny, Scott Williams, Rhys Webb, Liam Williams, Hallam Amos and Cory Allen have all been ruled out at various stages, with Ospreys wing Eli Walker the latest player called up on Tuesday, although he will not be available for selection this week after recently shaking off an injury. “His grandparents came over to watch him play and he was suspended”, Cheika said. Obviously, I’ve never been here before.

“You could argue that they [Wales] just have to have a bit more composure, but at the end of the day I think it was just great defence”.

He was given the Wallabies’ captaincy job previous year, but disaster struck five minutes into his tenure when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and needed a knee reconstruction. When I hang up the boots I might look back at this type of thing.

“I was in fact remarkably prideful because that’s a remarkably really tough predicament [13 men] in the case of the game”.

The Wallabies showed defensive heroics last weekend to beat Wales 15-6 in a cliffhanger. “More access, more vision, more opinion and people watching the game; the authorities have decided that is the way they are going to go”. You feel for the players.

“They’re very well coached … you’ve got Vern Cotter [as head coach] and Scotty Johnson is in the background, rubbing his crystal ball and pulling teams apart”, said Wallabies defence coach Nathan Grey. I was sitting on the ground and I didn’t even know if I could get up.

“It’s one of those things where you build bonds and you go through the grind together of busting a gut to work hard at training where you build that trust and respect”.

He will, on Sunday (Monday morning AEDT), line up alongside Moore as part of an extra-special milestone match.