BEAU ROBINSON
The Wallabies are firming as favourites to win the rugby World Cup in England.
After surviving the ‘pool of death’ that included rivals England, Wales and Fiji, the Wallabies look on top.
Australian coach Michael Cheika has talked down the favourite hype. He doesn’t believe that there is an easier side to the draw.
“At the end of the day there’s no favourable side of the draw”.
The Wallabies next face Scotland, the least favoured team in the quarterfinals. Scotland have had a double blow with two of their top players in Jonny Gray and Ross Ford getting a three week ban for a lifting tackle.
Should they do as expected and defeat Scotland comfortably, they will face the winner of Ireland and Argentina. The Irish team has been hamstrung with key player injuries and a suspension.
The team’s inspirational Paul O’Connell has torn his hamstring off the bone. Sean O’Brien has been handed a weeks suspension for punching, flanker Peter O’Mahony has been ruled out with injury and Johnny Sexton is in serious doubt with a groin injury.
Cheika is keeping his players and the Australian rugby public on their toes. Complacency would be the death of the Wallabies Cup campaign as they have lost two of their last three to the Scots.
“They’re all tough games now. They’re all knock out.”
They might be tough, but many Wallabies supporters would rather be taking on the teams on their side of the draw over a fully fit France, South Africa or All Blacks.
The Wallabies will face one of those teams in the final, but better to face them then battered and bruised, rather than in the quarter or semi finals stages.
There is talk of the Wallabies being in the best position of any team to win the cup. The test will be if they can handle the pressure of being favourites.