As is their right, as favourites, Ireland are trying their damnedest to talk the Australians up and insist they will be up against it.
Sekope Kepu, Adam Coleman, Izack Rodda, Samu Kerevi and Caleb Timu have all been talked up a storm by the Irish players and coaching staff this week.
Most Irish rugby fans will be aware of Will Genia, Kurtley Beale, David Pocock, Michael Hooper and Israel Folau – definitely Folau – but Ireland have been educating us all on the Wallabies’ strengths. Shining a light on the other guys.
Folau may have admitted to not knowing much about the travelling Irish squad but they, in return, have been Grade A students. Anything else under Joe Schmidt simply won’t do.
Following the Captain’s Run at Suncorp Stadium, on Friday, Peter O’Mahony was dialled in ahead of the First Test. Even stray balls and Ross Byrne [brought along for kicking practice] were not putting him off…
Credit: Irish Rugby TVO’Mahony, who will captain Ireland for the fifth time this weekend, did a fine job talking up the hosts and their back row of Pocock, Hooper and debutant Timu.
“They probably one of the best, if not the best, back row in the world.
“That in itself is an incredible challenge for us. They’re always adding things and I thought some of their performances over the last while have been very impressive. Their ability to carry ball, their general rugby ability is probably second to none. We certainly know it’s an area we’re going to have to contain and stop their strike plays.
“Every year we come up against Australia, they’ve gotten better and the last time they played here they beat the All Blacks. The physicality they showed that day was second to no team in the world.”
Good intentions there but Australia do not have the best back row in the world. Perhaps when it was Scott Fardy, Hooper and Pocock together, like the 2015 World Cup, they could have made that claim but not any more.
Fardy is now with Leinster, Pocock has not played Test rugby since December 2016 [he took a sabbatical], Hooper has been struggling for form this season and Timu has not played an international game yet. Added to that, the Wallabies are without Sean McMahon [moved to Japan] and Waratahs flanker Jack Dempsey.
On The Hard Yards, Rugby 360’s Alex Broun said:
“One player we really are missing at the moment is an extraordinary young flanker, Jack Dempsey. He made a massive difference when we beat the All Blacks last year, but he’s out injured and has been out for a long time.”
In the grand shake-up, New Zealand [when Kieran Read is fit] and Ireland’s revolving, imposing back rows would top the Aussies and both England and Wales would stake a decent claim when they have their best men on deck. One of the best? Yes. The best? No.
Saying that, O’Mahony is right when he predicts a hellacious time of it at the breakdown. Nothing will come easy or cheap.
Kick-off in Brisbane is 11:05am [8:05pm local time] on Saturday.
