RWC 2019 – The Competitors – Australia

Two-time former RWC champions, Australia are a major force in the sport of rugby. The Wallabies have played in every RWC, making the Semi Finals in all but two of the prior eight tournaments.

The 2019 team will go into the tournament looking to return home with the title. Do they have the means of winning? Their roster is arguably behind that of RWC 2015 though there are many factors to consider. When it comes to scheduling and the pool Australia is very well placed.

The Wallabies’ relatively safe pool will enable the team to carefully prepare themselves, looking to the Quarter Finals without being required to take risks. The players ought to be in prime shape and they will not be up against New Zealand, or South Africa until the final four at the earliest.

 

WORLD CUP HISTORY

RWC	FINAL PLACING	RESULTS
1987	Semi Finalists	Won vs England, Ireland, Japan, USA Lost vs France, Wales
1991	Champions	Won vs Argentina, England, Fiji, Ireland, New Zealand, Wales
1995	Quarter Finalists	Won vs Canada, Romania Lost vs England, South Africa
1999	Champions	Won vs France, Ireland, Romania, South Africa, USA, Wales
2003	Finalists	Won vs Argentina, Ireland, Namibia, New Zealand, Romania, Scotland Lost vs England
2007	Quarter Finalists	Won vs Canada, Fiji, Japan, Wales Lost vs England
2011	Semi Finalists	Won vs Italy, Russia, South Africa, USA, Wales Lost vs Ireland, New Zealand
2015	Finalists	Won vs Argentina, England, Fiji, Scotland, Uruguay, Wales Lost vs New Zealand

Overall Record: Played 48, Won 39, Lost 9

 

RWC 2019 SCHEDULE

Tournament organizers have handed Australia a favorable match schedule. The Wallabies are to play exclusively on weekends and will do so with adequate turn-arounds between all matches, The same is not true of their pool opponents Fiji, Georgia, and Uruguay.

Australia, though, will travel more extensively than most. They are to play both in the far north of Sapporo as well as the far south of Oita. They will begin in Sapporo against Fiji before playing game two in Tokyo eight days later.

The third fixture will see a second long trip and it will be on a reduced preparation time of six rest days. It is to be against the lowest ranked team in the pool, Uruguay.

The Wallabies’ shortest trip is to be 750km from Oita to Shizuoka. This will be the distance from facing Uruguay to Georgia. The positioning of game four is on the final Friday of pool play thereby giving the Wallabies additional preparation days ahead of their probable appearance in the Quarter Finals.

DATE	OPPONENT	VENUE
Sat, Sept 21	Fiji	Sapporo Dome, Sapporo
Sun, Sept 29	Wales	Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo
Sat, Oct 05	Uruguay	Oita Stadium, Oita
Fri, Oct 11	Georgia	Ecopa Stadium, Shizuoka

 

PREDICTED TRAVELING 31

Forwards: Folau Fainga’a (Brumbies), Jordan Uelese (Melbourne Rebels), Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies), Sekope Kepu (Waratahs), James Slipper (Reds), Scott Sio (Brumbies), Taniela Tupou (Reds), Adam Coleman (Melbourne Rebels), Izack Rodda (Reds), Rob Simmons (Waratahs), Jack Dempsey (Waratahs), Ned Hannigan (Waratahs), Michael Hooper (Waratahs), Luke Jones (Melbourne Rebels), David Pocock (Brumbies), Lukhan Salakai-Loto (Reds), Peter Samu (Brumbies)

Backs: Will Genia (Melbourne Rebels), Jake Gordon (Waratahs), Nic White (Brumbies), Bernard Foley (Waratahs), Matt Toomua (Melbourne Rebels), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs), Samu Kerevi (Suntory Sungoliath, JAP), Tevita Kuridrani (Brumbies), Jordan Petaia (Reds), Marika Koroibete (Melbourne Rebels), Jack Maddocks (Melbourne Rebels), Sefa Naivalu (Melbourne Rebels), Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), Dane Haylett-Petty (Melbourne Rebels)

 

PROJECTED MATCH-DAY LINEUP

1 Scott Sio, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 3 Allan Alaalatoa , 4 Izack Rodda, 5 Adam Coleman, 6 Luke Jones, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 David Pocock, 9 Will Genia, 10 Bernard Foley, 11 Marika Koroibete, 12 Samu Kerevi,13 Jordan Petaia, 14 Jack Maddocks, 15 Kurtley Beale

Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 James Slipper, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Ned Hannigan, 20 Peter Samu, 21 Nic White, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Dane Haylett-Petty

Key Back: Samu Kerevi
Key Forward: Izack Rodda
Talisman: Kurtley Beale

 

RWC 2019 PREVIEW

Performances in the RWC 2015-2019 cycle have been below that of the norm for the Wallabies. In prior RWC cycles home losses were traditionally a rarity but since finishing second in RWC 2015 Australia has lost at home against Argentina, England, Ireland, New Zealand, and Scotland.

On the road in both the Rugby Championship, and November Internationals the Wallabies did also not achieve a return of wins consistent to that of previous RWC cycles. The results have coincided with a drop in interest while off-field issues have also not aided preparations for RWC 2019.

Australia are projected to defeat Fiji, Georgia, and Uruguay but lose to Wales in Poo D. This would see the Wallabies finishing in second spot and facing the winner of Pool C in the Quarter Finals. That projected team is England who would go in as favorites, making the likely scenario for Australia to be a Quarter Final defeat and tournament exit at this point.

 

Week 1 – Italy
Week 2 – Fiji
Week 3 – Japan
Week 4 – England
Week 5 – Namibia
Week 6 – Wales
Week 7 – Samoa
Week 8 – France
Week 9 – South Africa
Week 10 – Georgia
Week 11 – Scotland
Week 12 – Tonga
Week 13 – New Zealand
Week 14 – Ireland
Week 15 – Australia
Week 16 – Russia