Rugby World Cup Fixtures 2015: Key Battles in Week 4 Matches

The key battles in Week 4 of the Rugby World Cup 2015 centre on the two most important and intriguing matches of the round: Australia vs. Wales at Twickenham, London, in Pool A and Pool D's France against Ireland in Cardiff, Wales. 

Elsewhere, the USA and Japan’s star men will go head-to-head in the back row in Pool B.

Australia vs. Wales: The Opensides

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Hooper (left) and Pocock (right) are working wonderfully in tandem

Australia have only one rival at this World Cup who could match their policy of playing two openside flankers: Wales.

With Michael Hooper and David Pocock working so well in tandem for the Wallabies, Wales coach Warren Gatland may give thought to starting with Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric. Even if the pair don’t start, Tipuric is certain to come on and have an impact.

Ahead of the tournament, Australia coach Michael Cheika maintained his tactic was just common sense, as per the Daily Mail:

"

I am not trying to claim there is any brilliant rocket science behind it. You just have two very good players.

The way they've played throughout the Super Rugby season and in the rugby internationals, either together or separately, has forced the coach's hand - and that is exactly what you want from players.

"

Australia will not change their approach, especially after slaughtering England. Will Wales?

Australia vs. Wales: The Inside Centres

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Matt Giteau vs. Jamie Roberts is a battle of styles: brain against brawn. It is a matchup that reveals that even at the highest level rugby can still be a game for all sizes.

In their different ways, Giteau and Roberts are focal points for Australia and Wales, respectively. Wales play off Roberts, whether from the first phase or in a multi-phase play. Giteau, meanwhile, is the eyes of the Australian team, helping Bernard Foley with his decision-making and bringing the rest of the backline into the game.

Roberts needs a big game after an underwhelming World Cup thus far. Giteau also has plenty of motivation. At 32, from now on every game for Australia could be his last.

Who will come out on top: The conjuror or the bulldozer?

France vs. Ireland: The Scrum

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France's Top 14 rugby captains (from bottom L) Racing Metro's Dimitri Szarzewski, Clermont's Damien Chouly, Castre's Remi Tales, Toulon's Carly Hayman, Bayonne David Roumieu, Grenoble's Fabien Gengenbache, La Rochelle's Antonio Uini (from top L) Oyonnax'

France have forgone their traditional approach that favoured silky skills and placed heavy (very heavy) emphasis on their pack, particularly the maul and the scrum.

Just to reinforce the point, France have the heaviest player at the tournament: Prop Uini Atonio and all 319 pounds of him. That’s 11 pounds heavier than Australia’s Will Skelton.

Ireland have also undergone something of a transition in philosophy under arch-pragmatist Joe Schmidt. The Boys in Green don’t spread the ball wide as often as they used to, but when they do, it is to good effect.

Instead, Schmidt’s Ireland’s major strengths are the set piece and breakdown.

It will be no surprise that the key battles at the Millennium Stadium on October 11 will be up front.

France vs. Ireland: The Fly-Halves

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Jonny Sexton is the standout No. 10 in the northern hemisphere and has a good claim to be the best on the planet.

Up against him is Frederic Michalak, who has been one of France’s star men so far this tournament. Against Canada, the Guardian’s Michael Aylwin called his footwork “mesmerising.”

The battle of the fly-halves will be of integral importance as, given the tactics of the two sides (see previous slide), the team playing in the right areas of the pitch is likely to win on the back of scrum and breakdown penalties.

However, neither 10 will get the chance to dictate the match without the prior dominance of his forward pack.

Samu Manoa vs. Michael Leitch

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Manoa on the charge against Scotland

Back-rowers Samu Manoa and Michael Leitch are the heartbeats of the USA and Japan, respectively. Whoever outperforms the other is one of the crucial factors that will decide the meeting at Kingsholm, England, on October 11.

Toulon-bound Manoa is the USA’s premier ball-carrier and arguably the country’s greatest-ever player.

Breaking through Leitch’s tackles won’t be easy, however. The Japan captain and Chiefs blindside made 17 of them against South Africa in their Pool B opener, and having stopped Schalk Burger and Co., he is well prepared to face Manoa.

Manoa vs. Leitch is a battle to keep a close eye on.