Rugby: England to Try to Withstand History-Seeking Wallabies

Martin Johnson’s wounded side waits for what is allegedly a Wallabies team in crisis. But England could truly cause problems if their patched-up misfits derail Australia’s Grand Slam quest before it begins.

While injuries are part and parcel of a rugby team, the casualty ward for England would probably be close to some sort of record. When the Elite Player squad and England Saxon groups were created, they were formed to give Johnson two deep and legitimate pools of talent to work with.

He is now essentially missing a full, 32-man squad.

There are scatterings of talent in his chosen 22-man group to face the Wallabies. There are three World Cup winners in the team, and none will be more important than the world record points scorer, Jonny Wilkinson.

But while he has been invigorated and in form with his new side, Toulon, he will control one of the less experienced backlines England has ever fielded.

In the pack, there is some talent with a solid back row and Steve Thompson making a remarkable return to test rugby. However, one feels that the forwards, if not the entire team, has a soft underbelly.

England, still in a genesis period after the absolute heaven-based highs of 2003, need to start making discernable progress. While Johnson has in theory a free license to lose due to his absentees, the World Cup-winning captain is not one for excuses.

And for him, the only real progress in winning.

The Wallabies, in theory, arrive with no form to speak of, losing six of their last seven matches. Robbie Deans, who was hailed as the tonic that Australian rugby needed, has been the proverbial pebble in a river so far.

All the important numbers in Australian rugby are down, with less and less people caring about a team that has in its pomp won two World Cups. However, the country has a crowded and aggressive sporting market, one that often forgets to put things into simple perspective.

The Wallabies are the only team except the British and Irish Lions to have defeated the Springboks this year. And of their six losses, they have all come at the hands of the two best rugby teams in the world (according to the IRB rankings, at least!).

They have had a shakeup, with Rocky Elsom the new captain and more and more new faces permeating the squad. Clearly, Deans feels he still has plenty of time on his hands to develop.

There has been progress, with the Wallabies' scrum looking as strong as it has ever been. 

But there has also been marked regress. 

Their lineout, once the finest aerial technicians in the world, struggles abominably at times.

The sparkling Australian backline attack that dazzled their opponents at the turn of the century has lost its thrust. 

Even the vaunted Wallabies' golden wall that was unmatched with its hybrid system of league and union defense is too often caught completely off guard.

But as they have shown against the blue chip opponents of both the Springboks and All Blacks, they can compete. And if recent history and southern dominance repeats itself, the troubles Australia had with their Tri Nations opponents could turn to a field of dreams against the home nations.

Much depends on how England comes out in this match.

Of late, England has been lost in northern rugby dominance based conversations to their Celtic neighbors, both of whom have won Six Nations Grand Slams of late. Even the French have had their triumph this year, notching a rare win in New Zealand.

But there is something to like about England, and notwithstanding injuries, the beast that Johnson is nurturing could well be a fearsome challenge to the 2011 World Cup.

They did come second in this year’s Six Nations, with the best attack and best defense of any team. Even when against Ireland, the darlings of the north, England only lost by one point at Croke Park. Many Irish players remarked that they had never felt as physically smashed after that battle.

Johnson is still searching for his medium (as does every coach). But the expected power and pragmatism from their pack, coupled with a hither unseen grace that their backline showed earlier this year, could see England again mount the global stage.

But even with best intentions, their first match in months and an undermanned team will see them struggle against Australia.

Australia are a side not only desperate for a win, but pained to right what many believe has been a bad year for Wallabies and their rugby landscape. A Grand Slam will all but wipe away their sins, but if they cannot beat this crippled England, they will not conquer Ireland or Wales.

Still, it is a strong looking Wallabies team, battle hardened by matches against their Tri Nations foes, and even more toughened by being sick of sitting in losing changing rooms.

Deans has made arguably his most radical coaching move and will play a midfield of Digby Ioane and Quade Cooper. This combination has the potential to be glorious.

But while the Wallabies appear far beyond England on paper, the challenge will be whether Australia can overcome their recent pain and stare down the gesturing of potential history.

Either way, one feels that a classic match beckons.

England

15 Ugo Monye, 14 Matt Banahan, 13 Dan Hipkiss, 12 Shane Geraghty, 11 Mark Cueto, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Danny Care, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Louis Deacon, 4 Steve Borthwick (captain), 3 David Wilson, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Tim Payne. 

Replacements

16 Dylan Hartley , 17 Duncan Bell, 18 Courtney Lawes, 19 James Haskell, 20 Paul Hodgson, 21 Andy Goode, 22 Ayoola Erinle.

Australia

15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Digby Ioane, 12 Quade Cooper, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom (captain), 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.

Replacements

16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 David Pocock, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Ryan Cross, 22 James O'Connor.

Date: Saturday, Nov. 7.

Venue: Twickenham, London.

Time: 14.30 (14.30 GMT).

Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand).