Wallabies' most potent weapon against England
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Prop Scott Sio senses the improving Wallabies tight five have got their timing right and could be a massive worry for their England counterparts at a World Cup.
Australia eliminated England at the 2015 tournament on the back of a dominant set-piece performance in pool play at Twickenham and can send the same opponents packing if victorious in Saturday’s quarter-final in Oita.
The Wallabies scrum and lineout have both earned plaudits in Japan, with seasoned loosehead Sio putting their success to date down to time together at the coal face.
From the 2015 starting tight five, hooker/captain Stephen Moore and lock Kane Douglas have moved on while prop Sekope Kepu and lock Rob Simmons are still in the current squad but used primarily as reserves.
Sio is the only starting common denominator and believes the standards being reached now came through perseverance.
“As we went through last year, we had to muddle around with a few different combinations,” Sio said.
“It’s just time spent together. That’s heavily under-rated but combinations need to foster by spending enough time, getting enough repetition together.
“We’ve built well so far but we need to go up another level this weekend.”
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Skyscrapers Rory Arnold and Izack Rodda have been the lock pairing in six of nine Tests this year and have been among the most impressive second rowers at the tournament.
A front row comprising Sio, Allan Alaalatoa and Tolu Latu hasn’t taken a backward step in 2019 aside from the lesson from New Zealand at Eden Park two months ago.
Prop Joe Marler was in the starting England pack who conceded six scrum penalties in the Twickenham disaster four years ago and is expected to wear No.1 again in Oita.
He said Australia’s scrummaging had come a long way since it was demolished by England in the 2007 World Cup quarter-final in Marseille.
Marler believes former Pumas hooker Mario Ledesma made a big difference when he joined the Wallabies coaching staff in 2015.
“Traditionally, in a different generation there were always question marks over Australia being weak up front and being wet in scrum time,” Marler told journalists.
“When Ledesma was there he transformed them a bit and he made a huge impact.”
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