Preview - Australia v England
Sydney awaits two embryonic sides
The 2007 Rugby World Cup effectively starts for England exactly how the last one finished – against the Wallabies at Telstra Stadium in Sydney. But the contrast between that November evening and what awaits a new-look team and coaching staff on Sunday could hardly be more pronounced.
The English have returned to the same beach-front hotel in Manly that was thronged by hundreds of delirious England fans during the glorious aftermath of their famous triumph in 2003.
The place was besieged as well-wishers sought the slightest contact with players like Jonny Wilkinson, Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Jason Robinson following English rugby's finest hour.
Those players are not here this week; neither are those fans.
England-shirted supporters are scarce in rain-lashed Manly – three have been spotted so far – and one of those had the name 'Rooney' emblazoned on his back. Yet it all represents what is effectively a new start for the world champions.
It shouldn't be that way, of course – England have wasted more than two years' worth of work since Johnson held the Webb Ellis Trophy aloft.
Two failed Six Nations campaigns combined to effectively relegate them outside Europe's top three, and an inevitable coaching cull came barely a month ago as Phil Larder, Dave Alred and Joe Lydon all departed Twickenham.
England head coach Andy Robinson is now supported by Brian Ashton, John Wells and Mike Ford, while England's line-up to face Australia at Telstra Stadium this weekend features nine players with cap collections in the single figures.
The popular theory Down Under is that England will do well to avoid shipping a minimum 30 points in each of the two Test, but what have they got to lose?
England's form has been so poor for the last two seasons, that any modicum of success during the next ten days should be grasped and relished.
If nothing else, the arrival of people such as Ashton, Wells and Ford has combined to freshen up the whole England scene with new ideas, healthy enthusiasm and an admirable desire to turn things around.
All three coaches, of course, are realists. It is a question, without doubt, of being able to walk before running, and who would be genuinely surprised if Wallabies stars such as Lote Tuqiri, Stirling Mortlock and Chris Latham ran in tries from all angles on Sunday?
Yet England have displayed a quiet confidence this week, training impressively without fuss or bother – despite the dreadful weather – as impressive new captain Pat Sanderson has moulded everything together.
But not much is expected from this team, such has been the alarming level of demise since World Cup mastermind Sir Clive Woodward flounced out of Twickenham for – possibly – the last time.
Sunday's game launches a 16-Test England programme until RWC 2007 kicks off, with New Zealand, Australia (twice), South Africa (four times), France (three times) and Wales (twice) all on the agenda.
Time is short – and undoubtedly stacked against Robinson's men – but there are few better places than Sydney to make a statement of RWC ambitions.
Of course, it could all go pear-shaped for England on Sunday, and again in Melbourne next week. But don't be surprised if England deliver at least one performance that makes people sit up and take notice.
In fact, England fans should expect nothing less. The team has been 'under construction' for longer than the new Wembley Stadium, and such a stint of development must, surely, precede an architectural masterpiece.
New Wallaby coach John Connolly would love to pick Robinson's brains about the pitfalls that await those tasked with restoring crumbling shells to their former glories.
Robinson has long been accused of being unable to get his foundations to set, and Connolly's first pick as head honcho smacks of a cowboy builder.
To field one of the world's most potent backlines behind a front row boasting just three caps (all belonging to Greg Holmes) is the equivalent of propping up the roof of the Sistine Chapel with match-sticks.
But Connolly is no idiot, he knows a fair few things about forward play – and that prosperity is born of pain.
Australian forwards need a few more hairs on their chests and nothing promotes follicle growth more than an afternoon in the grip of the likes of Julian White and Graham Rowntree.
That is not is say that the new Wallaby boss has already written off Sunday's clash as an exercise in development; he wants to kick off his tenure with a win.
"I think it is very important for Australian rugby to get back on the rails," he said.
"The Australian public is used to winning. Australian rugby in the last 10 or 15 years has been used to a lot more success than failures and the expectation on this team is fairly great."
But England could get a helping hand from the heavens – as they did at this same stadium against France in the semi-finals of RWC 2003.
Rain has fallen in Sydney all week and a wet field could hamper the Wallabies' hopes of getting possession to their powerful runners, and Connolly conceded that the conditions may be more suited to the England side.
"They'd be used to it there's no doubt about that," he said.
"We haven't really thought about the weather a great deal. You play the weather conditions, you play the opposition, you play the scoreboard, so you've got to have all the arrows in the quiver."
Players to watch:
For Australia: He way not be 20-storeys high, but Rodney Blake – aka Rodzilla – has become a beacon to Wallaby fans desperate for some good old-fashioned clout up front. The 23-year-old is certainly a bright prospect, he had a fine Super 14 season with the listless Reds and saw more ball in open play than the likes of Dew Mitchell and Lloyd Johansson combined. And keep an eye on the other new cap, Tai McIsaac. The Western Force hooker is a former water-polo international who turned his back on the pool after failing to make the grade for the 1996 Olympics. The 31-year-old played his first game of rugby at the ripe old age of 23. Meanwhile, we doff our caps – as usual – to Australia captain George Gregan who plays in his record-equalling 119th Test, drawing level with Jason Leonard who notched up the same number of Tests with England and the British & Irish Lions.
For England: There's a real sense of speed and ability in England's backline. That's a sentence you don't often read, but it rings true. Tom Varndell and Mathew Tait are young but capable of greatness, and they couldn't have chosen a better tutor than wily old Mike Catt, currently enjoying what seems to be his tenth life of Test rugby. But the eye is drawn to the real new boys. Peter Richards, bon vivant turned consummate professional; Alex Brown, the towering Gloucester lock; and Magnus Lund, the son of a former Norwegian basketball international.
Head to head: Tom Varndell, a Commonwealth Games silver medalist in Melbourne earlier this year when England were beaten to Sevens gold by New Zealand, faces a mouth-watering clash opposite blockbusting Wallabies wing Lote Tuqiri. But it's the front row battle that dominated the last clash between these two teams, and it's likely to be the same on Sunday.
Prediction: Clear sky in the morning, England take warning; if there is rain, tourists to gain. [What? – Ed.] And it seems that the meteorologists have bad news for the locals. England to sneak a win.
Totalbet.com prediction: Australia by 14 points.
Recent Results:
2005: England won 26-16 at Twickenham, London
2004: Australia won 21-19 at Twickenham, London
2004: Australia won 51-15 at Lang Park, Brisbane
2003: England won 20-17 at Stadium Australia, Sydney (RWC)
2003: England won 25-14 at Colonial Stadium, Melbourne
2002: England won 32-31 at Twickenham, London
2001: England won 21-15 at Twickenham, London
2000: England won 22-19 at Twickenham, London
1999: Australia won 22-15 at Stadium Australia, Sydney
1998: Australia won 12-11 at Twickenham, London
1998: Australia won 76-0 at Lang Park, Brisbane
Australia: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Mark Gerrard, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Mat Rogers, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Stephen Larkham, 9 George Gregan (captain), 8 Rocky Elsom, 7 George Smith, 6 Daniel Heenan, 5 Dan Vickerman, 4 Nathan Sharpe, 3 Rodney Blake, 2 Tai McIsaac, 1 Greg Holmes.
Replacements: 16 Jeremy Paul, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Mark Chisholm, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Josh Valentine, 21 Clyde Rathbone, 22 Cameron Shepherd.
England: 15 Iain Balshaw, 14 Tom Varndell, 13 Mathew Tait, 12 Mike Catt, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Peter Richards, 8 Pat Sanderson, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Magnus Lund, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Julian White, 2 Lee Mears, 1 Graham Rowntree.
Replacements: 16 George Chuter, 17 Tim Payne, 18 Chris Jones, 19 Joe Worsley, 20 Nick Walshe, 21 Andy Goode, 22 Jamie Noon.
Date: Sunday, June 11
Kick-off: 20.00 (10.00 GMT)
Venue: Telstra Stadium, Sydney
Conditons: Heavy rain, weak northerly winds – min 14°C, max 18°C
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)
Touch judges: Steve Walsh (New Zealand), Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)
Television match official: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assessor: Bob Francis (New Zealand)
