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Why the Wallabies might lose…on purpose
Thursday, September 13
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Martin Johnson may have let the cat out of the bag when he admitted that Wales may beat Australia. He called it an ‘upset’.
But what if the Wallabies conspired to lose in order secure an easier route to the final? Would that be cheating, or just plain smart?
Wallaby coach John Connolly and Stirling Mortlock have both expressed a preference for playing the Springboks over England. The Wallabies are more familiar with their South African counterparts, and know that they could beat them in a one-off.
If the Springbok beat England on Friday, then Australia will know that a loss in Cardiff would probably pit them against the Boks in the quarter-finals, and then potentially Argentina in the semi’s.
If however, they beat Wales, the Wallabies would be on collision course to meet the All Blacks in the semi-finals.
It’s a long shot to say that the Wallabies would go as far as to throw a World Cup match, but the possibility is certainly there.
The Wallabies have grown a reputation for being one of the most cerebral teams playing Rugby Union and the idea of losing on purpose will certainly have come up in their tournament plans.
Watch this one with interest!
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England are a mess and if they get them in the quaters they are guaranteed a semi. Not the case if they meet the boks in the quaters. And if you want to beat an all black team a semifinal would be a good place to do it. The complancency that the ab's usually suc(edited)b to tends to wear off on big final day.
The Wallies are never going to throw a game.
If they loose its because they are k@k.
This is just an excuse thought up in advance incase they lose.
Must be running out of things to write about if this rubbish qualifies for publishing.
We were discussing the possibility of SA throwing the match against the USA to choose a quarter final opponent. Bearing in mind the SA - USA game is the very last pool game so we will know all the permutations... if need be we can even lose by enough to affect points difference! So Australia need to be careful what they wish for!!
But as someone stated above this is just looking for trouble. Lose to the team you "set" yourself up to play and you are going to have major egg on your face!
This stinks of typical Aussie mind games... but I suppose if you can't take on teams physically you need to use everything else you can. They need to be careful though... we got Eddie in our camp this time around!
Bring it on!!
PS Personally I feel this is not going to happen... Australia would need to fix a later match cos if they lost the Wales one on purpose, they then run the risk of being out of the World Cup if they get surprised by Fiji or Canada... unlikely but are you as a team going to risk that happening?
But why would anyone want to play the Bokke at any time.
Can't see it myself. Playing England in the 1/4's is a gimme, even for Wales. No-one would avoid that opportunity on purpose other than trying to avoid the AB's in the semi's.
I seriously doubt the Wallabies would throw a match--any match--even if it would mean a more favourable draw for the quarters.
That said, I have no doubt in my mind that the Aussies have already thought of this scenario--and why wouldn't thay? Who hasn't really? So many top athletic competitions are played as pooled trournaments; it's crossed my mind more than once. It's almsot trivial in that respect!
Honestly, I'd say this piece is nothing more than mere sensationalism, or conspiracy theory, pre-fed in the off chance of a Welsh upset. If anything can be said about this possible situation, it is just this:
The Wallabies--knowing that whatever happens in the Welsh match, they're in a win-win situation--are going to be under far less pressure going into the last round of the pool stage of the competition. What we'd probably see, is Coach Connolly pulling most of his first-string players so they'd be rested and injury-free, come the All Blacks.
Playing the welsh at Cardiff, no, there is too much pride at stake, the welsh have given us a touch up there the last two times.....the boys will want to win this one.
Me thinks the Ozzies are starting their usual minds tricks, just to put people off. It wouldn't be a world cup without them being up to their shenanigans would it.
spare us the pre match talk
there simply saying this so if they lose they can say "we planned it all along!"
and if they lose to Wales they have a HARDER path
but if the aussies wana play us fine but theyll all be out of a job when they arrive home after not going further than a quarter final and a good thrashing from the soon to be named 2007 RWC finalist and possibly champion SPRINGBOKS
SA ARG NZ or.....
ENG NZ SA
NZ is tougher opposition for them , option 1 gets them a final and is easier if they beat SA. I think they may throw it.
If aussies top there pool:
1/4: England
1/2: France
1/1: Boks
If they come second:
1/4: Boks
and they ain't going any further than that
NZ vs Aus
SA vs Arg
Hope the SH can do it!