WORLD CUP 2007 QUARTER FINAL
AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND
Match Preview by Ed Budge
06 October 2007 - Stade Velodrome, Marseille - 15.00 kick off

England’s corps of inside centres is causing untold grief. Brian Ashton’s controversial Wednesday selection has been undermined by Andy Farrell’s withdrawal from Saturday’s clash with Australia and now faces further disruption after Olly Barkley suffered a dead leg in training. The England management will doubtless face criticism – an entrance to the Red Rose squad is starting to resemble conscription as players drop like muscular flies – but making excuses becomes increasingly futile upon realisation that John Connolly’s men go into the first of the tournament’s knock-out games without Steven Larkham, the outside half’s career having (probably) ended after an injury in the group stages.

The bookies – sorry, everyone – have written England off. It is fairly certain that the senior players will claim to be delighted with this tag, but it is one that befits smaller nations primed to spring a surprise on the old order. That the World Champions have sunk to 50-1 should be nothing bar hugely demoralising. But England are approaching this game with one crucial advantage over their arch rivals who have made no secret of the fact that they are still seething from the defeat suffered in their own backyard four years ago. Australia are an untested force.

England should not be proud of the fact that they experienced a thorough workout against a nation the size of the payroll at Tesco, but the Tonga game has given them a degree of momentum; their systems have been tested and come through effectively enough. Australia have gleaned all 20 points from their experiences in Pool B, effectively a jolly romp around sunny Autumnal France, but the leading teams ought to be queuing up the exact a thorough examination of the Antipodean scrum.

Which makes some of Ashton’s selections all the more baffling. Matt Stevens has been undoubtedly one of England’s strongest performers and the scrum has received little trouble from Samoa, Tonga or even South Africa, but in a move which exposes Ashton’s lack of bravery and adventure, the Bath man drops to the bench to be replaced by captain Phil Vickery. That the skipper is joined in the front row by Mark Regan is unfathomable. For Australia, the familiar combination of Matt Dunning, Steven Moore and Guy Shepherdson lines up from numbers one to three.

Ashton has reverted to his first-choice second-row pairing of Ben Kay and Simon Shaw, with Steve Borthwick missing out. Nathan Sharpe, the pride of the Aussie pack has ruled the skies uncontested for four games, and perhaps Borthwick’s ability in the air would have been more useful than Shaw’s extra bulk. Bulk rules once more in the back row, although logic would suggest that George Smith’s scavenging at the breakdown and Rocky Elsom’s unprecedented run of carrying form would be best countered by Tom Rees and Joe Worsley respectively. That said, it is undoubtedly time that England considered what they can do to their opposition rather that the other way about, but that still runs contrary to a number of selections.

Jason Robinson has taken his place at full-back, giving his side a further touch of the unexpected alongside Paul Sackey in the back three. England’s structured attacking game has lacked menace for as long as anyone can now remember, and isolated moments of brilliance might be their best hope of putting points on a defence that is competent if unspectacular.

But the conundrum remains in the midfield. One assumes that Mathew Tait will retain his place, as named, at outside centre but who will wear the number 12 shirt is anyone’s guess at this stage. Barkley may yet recover, Catt may be pulled from the shadows, but youth and inexperience may be trusted after all. Toby Flood may finally see some game time and bring his array of passing skills to bear on a backline that is crying out for ‘creativity’; a word so overused in one’s attempts to pinpoint England’s deficiencies that it has almost lost all meaning. The more radical solution would be to try Dan Hipkiss at 12, but with Wilkinson operating some way behind the gain line, the strong, tackle-busting Tiger may discover his talents going to waste.

England will not win this World Cup, I guarantee it personally. But a green and gold shirt seems to be carrying more weight into this fixture than the 15 men who will bellow out Advance Australia Fair and launch their all at Ashton’s charges on Saturday. Australia will score a few points, of that there is no doubt, but a touch of Sackey magic, a favourably refereed scrum, and who knows? A one good tea will go out of the tournament on Saturday, and if Wilkinson has his kicking boots on, he might just make that two.

Australia: Chris Latham; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau, Lote Tuqiri; Berrick Barnes, George Gregan; Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Dan Vickerman, Nathan Sharpe, Guy Shepherdson, Stephen Moore, Matt Dunning.
Replacements: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, Hugh McMeniman, Stphen Hoiles, Phil Waugh, Julian Huxley, Drew Mitchell.

England: To be confirmed