Australia Rugby

Dan Carter scooped the official World Rugby Player of the Year title for 2015, and no one would begrudge the New Zealander the plaudits that have come his way.

The fly-half, now at Racing 92, has battled injuries during the second half of his glittering career and was on a mission to appear in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final after injury robbed him of his place in the 2011 World Cup-winning New Zealand team.

He did so in style, kicking 16 points in the final to finish the tournament—and his international career—with that coveted World Cup medal around his neck.

But this column will turn to another man as its player of 2015.

David Pocock pulled on an international jersey on July 18, 2015, for the first time since December 1, 2012. During that period, he underwent not one, but two knee reconstructions.

After cartilage trouble had kept the flanker out of the 2012 international season, Pocock's first serious knee injury struck in March 2013 when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a game for the Brumbies against the Waratahs, per the Canberra Times (via smh.co.au).

In the same month of the following year, the curse struck Pocock again when he ruptured the same ACL, this time against the Western Force, per brumbies.com.au.

At that point in 2014, with Pocock facing a second nine-month rehabilitation process that left him just one Super Rugby season to prove his fitness, you would have been laughed out of the bookmakers for requesting a price that he would be the starting No. 8 for the Wallabies in the 2015 World Cup final.

Even if he was fully fit, the notion of him playing in the middle of the back row was alien.

Wind the clock forward to July 8, 2015.

Australia had been battered by South Africa in the first half of their opening Rugby Championship clash in Brisbane.

In the 45th minute, new coach Michael Cheika went to his bench with his side 20-7 down. He summoned Pocock, but not as a direct replacement for incumbent openside Michael Hooper, whose own sparkling form during Pocock's prolonged absence had quelled the longing for his return.

Instead, Cheika deployed Pocock as an unorthodox No. 8. Within two minutes, he had charged down a Springbok clearance and forced a five-metre scrum from which Australia almost scored.

In open play, the double act of Hooper and Pocock, two players with similar skill sets and body types, was starting to cause havoc for a tiring South African pack, which had lost the initiative in the scrum.

From another set piece, Hooper eventually scored, and the Wallabies completed a comeback at the death with a try from Tevita Kuridrani.

In the following game, Cheika was brave enough to start with Pocock at No. 8 against the All Blacks. Australia beat their old enemy for the first time in four years and, from being a debatable pick as one of two openside flankers Cheika would take to the World Cup, Pocock had changed the landscape.

Fox Sports' Tim Elbra wrote:

It did work - tremendously well. The ANZ Stadium Sydney match saw the Wallabies beat the All Blacks for the first time since 2011, winning the Rugby Championship in the process.

The Australian’s Wayne Smith noted after the win: “Cheika had thrown down the gauntlet not just to the All Blacks but to his own team as well by choosing two “sevens”, David Pocock and Michael Hooper in his backrow. It was a brave choice but it needed the Wallabies to make it work and how heroically they responded.”

With just one comeback season of Super Rugby under his belt and no prior experience as a No. 8, Pocock's performances in the rest of the tournament convinced Cheika that it was here the 27-year-old would be best played, and he trained Pocock there in the run-up to the Rugby World Cup.

At the tournament, he started with two tries against Fiji and followed it with a jaw-dropping performance against England, highlighting the chasm in class between the Australian and England's captain and No. 7 Chris Robshaw.

The Express' Andrew Elliot wrote

In the post-match press conference, the flanker (Robshaw) had to listen to his coach, Stuart Lancaster, describe Australia’s No 8 David Pocock as the best back row in the world. Talk about kicking a man when he is down.

[...]

As Lancaster said afterwards, Pocock managed to disrupt most of England’s attacks.

And if he was not forcing turnovers, the 27-year-old and his back-row cohorts, Michael Hooper and Scott Fardy, were ensuring that any ball England scrum-half Ben Youngs received was in slow-mo, allowing the Wallabies’ defence to realign.

Pocock was equally brilliant against Wales in the game that sealed top spot in their pool, and when he was left out with an injury for the quarter-final against Scotland, Australia nearly found themselves out of the tournament.

He returned for the semi-final against Argentina, and the Wallaby back-row trio of Pocock, Hooper and blindside Scott Fardy again put on a masterclass.

Pocock's presence made an enormous difference, as the Guardian's Andy Bull opined: "Pocock...ghosts around the field, tracking the ball, drifting into strange and vacant spaces. Two steps ahead, he has a preternatural understanding of the way the play is going to unfold, and a clairvoyant’s ability to predict where the ball is going to be in five seconds’ time."

New Zealand were too good for Australia in the final, but it was no surprise that it was a try from Pocock that sparked the Wallabies' mini-revival in the second half.

In less than a calendar year, David Pocock had climbed out of the depths of injury-induced despair for the second time and risen to the lofty status of the world's best back-row player.

But more than that, we had also learned much more about Pocock the man.

Here is a player who had pleaded with a referee during a Super Rugby game to do something about the homophobic comments coming from the opposition, per the Sydney Morning Herald.

We also learned he had refused to marry his girlfriend until same-sex couples were afforded the same marital rights in his homeland, per the Canberra Times.

Then there was his arrest for chaining himself to a digger in protest at the construction of a new coal mine in his home state, per the Guardian.

He told the Daily Mail:

People say that sport and politics shouldn't mix but I think it is important that sports people are interested in stuff outside of sport and talk about it. Rightly or wrongly, kids look up to professional athletes and if I can get young kids thinking about those sorts of issues that is a positive thing.

What we have seen from Pocock in 2015 is that a modern sportsman can not only return from career-threatening injury to be the best at what he does, but that he can do all that without ignorance to the bigger issues around him.

We often hear the refrain that sportsmen must be selfish and single-minded in the pursuit of excellence. But Pocock gives the lie to that.

Perhaps he is just that good that he can take the time to look up at the world around him, safe in the knowledge that his talents will not diminish with his thoughts elsewhere.

But that would be to ignore the hard work he has had to put in just to be able to pull his boots back on again.

On the field and off it, here is a man who gets it right every time, and his 2015 story was one for the ages.

Wallabies' star Adam Ashley-Cooper has taken the upper hand in a very tongue-in-cheek Twitter "feud" with Ireland Rugby legend Brian O'Driscoll, recording a video of him "making it rain" in his new Bordeaux-Begles locker room to the music of Jessie J's financially inspired hit "Price Tag."

O'Driscoll initially claimed on radio that the 31-year-old Australian Test star's decision to pack up and play in France was driven by cash.

Hi @BrianODriscoll. Regarding the below... I disagree. Strongly. pic.twitter.com/mUq9YY2uzv

— Adam Ashley-Cooper (@AdamCoopy) December 20, 2015

AAC took to Twitter to return fire, and soon enough—and with the help of Wallaby Matt Giteau and England hero Jonny Wilkinson—the pair's hilarious banter started trending. 

Over to you, BOD.

[Twitter, h/t Sydney Morning Herald]

The World Cup runners-up have some surgery to do on their back line for the 2016 arrival of England and their three-match series in June 2016.

Coach Michael Cheika has waved farewell to the experience of Will Genia, Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell following the tournament, and he can also no longer select Quade Cooper or James O’Connor as both men have gone to Toulon without the required 60 caps that would enable them to remain in the coach’s plans.

Add to those names that of Matt Toomua, who has signed a three-year deal with Leicester and will head to the east Midlands after the next Super Rugby season.

There are also strong rumours that wing Joe Tomane will also be unavailable after being linked with a move to the Top 14 following the end of the Brumbies' next campaign, per the Sydney Morning Herald.

The season breaks at the end of May for the international window before concluding in July, so Tomane may well figure before leaving for pastures new, but it is more likely that Cheika will be looking for players staying put to gain valuable Test match experience.

Regardless, the loss of that many players from his selection pool will force Cheika to assess a new batch of players for several positions.

The half-backs

Bernard Foley had the game of his life when Australia knocked England out of the World Cup, and grew into a genuine world-class No. 10 during the competition.

The shirt will take some wrenching off the Waratahs man’s back, unless he decides to have a genuine crack at a place in the Australian sevens side for the Rio Olympics.

Foley cut his international teeth in the short format, but a return to that environment for Rio seems unlikely given his importance to the 15-man team and the likelihood that Cooper will take his mercurial talents to Brazil.

Inside him, scrum-half Nick Phipps was a regular entrant from the bench during the World Cup, injecting a higher tempo to the Wallabies' game whenever he came on. Phipps must be in pole position for the No. 9 jersey.

Centres

The No. 12 shirt looks wide open with Giteau’s retirement and Toomua’s impending move to England. Another candidate is Christian Lealiifano, who has not declared his intentions beyond the 2016 Super Rugby campaign, but he was not picked in Cheika's original World Cup squad.

There are some young men on the periphery of the squad who could convince Cheika they are worth a look when England come calling.

Rugby.com.au's Beth Newman highlighted Western Force's Kyle Godwin and Queensland Reds powerful youngster Samu Kerevi:

The 22-year-old was a standout for the Reds during Super Rugby, with his powerful runs. The centre led the team in tackles busts, line breaks, run metres and tries in 2015.

Then there is Kurtley Beale, who was used as back-up No. 15 by Cheika during the World Cup but can equally play in the midfield.

Whoever fills the inside-centre role is sure to be partnered by Tevita Kuridrani as the mainstay of the midfield with 31 caps. He is 31 now but has enough left in the tank for this season at least.

Back three 

The fate of the No. 15 shirt is squarely in Israel Folau’s hands. The full-back is due to decide in January if he will aim for a seat on the plane to the Olympics, per Fox Sports.

And that could offer another opportunity to Beale to take the jersey, although the 26-year-old is good enough to be a potential star of what would be a frightening Australian Olympic dream team.

With Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper both gone, Tomane tipped for a move abroad and Henry Speight committed to the Olympics, per ESPN, both wing spots are up for grabs in 2016.

A return to form for the Western Force in the coming Super Rugby season could see Nick Cummins close to a recall, while Rob Horne, a starter for Australia against England until injury curtailed his tournament, must now be back near the top of the pecking order.

The lineup

It is undoubtedly a time of transition for this Australian team, and it must be tempting for Cheika to keep his French-based veterans' numbers on speed dial, but he has a 2016 Super Rugby season ahead of him in which to identify their replacements.

Retaining as many caps as possible while blooding a sensible number of less experienced men would seem the best strategy, which should leave Cheika hoping both Folau and Beale resist the lure of the sevens circuit.

Australia's best back line for 2016

15. Israel Folau

14. Rob Horne

13. Tevita Kuridrani

12. Kurtley Beale

11. Nick Cummins

10. Bernard Foley

9. Nick Phipps

Wallabies star David Pocock earned his offseason break more than most people with a string of brilliant Rugby World Cup performances. 

Rather than sit on the beach, though, Pocock has taken to Zimbabwe where he is helping to raise awareness of the plight of the African rhino. 

Not one to waste an opportunity to get even stronger, Pocock decided to join the Malilangwe anti-poaching scouts on an exhausting run through the Zimbabwean lowveld. 

Pocock is well known for his passionate support of environmental causes, going so far as being arrested during an anti-coal protest in November of 2014 (via the Guardian). 

After completing the workout, Pocock posed with his new friends. 

Looks like he needs more time in the gym... 

If any rugby-playing nation has proved how fast your fortunes can change it is Australia.

At the end of 2014 they had crashed to a first defeat to Argentina, their coach had been jettisoned and one of their star players was the subject of a serious breach of squad discipline.

At the end of 2015 they are second in the world, reigning Rugby Championship winners and World Cup runners-up.

It rather makes a fool’s errand of the task of predicting where they will be a year from now.

But we can, at least, make a decent fist of assessing the personnel they may be using as they arrive back in Europe for their 2016 autumn tour schedule.

The pack

The improvement in the Wallaby scrum was one of the most eye-catching features of their World Cup campaign, so it is unlikely that Michael Cheika and his set-piece expert Mario Ledesma would make wholesale changes to the players responsible for the upgrade.

Hooker Stephen Moore is 32 and the incumbent captain, and he has thrived under Cheika’s coaching. He passed the 100-cap mark during the 2015 World Cup but has given no hint that he is ready to step down.

With the explosive impact of Tatafu Polota-Nau evident when he came off the bench for Moore during the tournament, Cheika may well see this double act as the best way to service the hooking duties in the medium to long term.

One area Moore and his understudy need to improve is the lineout, which faltered too often against New Zealand in the final.

Either side of Moore, Scott Sio and Sekope Kepu were arguably the props of the tournament. The loose head Sio gave Dan Cole and Samson Lee tough examinations during the pool stages and when he was missing against Argentina in the semi-final, the Wallabies pack struggled without him.

With only 16 caps and at 24 years old, Sio is certain to enjoy a long international career if he can stay fit. On the tight head, Sekope Kepu may just be reaching his prime at 29.

He showed against Joe Marler that he can attack and destabilize a scrum with his power. He has signed for Bordeaux-Begles in the Top 15, per Sky Sports. However, he passed the required 60-cap mark during the tournament that allows him to be picked as an overseas player under the new rules introduced this year by the Australian Rugby Union, now dubbed "Giteau’s Law."

Pencil him in for the autumn as long as his club are happy for him to take the time off.

At lock, Australia went to great lengths to bring Kane Douglas back from Leinster to make the squad, and his injury-enforced departure early in the final was a blow.

His partnership with Rob Simmons has the potential to last many a year, with both men still only 26. It’s not an area the Wallabies are low on stocks in either with Dean Mumm and Will Skelton able deputies.

Behind them, the trio of David Pocock, Michael Hooper and Scott Fardy was one of the most formidable outfits at the World Cup, and Cheika will not want to break them up. Pocock is already in the sights of his current Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham who wants to tie him to a new contract, per the Canberra Times.

Fardy may be most at risk for his place as the only man of the three on the wrong side of 30, but he grew in influence throughout the World Cup and will take some shifting from his nearest challengers.

Sean McMahon is the young buck breathing down Hooper’s neck for the No. 7 jersey, and he will need a strong Super Rugby campaign in 2016 to unseat the vice-captain. Liam Gill of the Reds was overlooked in favour of McMahon for the World Cup squad, and he may be another to come back into the frame.

Half-backs

Will Genia was given the job as first choice No. 9 for the World Cup, but the 27-year-old is joining Stade Francais now and, despite the new Australian rules concerning selection of overseas players, it’s hard to see Genia being retained, with Nick Phipps looking the man to succeed the 66-cap veteran.

Fly-half Bernard Foley marked himself out as one of the world’s best goal-kickers during the tournament, and now heads to Japan for a short, lucrative stint there before Super Rugby gets back under way.

The 26-year-old is not the only one, with Israel Folau also taking advantage of the ARU’s flexible stance on players taking such deals.

Foley’s main rival for the No. 10 jersey, Quade Cooper, is now in Toulon and, while still available to the Wallabies, has his sights firmly set on the Olympic Sevens tournament in Rio next year.

If the toll of non-stop rugby does not take too much out of Foley expect him to be revisiting Twickenham, the scene of his two-try demolition of England, next November.

Midfield

It gets tricky here for Michael Cheika. Matt Giteau is gone for good this time, you suspect, and there is a gaggle of contenders for his No. 12 shirt.

Matt Toomua is perhaps best placed at present, with Christian Lealiifano also an option there. Tevita Kuridrani has been hard to shift from the outside-centre berth, and was the man who came up with the goods in clutch moments during the World Cup, scoring against Scotland and the All Blacks in the final. He is yet to reach 25 years old.

Back three

Adam Ashley-Cooper has over 100 caps and has given no signal that the 2015 final was his last international, despite heading for Bordeaux-Begles.

But he and Drew Mitchell are both now into their 30s and unlikely to be ripping up defences come Japan 2019. And so Michael Cheika could look to the future in the wing positions.

Rob Horne began the World Cup in front of Toulon man Mitchell but was injured against England and lost his place. Alongside Horne, Joe Tomane is a powerhouse who may now get his chance to start, but Henry Speight is cut from similar cloth and could force his way in with another strong Super Rugby campaign.

There seems little doubt that Israel Folau will remain the first choice at full-back, although Kurtley Beale proved how dangerous he can be every time he filled in for the former rugby league man.

It's either an embarrassing blunder or a clever bluff, but either way, the mind games have started ahead of Saturday's Rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and Australia.

Photographs from Wallabies training have apparently exposed Australia's game plan for the final, which was written on the back of a piece of paper held by forwards coach Mario Ledesma.

In the notes are tricks to upset the All Blacks' game, including strategies for handling the New Zealand back line and tips to upset No. 8 Kieran Read.

Per the Telegraph, Australia's plans are as follows:

• Kickoff #5 and keep Poey [David Pocock] back (no Carter rage) (high as possible)
• Kickoff receipt #4 Kieran Read (get him rattled)
• Kick receipt shift off edge, forwards then snap to Snow or play
• Own the air space, catch everything, [chase] everything, escort wingers!!!

On Defence:

• Carter running right to left
• Nonu steps back on the inside when linespeed against
• Badge defence (Wednesday morning)
• Turnover spark in attack and defence

On Attack:

• Lineout attack gainline front foot speed. Expose [Nehe] Milner-Skudder and [Julian] Savea under ball or in backfield

[Telegraph]

Australia arrive at the 2015 Rugby World Cup with the tag as perhaps the most dangerous side in the tournament.

An unimpressive few years in the Rugby Championship was ended in style this summer when Michael Cheika’s men took the crown, beating the All Blacks along the way.

They got stuffed by the New Zealanders a week later in a Bledisloe Cup rubber, but they did enough with wins over South Africa, Argentina and their trans-Tasman neighbours to alert the world that they can beat anyone on their day.

Much work has been done to strengthen their traditionally weak scrum, and behind the pack they have a range of threats to do damage to any defence.

Their starting back line is highly likely to include the returning Matt Giteau in the midfield, whose subtle touches and eye for an opening mark him out as one of the best in his position.

Behind him is the hugely talented Israel Folau, who can break a game open with his power and pace and commands everything in the air.

But while both men are undoubted world-class performers, to find the Wallabies’ X-factor, you have to turn your attention to their supporting cast.

Michael Cheika has taken the gamble Stuart Lancaster decided against in selecting his one true maverick for the tournament.

While Danny Cipriani gets back into club life at Sale, the equally mercurial Kurtley Beale will be playing a part for his country at the big show.

The utility man can play No. 10,  No. 12, or No. 15, and as an option off the bench, he has the fast feet and game intelligence to open teams up in a heartbeat.

Beale’s past is similarly to that of Cipriani, but it has not stopped the Australian coaches placing their faith in the Waratahs man when it comes to providing an extra dimension to their attack.

The presence of Quade Cooper, Bernard Foley, Giteau and Matt Toomua as options at fly-half and inside centre, and the iron grip Israel Folau has on the No. 15 jersey, will restrict Beale to a cameo role in the big games, and he is well suited to this role.

His last eight appearances—prior to a start at No. 15 in the weekend’s game against the USA—have all been off the bench.

A player with his deadly sidestep and pace off the mark is a horrible prospect for leggy defenders to have to deal with late in a game, and the fact that he can pop up anywhere along the three-quarter line is a rare commodity in any of the 20 World Cup squads, as AAP highlighted (via SBS):

Beale proved his value while filling in at fullback for the rested two-time reigning John Eales Medallist Israel Folau.

While Folau has a mortgage on the 15 jersey Beale wore at the 2011 World Cup, his ability to keep up his stellar play when moving to inside centre against the Eagles showcased his supreme utility value and likely cemented his place for the Cup.

He's no slouch anywhere from 10 to 15 in the backline.

The player seems to have put his off-field woes behind him after he was dropped last year for his part in what became known as "text-gate," and he has re-signed with the Australian Rugby Union, putting to bed rumours of a switch to rugby league.

He is also, as reported by the Courier Mail's Mike Coleman, looking the fittest and happiest he has for quite some time:

He bounds out of the Wallabies dressing room like Superman exiting a phonebox. He looks so fit it’s almost embarrassing, and answers every question with a smile.

In shape, contented, showing good form and motivated to atone for missing the 2011 semi-final defeat to New Zealand, Kurtley Beale is a man on a mission at the 2015 World Cup.

Australia have been crowned 2015 Rugby Championship winners after beating New Zealand 27-19 on Saturday thanks to a terrific second-half display at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.

New Zealand rookie Nehe Milner-Skudder scored a brace of tries to mark a sensational Test debut for the All Blacks, but it proved insufficient as Sekope Kepu, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Nic White led the Wallabies to victory.

Saturday's result sees New Zealand's three-year grip on the Rugby Championship come to an end, with Michael Cheika's side claiming their first southern-hemisphere title since 2011.

White picked a superb occasion to score his first Test try, coming off the bench to dot down in the 71st minute before converting from the tee to clinch victory in the first of two back-to-back Bledisloe Cup meetings.

In particular, Australia can be most proud of the fashion in which they kept New Zealand at arm's length in the dying minutes, per Jamie Pandaram of the Daily Telegraph:

It was a slow start at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, as can so often be the case in clashes with such high stakes, with a grand total of nine points and no tries being scored in the opening 40 minutes.

New Zealand had the greater share of the early chances despite a minority in possession, with Milner-Skudder looking dangerous on debut thanks to his injection of pace.

The Wallabies stood strong in defence, though, and it was the flanker axis of David Pocock and Michael Hooper that nullified Richie McCaw, per KICCA's Ian Stafford:

Israel Folau had the greatest chance for the hosts in the dying minutes of the half, but a spill from Dean Mumm saved Steve Hansen's side, who went in at the break with a 6-3 lead thanks to two penalties from Dan Carter.

Australia took their one-man advantage well, but then came the Wallabies' turn to persevere with 14 men after scrum-half Nick Phipps attempted two tackles from an offside position.

And just as their opponents did, New Zealand punished the Sydney hosts after Ben Smith busted his way through enemy lines before offloading to Milner-Skudder on the right flank for his first debut try. Eat Sleep Rugby provided a glimpse at his moment of magic:

Nehe Milner-Skudder scores on debut for the ABs. What a pass by Ben Smith to put him in the space. https://t.co/Jz2Hw8FkZp

— EatSleepRugby (@Eat_Sleep_Rugby) August 8, 2015

The game went through an obvious step-up in tempo at this point, and no sooner were the 15 men of New Zealand celebrating their 14-10 lead than Ashley-Cooper was scything in to put the hosts back in front.

It had been Smith who stole the ball off Ashley-Cooper in the build-up to Milner-Skudder's score just five minutes previous. But this time it was the Waratahs talisman who collected a terrific Matt Toomua grubber, beating the All Blacks full-back to touch down in the right corner.

Phipps' yellow card meant this was a crucial juncture at which defence became the priority for Cheika's men, but again they would crumble under the pressure as Milner-Skudder barrelled over for his second in the same corner.

Australia made a sensational effort to prevent the score and a long pause was needed as the TMO went about making their decision, but the try stood, and OptaJason confirmed Milner-Skudder's historic achievement:

Brendan Bradford of Sportal attested to the controversy of the score, but it was decided that referee Wayne Barnes saw no reason not to award the try.

Dan Carter failed to convert from the touchline, however, meaning New Zealand remained one point behind their bitter foes at 20-19, which ultimately proved to be as close as they came to victory.

For after a series of bungled defensive errors, terrier-like substitute White snatched a crucial try for Australia nine minutes from the buzzer, with Front Row Grunt attesting to his scrappy score:

White converted from in front of the posts to put Australia ahead 27-19, but even with an eight-point advantage, one can never be so careless as to rule the All Blacks out of a comeback.

And the Wallabies proved vigilant enough in their efforts, keeping the visitors at bay for the remainder of the half to record a rare victory over Hansen's men that's sure to go down in history.

Saturday's win means Australia have claimed a crucial advantage in the quest to win this year's Bledisloe Cup, with the two teams scheduled to face off in a reverse fixture at Auckland's Eden Park next Saturday.

Both teams will consider the clash another way to test their credentials ahead of the World Cup, but Australia are sure to savour this moment as proof of their evolution under Cheika.