SCRUM Magazine – September 2019

POOL D

AUSTRALIA

WALES

SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER
SAPPORO, KICK OFF 8:45AM
AUSTRALIA VS FIJI
¬

THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER

OSAKA, KICK OFF 6:15AM

GEORGIA VS FIJI

MONDAY 23 SEPTEMBER

TOYOTA, KICK OFF 11:15AM

WALES VS GEORGIA

SATURDAY 5 OCTOBER

OITA, KICK OFF 6:15AM ,

AUSTRALIA VS URUGUAY

WEDNESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER

KAMAISHI, KICK OFF 6:15AM

FIJI VS URUGUAY

WEDNESDAY 9 OCTOBER

OITA, KICK OFF 10:45AM

WALES VS FIJI

SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER

KUMAGAYA, KICK OFF 6:15AM

GEORGIA VS URUGUAY

FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER

SHIZUOKA, KICK OFF 11:15AM

AUSTRALIA VS GEORGIA

SUNDAY 29 SEPTEMBER

TOKYO, KICK OFF 8:45AM

AUSTRALIA VS WALES

SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER

KUMAMOTO, KICK OFF 9:15AM

WALES VS URUGUAY

Australian rugby has been a bit of an enigma

over the past couple of years, with the Wallabies

currently struggling to discover any kind of form

despite the abundance of talent they’ve got at

their disposal.

Head Coach Michael Cheika has a familiar face,

former Scotland Director of Rugby Scott Johnson,

by his side now, and they will hope that they can

get the likes of Michael Hooper, Kurtley Beale

and Tevita Kuridrani firing on all cylinders in Pool

D, from which they’ll likely compete with Wales

for top spot.

SCRUM Prediction

An opening game against the Flying Fijians is a

banana skin Cheika’s side will need to overcome,

while their second match against Wales could

determine who wins the pool. There’s an

opportunity for the Wallabies to let loose against

Uruguay in their third match before finishing

against Georgia, who will hope to test the

Australian pack.

All in all, not a bad pool for the Wallabies

to find themselves in.

Warren Gatland brings down the curtain on

his 11 years as Head Coach of Wales after the

World Cup, and the Guiness Six Nations 2019

Grand Slam winners will be keen to see the New

Zealander off with another strong performance

on the biggest stage.

Their recent form suggests they’ll be difficult

to beat, but the Welsh may need to add some

attacking potency to a gameplan that centres

round a formidable defensive game if they are to

challenge the world’s best.

In Alun Wyn Jones, Jonathan Davies and George

North, they have some of the world’s best players

throughout their team.

SCRUM Prediction

Wales should make it out of the pool comfortably,

and don’t be surprised to see them usurp the

Wallabies for top spot. Their form over the past

12 months has been impressive and Gatland has

added depth to his squad.

Georgia first up should allow Wales to use some

of their squad players and keep the first choice

back for the clash with the Wallabies, while

thereafter they will be keen to avoid a second

World Cup embarrassment at the hands of Fiji

before rounding the pool off against Uruguay.

Supporting Scotland

since 1848

106 • WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM • ISSUE 116 2019

RUGBY WORLD CUP - POOL GUIDE