There has been the sound this week of tables being turned. Australia go into Sunday’s semi-final against Argentina having developed their opponents’ relish for scrummaging, while the Pumas have acquired the Wallabies’ relish for playing with a flourish out wide.
The last time Australia and Argentina met in the World Cup was in the opening match of the 2003 tournament, when the contrast in styles was marked. The Pumas were upset, as England were to be in the final against the Wallabies, that they were not allowed by the referee to exploit their superior scrummaging technique and eventually succumbed under the weight of penalties.
They were the days when Australia regarded the scrum as a hazardous means of restarting play. The arrival of the former Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma earlier this year changed the way the Wallabies approached the set piece and if he was recklessly brave in his first training session when he lay on the floor underneath a scrum to check on body positions, given the heap a scrum involving Australia used to invariably become, he has overseen a transformation every bit as remarkable as Daniel Hourcade’s in giving the Pumas a love of moving the ball.
“Mario is inspirational,” said the Australia flanker Michael Hooper. “He has adopted this team and wants to see us improve. Like all Argentinians, he is pretty emotional and he has brought a passion that Australians perhaps do not possess. We know it is going to be full-on for the full 80 minutes on Sunday and what got us through against Scotland was the belligerence we show for every minute of every training session. Group success is what motivates us and reaching a semi-final is not enough.”
While the other three semi-finalists are previous winners of the tournament – Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are looking to make history by becoming the first team to win the Webb Ellis Cup three times – Argentina have never made the final and their only other appearance in the last four was in 2007, when they finished third. They have become used to playing the Wallabies and beat them last year, but not in a knockout match, and while Ireland failed to cope with a style of play they were not used to defending against, Australia will know what is coming. Argentina’s side contains three survivors from the semi-final against South Africa eight years ago, including the flanker Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, while their captain, Agustín Creevy, has recovered from a knee injury.
“We expected them to be in the semi-final,” said the Australia head coach, Michael Cheika, who for the second week running had to delay naming his side because players needed fitness tests, including the full-back Israel Folau and the No8 David Pocock, who were ruled out against Scotland but return for the attempt to reach the final for the first time since 2003. The prop Scott Sio, who has anchored the scrum during this tournament, injured his elbow last weekend and his absence should give Argentina the edge up front, although his replacement, James Slipper, will be winning his 73rd cap.
Australia were two minutes from going out of the tournament against Scotland before Bernard Foley kicked a disputed penalty. The Wallabies conceded three tries, one more than they had given up in a demanding pool, against Scotland, all the result on sloppiness: an unguarded ruck, a charge down and an interception. Argentina will have to earn their tries and while it promises to be an open contest, it may be that both sides look to wear down the other initially, not wanting to chase the game too early.
As both sides are in the early stage of their evolution under coaches who have overseen a radical change in direction, there is a danger they may be overcome by the moment. Australia will be playing at Twickenham for the fourth successive week and if they repeat the precision and all-round excellence that proved too much for England, it should be enough to take them to their third final in the three tournaments that have been hosted by one of the home unions.
“We are not planning to change the way we play in terms of running the ball,” said the Australia second-row Rob Simmons. They scored five tries against Scotland before, as against Wales the previous week, having to clamber out of a hole they had dug. “We have done a lot of mental preparation and whenever we are in a tight spot, everyone stays calm and sticks to the plan. Perhaps we should not be getting into these situations but at this stage of the tournament, matches are won in the head.”
Argentina play with their heart, if in a different way to previously, the national anthem before the game against Ireland prompting a visibly emotional outpouring, but they will need to keep their heads to add to the tales of the Hourcade adventure.
Australia Folau; Ashley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Giteau, Mitchell; Foley, Genia; Slipper, Moore, Kepu, Douglas, Simmons, Fardy, Hooper, Pocock. Replacements Polota-Nau, Smith, Holmes, Mumm, McCalman, Phipps, Toomua, Beale.
Argentina Tuculet; Cordero, Bosch, Hernández, Imhoff; Sánchez, Landajo; Ayerza, Creevy (capt), Herrera, Petti, Lavanini, Pablo Matera, Fernández Lobbe, Senatore. Replacements Montoya, Noguera, Figallo, Alemanno, Isa, Cubelli, De la Fuente, González Amorosino