Rugby World Cup 2015: history against Wallabies if they drop pool game, warns Will Genia

LOSE once, and you lose the World Cup. Will Genia has warned the Wallabies that one slip up in the ‘pool of death’ could cost them the Rugby World Cup.

Wallabies Will Genia. The Wallabies vs South Africa at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Pic Peter Wallis

LOSE once, and you lose the World Cup.

That is Will Genia’s philosophy heading into the game’s biggest rugby tournament, after learning a painful lesson in 2011 when Ireland upset Australia in the pool stage.

Ironically, if Australia finish second in their pool this time around, they’ll face the same nightmare scenario as four years ago; a quarter-final against South Africa, and a semi-final against New Zealand.

“I spoke to George Gregan and he said exactly what I was thinking as far as the World Cup, which is that you can’t afford to drop games,” Genia said.

HONOUR: called to duty by greats of 1999

QUESTION MARKS: selections leave no margin for Cup errors

Ireland celebrate their 2011 World Cup win over the Wallabies.

“You’ve got to go there making sure you’re prepared to win each and every time, because when I look back, the one thing I learned from 2011 is we lost to Ireland, which put us on the All Blacks’ side of the draw and meant we had to play them in the semi-final.

“In hindsight if we were lucky enough to win that game, we could have met them in the final as opposed to being knocked out.

“So it’s about bring you’re a game for each and every opposition, whether it is a team that’s considered a minnow or not.”

It is going to be tough in the pool of death against hosts England and Wales, and an unpredictable Fiji.

But considering that the Wallabies could face a quarter-final/semi-final double of Samoa and Ireland if they win the group, the alternative against the Springboks and All Blacks is hardly the route Australia wants to travel.

“Not at all, you look back at 2011, we got away with a pretty gutsy win against South Africa but we were pretty much dealt a lesson in the semi-final,” Genia said.

“If there’s one thing I can take forward from that, it’s that you prepare as well as you can to give yourself a chance in every game.”

Genia is one of just two specialist halfbacks chosen by coach Michael Cheika in the squad, alongside Nick Phipps, which means he’s set to feature in every game.

And the champion No. 9 believes his big-game experience can help Australia.

“It’s a strength of mine, I’ve been around, this is my seventh year as part of the Wallabies side now, I’ve obviously played in a World Cup and been a part of some of the good success the Wallabies have had in recent years,” Genia said.

“Personally I think that’s something I can bring to the group, big-match experience and just a cool, calm head under pressure, and the ability to back myself in those situations.

“Thinking back to 2011, we didn’t really use a third halfback so I think [Cheika’s] backing the two guys he’s selected to obviously stay injury-free but also perform well.

“I’ve got a good relationship with Phippsy and we can work together to provide a good dynamic in terms of who starts, who comes off the bench, whether he plays only the one halfback in the 23.”

Genia declared he is back to full fitness after shrugging off a knee injury suffered in the first Rugby Championship Test of the year against the Boks.

“I’m good to go, this is the sixth week of my rehab, and it was always meant to be four to six weeks.

“I’m back full running, doing full conditioning, full speed work and agility work, passing, kicking, so I’m back.”

THE EQUATION

If Australia finishes FIRST in their pool, their most likely path to the final will be:

Quarter-final against Samoa or Scotland

Semi-final against Ireland

If Australia finishes SECOND in their pool, their most likely path to the final will be:

Quarter-final against South Africa

Semi-final against New Zealand

*No team has ever defeated both New Zealand and South Africa to win a World Cup

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2015: history against Wallabies if they drop pool game, warns Will Genia