Rugby World Cup: Wallabies catch the eye of former All Black coach Graham Henry

NEW Zealand’s Rugby World Cup-winning coach Graham Henry has tipped the Wallabies to reach the RWC final, and shared some selection advice too.

Stephen Moore and Michael Cheika during the Wallaby team photograph at the SCG ,Moore Park .Picture Gregg Porteous

SIR Graham Henry, the coach who masterminded New Zealand’s World Cup victory in 2011, has picked Australia to make the final of the 2015 tournament starting next week.

In a stunning prediction, Henry has backed the underdog Wallabies to qualify for the decider at England’s Twickenham Stadium on November 1 because of the cultural overhaul instigated by coach Michael Cheika.

“I think they could well be finalists,” Henry told Kiwi radio station Newstalk ZB.

“I like what [Cheika’s] doing. I think we are seeing discipline within the group for the first time for quite some time. We are not getting the stories we were getting one year ago, two years ago about various players in the Australia team not toeing the line and putting the team first. He’s got the discipline and culture back in the group.

“Stephen Moore is an old-fashioned captain. He leads from the front and is respected by his troops. He’s old school and expects people to do the business.

“They have gone from six in the world to two in the world in the last three or four months. They will be good and I think they will keep on getting better.”

Former New Zealand All Blacks coach Graham Henry.

In his eight years as head coach of the All Blacks, Henry never once lost a Bledisloe Cup series to the old enemy, while successor Steve Hansen has carried on the streak since 2012.

Wallabies star Israel Folau said his side has high hopes as they head to England from their United States training camp on Sunday.

“I am confident and the team is confident, we’ve got to be,” Folau said.

“There is no point getting on the plane and heading over there if we didn’t think we could win.

“But we’ve got to go out there and do our talking on the field.”

Henry’s only advice to Cheika was around his playmakers.

“Their two challenges are going to be goal kicking and who is going to play in the halves, they have had [Quade] Cooper and Bernard Foley but every time Matt Toomua plays at 10 I think he looks the business. He’s a very direct player,” Henry said.

“I would play [Will] Genia and Toomua at 9 and 10 but nobody else thinks that.”

Originally published as Rugby World Cup: Wallabies catch the eye of former All Black coach Graham Henry