Michael Lynagh warns Wallabies: European powers pose huge threat at World Cup
The Wallabies’ terrible recent record against northern hemisphere teams is their biggest hurdle to mounting a challenge at the World Cup, according to Wallabies great Michael Lynagh.
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The northern hemisphere poses the biggest threat to Australia’s chances of winning the Rugby World Cup, according to former Wallaby skipper Michael Lynagh.
While the southern hemisphere has historically dominated the tournament, winning seven of the previous eight finals and providing all four semi-finalists at the last edition in 2015, Lynagh believes the Europeans are the ones the Wallabies need to be wary of.
Now based in London, ‘Noddy’ Lynagh has been watching the Six Nations closely and has warned his countrymen not to dismiss any of their northern rivals, especially England and Ireland, who are ranked No.1 in the world.
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“England look very strong,” Lynagh said. “Eddie Jones will have them very well prepared and they’ve got a very good, deep squad so they’ll be dangerous.
“Ireland have been a bit sleep this year, but they’ve got a good team and if they can keep Jonny Sexton and Conor Murray in the game and also get their forwards going, they’ve got a very strong side.”
The Wallabies really shouldn’t need any reminding about the threat posed by the northern hemisphere teams after losing their last six matches against England, three of their last four against Ireland, their last two against Scotland and their most recent meeting against Wales.
Of the nine matches the Wallabies have lost at the World Cup, dating back to the inaugural event in 1987, six have been by northern hemisphere teams.
The most heartbreaking was the 2003 final against England in Sydney which ended in tears after extra time as the Webb Ellis went to a northern hemisphere country for the first and only time.
The Wallabies also lost to England in the 1995 and 2007 quarter-finals, to Ireland in the pool stage in 2011, and to France (semi-finals) and Wales (third place playoff) in 1987.
“Everyone keeps writing Wales off, but they keep winning and they’re our big pool opponents so they’re a very dangerous team,” said Lynagh, who was part of the Wallabies side that won the World Cup in 1991.
“They haven’t got the depth of New Zealand or England, but when they get on the pitch they’re pretty strong. And France always turn up at the World Cup, and they’ve got a lot of good young backs.
“They’ll be dangerous. I haven’t mentioned Scotland — they’re a great nemesis of us — so hopefully we won’t have to meet them along the way.”
Another former Wallaby skipper, Stirling Mortlock, said last month’s spanking of the All Blacks in Perth proved the Wallabies have the firepower to go deep into the tournament but consistency will be the key to how far Australia goes.
“From my point of view any team that plays us in sudden death rugby in this World Cup will be going ‘ oh my goodness, how do we stop these guys,” Mortlock said. “It’ll be a real concern because they’ll struggle to actually prepare against this Wallabies outfit for me.
“But the question is can they do it three in a row, if they can we’ll absolutely go close to winning the whole thing.”