Rugby World Cup 2015: Wallabies duo Moore and Foley hold keys for Australia’s success

AUSTRALIA’S World Cup blockbuster against England will live and die by the performances of Stephen Moore and Bernard Foley, writes Jamie Pandaram.

Australia v Fiji - Group A: Rugby World Cup 2015

STEPHEN Moore and Bernard Foley, your country needs you.

Australia’s World Cup blockbuster against England will live and die by the performances of their hooker and five-eighth.

Moore and Foley are leaders of the forwards and backs respectively, and have key technical roles to play as well if Australia is to knock the hosts out of the World Cup on Sunday morning.

Both players will be put under significant strain from England.

Australia's hooker and captain Stephen Moore catches a ball during a team training session at Bath University, south west England, on September 26, 2015 during the Rugby Union World Cup. AFP PHOTO / DAMIEN MEYER RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE

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MOORE

Moore’s lineout throwing has been a concern of late, and England’s towering locks Joe Launchbury and Geoff Parling will be targeting Australian throws.

While Australia has made much noise about matching England’s scrum, I believe it is inevitable that the Wallabies will be dominated at that set-piece, particularly under referee Romain Poite who has been unkind to Australian interests in the past.

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But the Wallabies can still survive a scrum drubbing and find ways to win the game — they have done so before. If, however, they begin to lose both scrums and lineouts, the jig will be up. You can’t win rugby games if your two set-piece facets are not functioning.

So it is absolutely crucial that Moore gets his communication right with lineout targets Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas, Scott Fardy and perhaps even Michael Hooper.

And even if Australia’s scrum is going backward, Moore, as captain, must find the right balance between incredulousness and forcefulness to pressure Poite into refereeing both scrums. We’ve seen how England loosehead Joe Marler has been able to get away with murder so far in this tournament, because rival scrums have been losing the initial push and officials tend to look at the eight going backward.

Not everything will go to plan in this match; they never do in games of this magnitude. Moore, as he has shown a knack for already this year, must be able to steady his troops when the tide is against them and reinforce the belief within his squad.

CARDIFF, WALES - SEPTEMBER 23: Bernard Foley of Australia kicks at goal during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between Australia and Fiji at the Millennium Stadium on September 23, 2015 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

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FOLEY

Foley will be under the microscope when he is kicking tactically or for goal.

His running and passing game is potent, that should not be an issue.

But England will terrorise Foley and Matt Giteau when they are trying to exit their own quarter with clearing kicks.

And Foley must establish dominance over rival Owen Farrell with his boot to win the territory advantage against the home team.

The Wallabies are good enough to break down any defence if they have the ball in the right area.

David Pocock will find a way to pilfer ball, so Foley must push England back into their own half so any turnover can result in points.

And that will be Foley’s ultimate responsibility.

Farrell is not likely to miss key kicks at goal, so Foley cannot afford to let points go begging.

Reputations are made and careers broken in games like this.

If Moore can deliver lineout success and win favour with Poite, if Foley can steer the Wallabies deep into enemy territory and nail his goal kicks, Australia will win this.

BETTING:

TAB.COM.AU PRICES

Rugby World Cup Pool A — England v Australia at Twickenham — Sunday 4 October 6am (AEST)

Head to Head

$1.75 England

$2.10 Australia

Line

$2 England -2.5

$1.80 Australia +2.5

1st Try Scorer

$9 Israel Folau (AUS)

$9 Johnny May (ENG)

$10 Adam Ashley-Cooper (AUS)

$10 David Pocock (AUS)

$10 Anthony Watson (ENG)

$11 Rob Horne (AUS)

$12 Mike Brown (ENG)

Others quoted

World Cup Winner

$2 New Zealand

$7 Australia

$8 England

$8 South Africa

$10 Ireland

$11 France

$21 Wales

$34 Argentina

$81 Scotland

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2015: Wallabies duo Moore and Foley hold keys for Australia’s success