Connolly barks underdog
Australia coach John Connolly is expecting England to pose a significant challenge when the two teams resume their World Cup rivalry in Saturday's quarter-final match in Marseille.
Connolly has shrugged off suggestions that his team are the clear-cut favourites ahead of the do-or-die showdown against the defending champions, instead ruling the Wallabies as second best.
"We think we're the underdogs here," Connolly told Sportal.
"As I said right at the start of the tournament I've rated England a huge threat to Australia, because we mirror each other in some ways in terms of our line-out and how we play a little bit - and that's a threat."
"One-off games make everyone very nervous when you're playing for so much."
The Australians are heavily favoured to progress in this re-match of the 2003 final, their form far superior to that of England who were walloped by South Africa and struggled at times to quell the challenges of Samoa and Tonga.
But Connolly acknowledges England's forwards have the ability to take the game away from his men and that Jonny Wilkinson's boot remains as lethal as ever.
And while the coach's underdog claims drew a chorus of laughter from the assembled international media, the wily veteran continued to state his case.
"The experience they have got, I mean [scrum-half Andy] Gomarsall's a great survivor and played very well against Tonga, Wilkinson speaks for himself and the pace they've got out wide - it's a very talented back group," said Connolly.
"In the forwards the tight-five are incredibly strong and we all have memories of 2005 so it's a strong side and (they also have) a number of options in the back row."
Having spent several years coaching in Europe, including a two-year stint as director of rugby for Guinness Premiership side Bath, Connolly boasts an intimate knowledge of the English set-up.
"England probably have got a better driving maul than any other country in the world and I know what emphasis they put on it after being there for quite a while," he said.
On the injury front, veteran pivot Stephen Larkham (knee) continues his recovery from two bouts of knee surgery, and will be assessed next Monday, provided the Wallabies progress to the semi-finals.
"We want him back as soon as possible and it has to be a sensible approach to it," said Connolly.
Connolly also said he had the utmost faith in rookie 21-year-old Queenslander Berrick Barnes stepping up to the mark in the absence of Larkham.
"We've been fortunate because Berrick was probably one of the last players picked for the tournament," Connolly said.
"We thought he had the skill-set and the mentality to be up to handle the pressure of the World Cup. We're quite confident with him."
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