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Rugby World Cup 2015: Wallabies 'playing for wrong reason' if revenge is a factor: Michael Cheika
By Chris Dutton
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LONDON: Forget Ashes revenge or redemption for that drop goal from Jonny Wilkinson in 2003, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says his team will be "playing for the wrong reason" if it uses England's potential embarrassment as a motivator in Saturday night's World Cup clash.
Cheika and Wallabies captain Stephen Moore were again forced to deflect the hype surrounding England's precarious World Cup position, with a loss set to end the hosts' campaign.
England is still basking in Ashes cricket glory after beating Australia last month and savouring Wilkinson's extra-time match-winner against the Wallabies in 2003. But that hasn't been a factor in the Wallabies' motivation for a vital 'pool of death' match at Twickenham.
"It's the wrong reason to be playing for. If you are playing for that reason you haven't got a real reason for why you want to do it yourself," Cheika said. "Anything we are doing here is for us. Not to do anything to anyone else. Those external motivations like that, that you talk about and is often said – they last for two minutes on the field.
Working hard: Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has said revenge is not a motivating factor ahead of the World Cup clash with England. Credit: Getty Images
"When you are going to go through 80 minutes of warfare, or our version of it, you need bigger motivations than that as those motivations can go away in a heartbeat as soon as one thing goes wrong. Our motivations have to be from deep inside. Having a real strong drive as to why we want to be the best we can. So those other things are relatively peripheral and quite superficial as they dissipate quite quickly when there are 82,000 people screaming against you in the stadium."
Cheika has picked his best line-up for the biggest match of the World Cup.
England need to beat the Wallabies to stay alive in the tournament and avoid an embarrassing exit from the World Cup in their own backyard.
Australia's most prolific World Cup try-scorer, Drew Mitchell, has missed out on the starting XV but could force his way into the Wallabies squad for the match. Bernard Foley has beaten Quade Cooper for the No.10 jersey and Michael Hooper and David Pocock will resume their back-row combination.
"I'd probably be a bit more traditionalist in the way I set up the back row with a different type of blindside flanker but the two lads have played too well so far for me not to select them together," Cheika said of his two openside flankers.
"I should be open to change on that front and I think the two games they've played together, they've not just played well individually but they've combined well together and that's the important part of being able to select complementary groups of players, be they back rowers or back three."
Cheika expects England to try to bully the Wallabies in the forward pack, and "the only way to change their mind is to give them a reason".
Asked if England's desperation would be to the Wallabies' benefit, Cheika said: "I don't think you can all of a sudden decide, 'shit, it's the final, we had better play'."
Moore was asked if he was worried about upsetting Queen Elizabeth by beating England on their home turf. But he played down the rivalry, adamant Australia have not been focusing on England.
"For us it is our next game so it is our most important game," Moore said.
"We have put a big focus on our preparation and training really well. We know whoever we play in a World Cup is going to be a tough game. This Saturday will be no different."
WALLABIES TEAM: 15. Israel Folau, 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 12. Matt Giteau, 11. Rob Horne, 10. Bernard Foley, 9. Will Genia, 8. David Pocock, 7. Michael Hooper, 6. Scott Fardy, 5. Rob Simmons, 4. Kane Douglas, 3. Sekope Kepu, 2. Stephen Moore, 1. Scott Sio. Extended bench: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Toby Smith, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Dean Mumm, Sam Carter, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale, Drew Mitchell (three to be omitted).