Wallabies promise to go flat out in attack

AUSTRALIA aren’t just setting their sights on beating Ireland in Melbourne this weekend, they’re hoping to do it with an attacking verve rarely seen in a game between two of rugby’s better teams on the biggest stage.

The tournament to date has been an orgy of try scoring with cricket scores being routinely posted (sometimes even on cricket grounds), but history shows that once the business end of the Rugby World Cup swings into view, crossing for five points can be as difficult as advanced algebra.

Four years ago, it was an awesome defence that conceded just one try against the USA Eagles that provided the bedrock for the Wallabies' world title and in '95 it was the boot of Joel Stransky that claimed the Webb Ellis Cup for South Africa. Even Australia's first final back in '91 was won by soaking up an inordinate amount of English pressure in Twickenham. The present World Cup sees the trend taking on an unwanted but very familiar form as Wallaby centre Elton Flatley has noted. "The biggest games so far at the tournament England-South Africa and Argentina-Ireland have been very close with not a whole lot of tries being scored," Flatley said. "In those games, teams haven't been playing attacking rugby. It's been the old game of chess, chipping away for playing territory, being a bit conservative and not wanting to be the team that makes the mistake of letting points in. Whether the trend continues, who knows? We're going out to play attacking rugby when we can and put on a full, all-round performance against Ireland."