Israel Folau 'not 100%' but raring to take on Wales

Sport360 staff 08:06 10/10/2015
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  • Australia full-back Israel Folau is confident his injured ankle will hold up for what coach Michael Cheika believes will be the Wallabies’ “most brutal” match of the World Cup so far against Wales on Saturday night.

    Folau rolled his ankle in Australia’s 33-13 win over England – that knocked the hosts out of the tournament – last weekend and went off in the 65th minute.

    Folau on Friday said he was “not 100 per cent” fit but insisted there was no question of him taking a chance on the injury, even though the match will decide who wins Pool A.

    “It wasn’t too serious. I had a couple of days off during the week just to make sure everything was all right,” said the talented Folau, who has scored 18 tries in 35 Tests.

    “I had a bit of a run-out with the guys yesterday and it felt pretty good. It’s not 100 per cent but I’m confident, otherwise I wouldn’t be strapping on the boots and going out there tomorrow. 

    “My body comes first. If I wasn’t right I wouldn’t play. It wouldn’t be fair on the team at all, going out there and playing half-hearted. I feel like I can do the job and hopefully I can get through tomorrow.”

    Cheika said there was no danger of his side easing off against Wales because the Wallabies had already qualified for the last eight.

    “We have made a course of keeping ourselves on edge because of the dificulty of our pool, so I don’t feel any more relaxed or anything like that,” the coach explained. “The target is to get better every day, and when it comes to game day be at our absolute best. We are still in the middle of almost a war zone.

    “I feel it will be the most brutal game we have faced so far. I don’t really expect anything else. My knowledge of tournament play is that the longer it goes on, the more brutal it gets.”

    Australia may have won their last 10 Tests against Wales and lost just once to the Welsh in five World Cup meetings, but Cheika said those figures would have no bearing on today’s match.

    “It is irrelevant,” said the Wallabies boss. “World Cups are different. It is not another Test match. It is one of the few times when you get into tournament play where it is part of a bigger competition.

    “It is all about what happens when the two teams front up on Saturday afternoon. He (Wales boss Warren Gatland) is a brilliant coach. With the Lions’ (2013) victory in Australia as well, and what he has done with Welsh rugby over a long period of time, it shows the class that he has got.”

    Meanwhile, Dan Biggar says Wales will continue to enjoy their World Cup journey no matter what route it takes throuhg the quarterfinals.

    Victory on Saturday night would set up a last eight showdown with either Scotland or Japan. If they lose, then twice world champions South Africa await, but such is Wales’ buoyant mood and spirit in the camp that they have no intention of allowing the adventure to end any time soon.

    “Why shouldn’t we be enjoying it?” said Biggar, whose masterful performance and 23-point haul against England two weeks ago kick-started Wales’ campaign.

    “We have qualified from an extremely tough pool. The players have got every right to enjoy and feel fairly good about themselves. We are at the start of hopefully a successful month.

    “Playing England at Twickenham nobody gave us a prayer, and everyone is talking up the Wallabies this week, and quite rightly so as they are an outstanding team.

    “I think as a group we are comfortable together. We have been together a long time, and it’s a happy place.”

    Biggar added: “Australia’s backs are looking sharp, and they played some really good rugby against England, so it is going to take a heck of a defensive effort from us.

    “But we went to Twickenham and beat England in their own World Cup, so we have got to go in there with plenty of confidence and back ourselves to come out on top.”

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