What is a pass mark for the tour, and who will the Wallabies play in the Nations Championships finals?
asserted
Wallabies → play → finals
The Wallabies will play four Tests in this November tour but, unusually, we only know their opponents in three of them: England, Scotland and Wales.
asserted
we → play → them
This is the first year the Rugby Championships is being run, and the last weekend features a three-day, finals format at Twickenham.
asserted
weekend → run → Twickenham
The Wallabies sit third on the Southern Hemisphere table after the first three rounds in July.
asserted
Wallabies → sit → July
They banked eight points via a win over Italy and four bonus points accrued in losses to Ireland, France and the Azzuri.
asserted
They → bank → Ireland
The finals will see the same ranked sides from the north and south pools face off over three days: so 1 v 1, 2 v 2, and so on, down to 6 v 6.
asserted
sides → see → 6
A Ryder Cup-style hemisphere winner will be crowned.
asserted
winner → crown → ?
They should be beating a struggling Wales, and if they’re serious about making the last weekend of the World Cup next year, Les Kiss’ side need to be taking down either England or Scotland as well.
asserted
side → beat → England
When firing, the Wallabies have the game to beat either, but have largely struggled against these two foes at Twickenham and Murrayfield.
asserted
Wallabies → fire → Twickenham
That corner must be turned, and these games treated as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup finals.
asserted
games → turn → finals
Next year, the Wallabies will need to have unshakeable belief they can win high-stakes, high-pressure games.
asserted
they → need → games
The 2015 Wallabies definitely had it.
asserted
Wallabies → have → it
Best guesses will see the Wallabies play England in the World Cup quarters.
asserted
Wallabies → see → quarters
If Scotland can roll Ireland in their pool of death to avoid France in the round of 16, they have every chance of getting into the semis, and that’s also on Australia’s side.
asserted
that → roll → side
So wins this month count double.
asserted
wins → count → ?
Who will the Wallabies play in the finals?
asserted
Wallabies → play → finals
They’re in third, a spot above Argentina, and will likely finish in that order.
asserted
They → ’re → order
On the other side, Scotland, England and Ireland are jockeying for spots 2, 3 and 4, and there is a realistic path for them to finish in any order.
asserted
them → jockey → order
The Irish should bank at least two wins, but England and Scotland could, too.
uncertain
England → bank → wins
Australia could prove a blowfly in the ointment.
uncertain
Australia → prove → ointment
Or at least they hope to be.
asserted
they → hope → ?
Who will wear the No.10 for the Wallabies?
asserted
Who → wear → Wallabies
It wouldn’t be a “burning questions” without this evergreen favourite.
asserted
It → burn → favourite
The likely scenario is that Declan Meredith will retain the starting role against England, with Carter Gordon returning from a broken leg and light on recent game and training time.
asserted
Gordon → retain → time
He may be seen as the top pick, long-term, but Gordon is also injury-prone, so there’s every chance he’ll be eased back in training this week and return either on the bench, or in week two.
uncertain
he → see → week
Meredith did his stock price no harm in Sydney, according to Les Kiss.
uncertain
Meredith → do → Kiss
He overcame mistakes and showed spirit in taking the game on.
asserted
He → overcome → game
How do the Wallabies repeat the heroics of 2024 at Twickenham?
asserted
Wallabies → repeat → Twickenham
The form guide – no excuses when again running last behind New Zealand in a two-horse field – doesn’t provide cause for optimism.
asserted
guide → run → optimism
But before arriving at Twickenham in 2024, the Wallabies were in a similar spot.
asserted
Wallabies → arrive → spot
They’d also come off a 2-0 Bledisloe bruising in 2024, and been beaten by a record margin by Argentina before that.
asserted
They → come → that
But then they pulled off an all-time win.
asserted
they → pull → win
Understanding how is the key to making history repeat.
asserted
history → understand → ?
In the last decade, England have won five of six games at home against Australia, and each time they’ve snuffed out the Wallabies defensively.
asserted
they → win → Wallabies
They held the Wallabies to an average of 13.5 points in each win, and didn’t concede more than two tries.
asserted
They → hold → tries
On two occasions, they didn’t let Australia cross their line.
asserted
Australia → let → line
In 2024, however, the Wallabies scored five tries in a 42-37 win.
asserted
Wallabies → score → win
They turned the pressure back on England and scored tries wide, or struck on turnover ball.
asserted
They → turn → ball
But they also found yardage in the middle, through the likes of Angus Bell and clever tip passes at the line.
asserted
they → find → line
And they never gave up, from multiple positions where the game looked lost.
asserted
game → give → positions
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
