This was the last time that Australia were a team to be genuinely feared in World Rugby
It’s been a long time since Australia was truly dominant in World Rugby. You could argue they haven’t really been feared in the sport since the early 2000s.
We think this was the last time an Australian rugby team truly had an aura in World Rugby. We understand that in 2015 Australia got to the Rugby World Cup final, but their route to that final was against Scotland, and then Argentina. You count a poor England team and a 2nd string Wales team in the group stages, and it’s not really a massive achievement.
New Zealand comfortably beat them in the final and there was no real feeling before the final that Australia had an incredible team.
Quade Cooper found himself out of favour in Australian International rugby under former coach Michael Cheika…
Honest words from Cooper on Twitter. #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/Fr4G4uIW6Z
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 20, 2019
This Australia team in 2010 was different. The Reds in Super Rugby were just coming strong in this period. The 9/10 pairing of Genia and Cooper was genuinely a terrifying prospect and a 22-year-old David Pocock was being hailed as the next big thing in World Rugby.
This was the Australian rugby team in 2010, some massive players in that team in their prime.
- Robinson
- Moore
- Alexander
- Chisholm
- Sharpe
- Elsom
- Pocock
- McCalman
- Genia
- Cooper
- Mitchell
- Giteau
- Ashley-Cooper
- O’Connor
- Beale
What a team, and no wonder people were wondering who would be the true favourites going into the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
This Australia team was not only massively talented. But it also had some serious dog. This was the game that made Quade Cooper massively infamous in New Zealand. His tussles with All Black legend Richie McCaw and the push he made on him after their match-winning try made him truly hated there.
Here is the push he made on the Kiwi 7…
This was a period in World Rugby where ‘The Big Three’ were still firmly South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Australia were easily the 2nd best team (at least) in the World at this stage and young fans, including myself, loved watching the Australians play rugby.
They were known for being Class A sh**houses. If Australia were beating you they would get in your face, be insufferable and you’d hate them for it, but me oh my were they a great team.
Oh what Australia would do now for a backline as dangerous as this. Quade Cooper in his prime, Matt O’Connor assaulting teams on the wing, and a young Kurtley Beale stepping his way through half of Auckland.
Here is the video of the final play of the match between these teams.
Look at how dangerous Australia used to be, it’s quite sad seeing how far they have fallen from here…
feared feared feared
