Rugby: Aussies no chance? Cheika begs to differ

Cheika cites the Wallabies' showing against the All Blacks, captained by Richie McCaw, as evidence his forwards are responding well to staff with World Cup experience. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Australia coach Michael Cheika has dismissed stinging criticism of the Wallabies' props from former England supremo Clive Woodward.

The 2003 World Cup-winning coach said this week that Cheika's side had no chance of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup for a third time, citing a lack of top quality front-rowers as the team's biggest problem.

Australia must beat England and Wales to have any realistic chance of topping Pool A and booking a quarter-final spot in a group that also contains Fiji and Uruguay.

Woodward said memories of their struggles at Twickenham last year, when England forwards dominated in a 26-17 victory, would be fresh in the hosts' minds when the two sides met on October 4.

But Cheika said he was happy to let other teams think what they wanted about his side.

"From a perception point of view I know what I am working on and thinking," Cheika said in Bath, where the team will be based for the next 10 days ahead of their opening clash with Fiji in Cardiff next Thursday.

"I think Clive Woodward said there were four or five club rugby props that would make the Australian team before our props so I think the perception is still there [about us]. But it's up to the opponents to think they can push us around but let's see if they can do it on game day."

So concerned was Cheika about his pack after last year's disastrous spring tour, when the team lost to France, England and Ireland, he added legendary former Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma to his coaching staff.

The 84-capped Puma is a veteran of four World Cups and Cheika believes the improved showing of his forwards in recent wins against the All Blacks and Argentina is a sign of his influence.

"He's been very good from a philosophical point of view and what we want our scrum to be like and also our set pieces and driving mauls as well," Cheika said.

"We acknowledge we needed to improve. It's our consistency more than anything and we've been working hard on that.

"But now we need to show that the fruits of our labour are borne out on the field."

Cheika also believes the presence of 1999 World Cup winners Nathan Grey and Stephen Larkham on the coaching staff adds to a positive mentality he's building among the 31-man squad.

"The fact we have two coaches that were there in '99 helps from an experience point of view, even though it's a very different tournament now. It adds something from a mental side of things ... how you deal with things on a game to game basis, what the feelings are like and you just draw on a bit of that."