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It may be only the second week of the Rugby World Cup but it is win or bust for so many teams this weekend and few games have that feeling more than the USA’s showdown with Australia in York on Saturday evening.
In many ways, this is the game of the round: and perhaps the tournament so far. The two sides began in contrasting fashion but there were few surprises in that regard, with Australia racking up a record score in defeating Samoa and the United States coming up short against tournament favourites and hosts England on the opening night.
Victory for the Wallaroos in York would guarantee qualification with a round to go, assuming England defeat Samoa on Saturday. In the Pacific Four series this year, Australia ran out winners by 27-19 and on paper at least would be considered favourites to progress. But while a performance similar to last weekend’s opener would be satisfying , Jo Yapp is clear about the one thing which matters above all else. “The difference this week is it’s all about the win,” she said.
“If it’s not pretty, that’s OK, but it’s about getting the win this week and we know that.” Yapp will still be without captain Siokapesi Palu due to a foot problem that kept her out on the opening weekend, with the Wallaroos making four changes to the 23 that defeated Samoa so handsomely in Salford.
But the second-rower Michaela Leonard will retain her place and make her 40th Test appearance for Australia, becoming only the third player to hit that landmark. “She’s just a really professional athlete in her approach to everything,” Yapp said. “That has then allowed her to achieve what she’s achieving this weekend.”
While Australia are looking for much of the same again on Saturday, for the USA, they are already in now-or-never territory. Defeat by England was hardly a surprise but it was always going to inevitably pile the pressure on this fixture, which had been earmarked by everyone as an early knockout fixture. The winner of this game most likely qualifies for the quarter-finals.
That is a point clearly not lost on the USA coach, Sione Fukofuka. He has made a staggering nine changes to the side that were beaten by England with a big-name omission too, as the centre and veteran of three Olympics Alev Kelter is dropped from the 23 entirely. “There were always going to be some changes,” Fukofuka said in the run-up to the game.
“If we perform well, get the result, we’ll earn ourselves the opportunity to play beyond the pool stages. Obviously it’s a must-win game so we’ve got to try and make some clear decisions around our opposition so there was a bit of a plan in place and then obviously some injuries.”
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Emily Henrich will move in from the wing to replace Kelter and partner Ilona Maher in the centres with Cheta Emba and Erica Coulibaly on the flanks. With the prospect of Samoa in the final round of fixtures next weekend, the USA know that if they can raise their game in York on Saturday, qualification will be within their grasp.
Lose, however, and their World Cup journey will be over before it has even really begun. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
