Argentina coach Mario Ledesma says negating David Pocock and counteracting crafty first-phase plays are absolute non-negotiables if his side want to snap a 35-year losing streak against the Wallabies on Australian soil.
After earlier in the week cracking jokes about his former coaching ally Stephen Larkham, Ledesma was in a far more serious mood on the eve of a match against a team he spent three years at as an assistant.
Danger: Stand-in Wallabies captain David Pocock will be a key figure for Australia on Saturday against Argentina.
Ledesma has a better insight into the complex workings of this Wallabies team than anyone in world rugby and he will be looking to use it to his advantage in a bid to win bragging rights over his close mate Michael Cheika.
The pair caught up for a beer on the Gold Coast this week to chat footy and life in general. However, by 8pm on Saturday, in the words of both patriotic men, it will be “war”.
Ledesma believes Australia have picked their strongest possible side, save for Adam Coleman who is on the bench due to a limited preparation given his partner gave birth to their first child on Sunday.
The return of Pocock to the Australian starting XV, in a different but equally familiar position of No.7, has Ledesma prepping his players on how to not let the breakdown guru wreak havoc.
Asked what was the key to stopping Pocock, Ledesma said: “Trying to be before him, trying to beat him to the ruck. If you get there late, you’re going to be penalised because he takes the ball or you’re going to get penalised because you’re neck-rolling him. There’s no magic formula. Everybody tries and not everyone succeeds.”
Argentina’s coaching staff have been poring over tape of Australia’s clear ploy to score as many first phase tries as possible and Ledesma isn’t sure inside knowledge can completely prepare his men for what the Wallabies throw at them.
Ledesma is also not sold on the notion that Israel Folau will play all of his time on the wing despite being named there for the first time in 61 Tests.
“Knowing them is an advantage but they’re going to prepare something special for us,” Ledesma said. “Many of the tries come from first phase, so we’ve been looking closely at the first phase moves. I always thought Australia was the best team in the world in first phase. It’s going to be a challenge.
“Even if [Folau] was at fullback the way Cheik likes to coach his teams he moves them around. He shows you one picture and then gives you another. We’ll see tomorrow if he’s on the wing, fullback or [number] 13.”
The Pumas have lost their last six games against the Wallabies and 14 of their previous 15 against them. They have not won in Australia since a famous 18-3 result in Brisbane in 1983.
Improved showings this year, highlighted by a 32-19 victory over the Springboks, shows they are a team on the rise.
“One of the things they’ve really begun to master is more consistency,” Pocock said. “We’ve seen through Super Rugby, having that group together over a long time, they’re a team that can really grind it out and then they can also turn it on in counter-attack, so they’re a dangerous team.
“We are certainly going into the game knowing that we have to be at our best in defence right from the start.”
Source: Read Full Article