Why the Wallabies will win it all in 2015

This is a message for every Australian crying into their Weetbix this morning. Make sure you keep a record of every single New-Zealander who has a crack at you in the next few weeks.

What’s the Reason?

The Wallabies will win the World Cup in 2015.

Now I know we have not even begun a post mortem of our 2011 campaign, but for those who want to stick the boot in I offer a glimmer of hope.

There is no denying that the All Blacks were faster, stronger, tougher and an all round better Rugby side. Even without the likes of Daniel Carter, they were clearly too good for us.

Sure we may have taken out the Tri-Nations title, but if anyone can remember back to the first Bledisloe earlier this year in New Zealand, it made pretty similar viewing to the World Cup semi final.

The Wallabies had key players not performing on the big stage, and an overall squad of players lacking composure at key times in the match. Whether it was drop balls or the wrong option, the All Blacks were a much slicker unit, with much more experience, who remained calm and composed under a mountain of expectation in New Zealand.

But as promising as the 2011 World Cup campaign may have looked for the Wallabies, our chances in 2015 look even better.

Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, David Pocock, Will Genia, Rob Horne, Pat McCabe, Rob Simmons, Anthony Faingaa, Scott Higginbotham, Saia Faingaa and Sekope Kepu are all currently either 25 years of age or under, meaning the Wallabies already have an established core of players that will be available for the next World Cup, with some such as James O’Connor still young enough to go beyond that.

Another four years of Super 15 and Test Rugby, will ensure each player is not just more experienced, but will carry the lesson of the 2011 campaign with them.

Someone who has taken a battering for his form all tournament is Quade Cooper. Now there is no denying that Quade had a disappointing campaign, and after such a stellar Super 15 campaign, expectations were higher.

But I feel the Wallabies place too much pressure on Quade Cooper, and it is he who we look to all the time to produce that bit of magic to get us out of trouble. When he tries it and it fails, we chastise him, yet it seems he is the only one providing any real creativity or attacking intent.

We need to remember to, that he has only played 33 tests and has only been a Wallaby for three years, of which much time was spent coming off the bench or at Inside Centre, as deputy for Matt Giteau.

After a disappointing first half in the World Cup Semi Final, I felt Quade Cooper really came into it in the second half, and it showed his character, to fight back the way he did.

The Wallabies coaching staff should not make any knee jerk reactions in regards to who wears the Number 10 for the Wallabies. Quade Cooper is still our best option, and we should continue the faith in him on the road to 2015.

But Quade needs some support, and it must come in the shape of James O’Connor. I personally feel O’Connor is wasted on the wing, as he doesn’t see enough ball, and when he does he has little room to move. I would move him to Inside Centre, and bring him closer to the action. He is a great ball runner, who can run a good line and can be really damaging with the ball in hand. He can also provide some support to Cooper in the playmaking duties, given O’Connor has played at Fly Half for the Force for the last few seasons, and may even be handed the Number 10 for the Rebels next season.

The reason O’Connor did not play Inside Centre in the World Cup, was the fear of a mismatch, when coming up against the likes of giant centres Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith. Some protection would have to be given to O’Connor and I feel the right man for the job would have to be, Pat McCabe.

Although playing at Inside Centre, I think McCabe would be better suited in the number 13. He is still quite inexperienced at Test level, and it should be remembered that he played a lot of the season at Fullback for the Brumbies in Super 15, so he is still learning how to be a Centre. He has shown so much already, imagine what he could be capable of in four years time.

Through in Will Genia, David Pocock and Kurtley Beale, plus any other finds over the next four years and the Wallabies looked incredibly well placed.

South Africa, England, France and others all relied on much older and more experienced players in the World Cup this year than the Wallabies, and they all must go through a period of renew.

The gap between the Wallabies and the All Blacks might favour the All Blacks now, but I’m confident with time, that will change. Many of the All Black players are set to call time on their careers in the near future, and a World Cup win may even push some into retirement sooner than they expected.

In saying that, for those that continue on and who are pushing into the latter stages of their careers, it is hard to put a broom through a World Cup winning side.

In 1995, the country was stunned when the Wallabies crashed out of the World Cup with an underwhelming performance against England in the Quarter Finals.

Who would have thought amid the doom and gloom surrounding our exit, that four years later we would lift the trophy in 1999.

Five minutes of action, was all that stopped the Wallabies from exiting last week at the exact same stage they did in 1995.

Who’s to say we can’t win it all in 2015, and when we do, remember those who wrote them off in 2011.