No time to reflect for ton-up Moore, Giteau
LONDON: Australia captain Stephen Moore and centre Matt Giteau are poised to win their 100th caps in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Scotland, but will not be dwelling on the personal milestones.
The Wallabies won all four of their Pool A games to top the group and set up a last-eight showdown at Twickenham on Sunday.
“For me, it’s not really a week to be reflecting on things,” said 32-year-old Moore.
“We’ve got a great opportunity to play in the quarter-final of a World Cup, and that’s more than enough to play for. These personal achievements are things you probably look at when you hang up your boots.”
Giteau, 33, made his debut against England at Twickenham in 2002.
“We lost by a point,” he said. “I think I went on with about eight minutes to go.
“(Coach) Eddie Jones had a score system where you got a point for every positive thing you did, and lost a point for every negative. I think I was the only player to finish with a minus. After that game, I never thought I’d get to a hundred (caps). I didn’t think I’d get past one.”
The Wallabies have been impressed by Scotland, who finished as Pool B runners-up by winning three of their four games.
“Their set-piece game looks very strong. They’ve got a great goalkicker and captain (Greig Laidlaw) who leads them really well,” Giteau said. “They look like a very confident team who know what they want.”
Back-row forward David Pocock will be available to face Scotland after avoiding a citing, and flanker Michael Hooper returns after suspension ruled him out for the win over Wales.
“It’s good to have everyone on deck,” Moore said. “We’ve already lost a couple of important players to injury. Every team goes through that, and it’s a challenge of a World Cup.
“It’s good that Dave’s all good for the weekend, he’s an important player.”
Australia have bad memories of a 9-6 defeat by Scotland on home soil in 2012.
“I opened the curtains during the day and I saw one of the bins rolling down the middle of the street, and thought, ‘Oh yeah, this is going to be good’,” said Moore. “The wind was howling, it was raining sideways, and they (Scotland) really played well in those conditions.” – Reuters CARDIFF: New Zealand flyhalf Dan Carter is expecting France to play out of their skins in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Cardiff on Saturday.
Carter and All Blacks captain Richie McCaw are the only survivors from the team stunned 20-18 by the French in the 2007 World Cup last-eight clash at the Millennium Stadium.
“They love playing the All Blacks in big matches, and I know they will perform out their skins. It’s about us turning up,” Carter said.
“It didn’t really matter who we played. The main focus for us was to reach the quarterfinals and finish on top of the pool. We did that, and we knew potentially we would come up against Ireland and France.”
There has been no discussion in the New Zealand camp about revenge.
“It’s not something we have talked about, it’s more for the public and the press,” Carter said. “It’s a new team, and I think there are only three players left in this team from that team. We are not looking to the past.
“It is not daunting us. It’s just an exciting challenge at a stadium where we love to play.”
New Zealand have beaten France in their last eight meetings, with the last French win coming in 2009 in Dunedin.
“We have played so much rugby since then, and the French will probably say the same,” Carter said. “It was eight years ago, and we have moved on from there with a new team who have been through a lot together. It’s all about looking forward.
“But they are a dangerous side, and these are the challenges we love, so the guys will be up for it.”
France eased through their first three games in the tournament before producing a lacklustre performance to lose 24-9 to Ireland.
“The thing is they are very unpredictable,” Carter said.
“Form and momentum doesn’t count for much with the French.
“They can be poor one week and awesome the next.” – Reuters