INTERVIEW: BRAD DAVIS - WHO WILL WIN RWC 2015

Unsurprisingly, Brad is tipping Australia to win today by one score, but they will need Pocock/Hooper to secure them quick ball and Foley will need his kicking boots on. He thinks Australia will have the edge in the set piece, especially with Sio back in the front row. New Zealand will seek to put width on the ball, to bring in their back three of Smith, Savea and Milner-Skudder, so Australia's line speed in defence will have to be up the levels it was in the Wales and Argentina games.

STAR INTERVIEW: BRAD DAVIS

OATH Star Interview with Australian, Brad Davis, Wasps Defence Coach and ex Rugby League Star

Brad popped into OATH HQ for a chat pre-RWC final about who will win tomorrow, England's early exit and Sam Burgess. More details to follow.

Brad in his early years

FINAL REVIEW: NEW ZEALAND V AUSTRALIA

So RWC 2015 comes down inevitably to the top two teams in the world, possibly the two best international squads there has ever been in the game. Certainly, Australia's backline is the best since the Welsh one of the 1970's, and New Zealand's backline comes very close. The prospect of Carter, Nonu, Smith and Savea against Giteau, Folau, Ashley-Cooper and Mitchell is mouth watering. The fact that Sonny Bill and Kurtley Beale are to come off the bench indicates the strength both teams have out wide.

But which team will win quick ball to unleash such weapons? Australia's set piece at scrum and lineout is greatly improved, and have the double threat of Pocock and Hooper at the breakdown. But any NZ pack with the experience of Whitelock, Coles, Read and Kaino will be a serious challenge, especially with Richie McCaw leading the charge. This guy has won 137/148 of his international games, a quite incredible statistic.

What a prospect!

To highlight the skills on show, one thing stood out for me in the New Zealand v South Africa semi-final - Brodie Retallick, the Kiwi second row received the ball in open play, attacked the space between two defenders and then threw a flat accurate pass 20m off his left hand to put a colleague in space through a gap - it's this skill level from 1 to 15 which every mini or youth player should watch during the final on Saturday to learn how to play the game properly.

Australia team: Israel Folau; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell; Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Scott Sio, Stephen Moore (captain), Sekope Kepu, Kane Douglas, Rob Simmons, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, David Pocock.

Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Dean Mumm, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale.

New Zealand team: Ben Smith; Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Dane Coles, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read.

Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Charlie Faumuina, Victor Vito, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Sonny Bill Williams.

BURGESS TO RETURN TO LEAGUE

Strong rumours that Sam Burgess may be about to leave Union and return to Sydney to rejoin Russell Crowe owned Rabittohs in League. That will be a shame if true, but unsurprising as he must have felt like a lab rat being experimented on at centre for his country rather than back row where he has been learning the game for his club. How England and Bath got it so wrong is a mystery. I have been a coach. I know how difficult it is to select the right player in the right position and achieve a balanced side. But this is the highest level and a RWC is not the time to experiment with players or positions. Surely Mike Ford and Andy Farrell had many discussions about Sam (there sons virtually grew up together), but how they finally concluded that he would be a better centre option than Eastmond or Burrell is beyond me. And this is not hindsight, everyone qualified to do so was casting doubt as soon as squad was announced. Stop England's obsession with League and focus on growing young Union talent.

WINNERS*

Owen Slot has written a brilliant article in the Times saying that as there is deep suspicion surrounding Saracens inability to keep within the PRL salary cap that last year's Premiership win should always have an asterisk next it to - bravo, someone prepared to stick their head above the parapit and shout that the Emperor is naked. It appears that some clubs threw such cash behind the best lawyers that the PRL could not compete and agreed to settle - shocking!

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/rugbyunion/article4596858.ece

I think if Australia win on Saturday, their RWC victory will be a fantastic achievement, having won the Group of Death and beaten a much improved Argentian side in the semi-final, but as they should not have won the Scotland game their name on the William Webb Ellis Trophy should have an asterisk next to it as well ;)

Go Australia*

OWENS GETS TOP GIG

Nigel Owens, the best referee in the world has unsurprisingly been given the opportunity to referee the RWC 2015 final on Saturday. He has the toughest of tasks, and will need to decide which of Australia and New Zealand (both masters of the dark arts) is breaking the law the most. Both teams has had the rub of the green referee wise in recent games. NZ still seem to be able to concede numerous penalties without the sanction of a yellow card, and that pass on Saturday to Kaino for their first try was definitely forward. Likewise, Australia benefitted from a clear forward pass on Sunday by Mitchell for Ashley-Cooper's last try, and also constantly cheat to slow down opposition ball without a yellow card. Mr Owens will card someone on Saturday, will it be McCaw in his last game, Kaino (the lazy runner) or Pocock/Hooper (Pooper), the dynamic Oz breakdown duo? What is guaranteed is that if Mr Owens has an important decision to make in the last two minutes to decide the result, (unlike poor Craig Joubert) he will seek help from the TMO, big screen or his line judges.

The referee is always right

ROVING REPORT: AUSTRALIA V ARGENTINA

Roving OATH Reporter: Alistair "Puma" Buckle

Emotions were high for the Argentinians yesterday, with the party starting before kick off. This was their day, their best opportunity to make their first RWC final. The English neutrals were clearly on their side, and unsurprisingly, the Puma's biggest fan (literally). Diego Maradonna flew over for the match and heightened the emotion by joining in the chanting on the big screen. The atmosphere pre-kick off was electric.

Unfortunately, the emotion spilled onto the pitch, with the impressive Sanchez making a rare error after 2 minutes and gifting Oz an early try. This continued with the Argentinians continually trying to play too much rugby in their own half, and run the ball out of their own 22, rather than putting the ball deep into Australian territory. They must have been trying to retain possession and not allow the Oz back three to run back at them, but a good kick chase strategy would have served them better. A second Australian try resulted after a knock on following the attempt to tap a quick free kick, when a clearance kick was the only option. Argentina destroyed them up front, and had plenty of possession, and, despite Pocock and Hooper turning the ball over several times, they built enough pressure to gain penalties within field goal range, and kept themselves within a score.

Mr Barnes, the English ref, then yellow carded an Argentinian for tackling Folau around the ankles without use of his arms (surely that law was invented to deter high tackles not ankle tappers?). The Argentinians booed, and all the neutrals joined them. Inevitably, Australia scored a further try exploiting the extra space. However, Sanchez kicked a further penalty, and had Argentina scored right at the end of the first half following a great break by Cordero, the scores would have been close at halfway.

As the attrition took its toll, and the subs arrived early in the second half, the game opened up more with Argentina continuing to dominate possession. How Australia conceded 10+ penalties, including deliberate slowing down of the ball, and were not carded is a mystery. Genia deliberately tackled a player within 10m of a quick tap penalty, and Barnes kept his hand in his pocket. Once again the officials seem reluctant to penalise a Tier 1 team.

Argentina kept attacking, from anywhere, but poor decision making, with overlaps begging, and fantastic Aussie defence, kept them at bay. It was like 7's, with both teams reluctant to kick and concede possession, with the result that eventually the proud, brave but inaccurate, exhausted Pumas conceded a final breakaway try to the opposition. The Australian defence was immense making 140 tackles in the game, more than they made in the Wales, Scotland and England games combined. The Argentinians did themselves proud and have improved immensely since playing in the Championship. Official MOM was Ashley Cooper for his three tries, but Pocock was very close and Cordero, who ran 100m in total yesterday, and looked their best attacking threat. Farewell to a few players who will not see another RWC, including Juan Martin Hernandez, whose footwork and distribution (for an old guy) was something to admire against the best backline and (allegedly) best back row in the world.

When will we see his like again?

So onward Aussies, and as predicted in an earlier OATH (blah, blah) the Organisers have their dream final between the no.1 and no.2 teams in the world. I can't wait until Saturday...Pocock v McCaw, Giteau v Nonu, Genia v Smith, Folau v Smith, Read v Fardy, etc

SEMI-FINAL REVIEW: ARGENTINA V AUSTRALIA

It was expected to be Argentina's forward power v Aussie brilliance in backs, but the Aussie forwards dominated against England and Wales, and showed strength in depth off the bench against Scotland to eventually gain parity in second half. And how good were the Argentinian three quarters against Ireland. My heart says Argentina, as who outside Sydney, would not want them to make their first RWC final? My head says Aussie, as they probably have the best backline in history, a reputation backed up by the number of tries they have scored out wide in this RWC. They also have Folau back at 15, and Pocock reunited with Hooper in the back row. This is set to be a cracker, and I am smiling as I have a ticket :) Let's hope I am sitting next to Maradonna...

Prediction: Australia by 5

Hand of God may be the deciding factor...