At a cagey news conference on Friday (23 October), Australia, and their head coach Michael Cheika, kept their focus on continuously improving ahead of their Rugby World Cup semi-final with Argentina on Sunday (25 October).
As has become the custom, Australia wont name their team until after their Friday afternoon training session, as they look to test the fitness of several players, including full back Israel Folau, back row David Pocock and prop Scott Sio, who are all injury doubts.
After escaping with victory by a single point over Scotland in last weekends quarter final, Cheika is aware his team must improve before facing a dangerous Argentina side at Twickenham on Sunday. Daily improvement has been the philosophy echoed time and time again by Cheika and his players throughout the tournament, as they look to build the consistency that could prove telling come match day.
We are just right in the middle of where we need to improve massively I feel. I still think that consistency is where the improvement is needed, Cheika told the media on Friday.
So, making sure that every day at training, and every match we play, is of the highest quality in those set-pieces, and that is what our goal is.
One man who has helped improve Australias previously stuttering scrum is former Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma, who has joined Cheikas coaching team at this world cup. Ledesma, who played 84 times for Argentina across 15 years and four world cups, is a key part of Cheikas coaching team but the Wallaby head coach suggested the burly, passionate Argentine would rather be facing the Australians in the scrum on Sunday.
He isnt playing so it isnt that special for him, in that regard. He had his chance to play, for about 50 years I think he played for so he has had plenty of games. He would probably like to you know. But he injured his calf playing touch-football yesterday with the staff so he is probably out, so he cant play, joked Cheika.
But look, it is an interesting match, obviously, because we are against his country, his nation of birth, where he has played passionately for. But for me, personally, I see that as a great challenge, he added.
It is like when you play against your old team, or you go into battle against those guys that you have been with for many years, it inspires you to want to do better.
Australia are ranked second in the world behind New Zealand while Argentina have been the second most prolific team in the tournament in terms of their overall points and tries tallies, also behind New Zealand in those statistics.
