Hernandez makes right choices

LYON – Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda’s faith in Juan Martin Hernandez as his World Cup flyhalf has paid off handsomely with disciplined performances at a position in which he has little international experience.

Hernandez, a fullback with only one test match at flyhalf before the tournament started, has not been the wonderfully creative player who finished the French season for Stade Francais at number 10. However, in Loffreda’s tactical schemes, he has carried out varied instructions almost perfectly to inspire Argentina to a shock 17-12 win over hosts France in the opening match and a 33-3 victory over Georgia in Tuesday night’s second Pool D game.Wallabies name Mitchell and Shepherdson MONTPELLIER – The Wallabies have made two changes to their starting team for their key Rugby World Cup Pool B match against Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.Drew Mitchell replaces winger Adam Ashley-Cooper, who injured his toe in Australia’s crushing 91-3 victory over Japan in Lyon last Saturday, while Guy Shepherdson returns at tight-head prop in place of Al Baxter.Ashley-Cooper, who rates himself a 50-50 chance of being fit to play this weekend, will be given until Friday to prove his fitness and has been bracketed with Julian Huxley on the reserves bench.Modern rugby too predictable MARSEILLE – Modern rugby is ruled by defensive strategy and is becoming too mechanised and predictable according to All Blacks hooker Anton Oliver.”At the moment there is too much on the side of defence,” the former New Zealand captain told Reuters.”Defence is just ruling the games and so you can just shut teams out and then people start kicking and that is not that very exciting.Laporte overhauls France side for Namibia MARCOUSSIS – France coach Bernard Laporte has overhauled his line-up for Sunday’s Pool D World Cup match against Namibia, making 13 changes to the side that were stunned by Argentina in the tournament opener.Laporte replaced a majority of the team that lost 17-12 to the Pumas on Friday, retaining only prop Pieter de Villiers and inside centre Damien Traille.Captain Raphael Ibanez will be on the bench for the match in Toulouse while scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde takes over as skipper.Nampa-AFP and ReutersHowever, in Loffreda’s tactical schemes, he has carried out varied instructions almost perfectly to inspire Argentina to a shock 17-12 win over hosts France in the opening match and a 33-3 victory over Georgia in Tuesday night’s second Pool D game.Wallabies name Mitchell and Shepherdson MONTPELLIER – The Wallabies have made two changes to their starting team for their key Rugby World Cup Pool B match against Wales at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.Drew Mitchell replaces winger Adam Ashley-Cooper, who injured his toe in Australia’s crushing 91-3 victory over Japan in Lyon last Saturday, while Guy Shepherdson returns at tight-head prop in place of Al Baxter.Ashley-Cooper, who rates himself a 50-50 chance of being fit to play this weekend, will be given until Friday to prove his fitness and has been bracketed with Julian Huxley on the reserves bench.Modern rugby too predictable MARSEILLE – Modern rugby is ruled by defensive strategy and is becoming too mechanised and predictable according to All Blacks hooker Anton Oliver.”At the moment there is too much on the side of defence,” the former New Zealand captain told Reuters.”Defence is just ruling the games and so you can just shut teams out and then people start kicking and that is not that very exciting.Laporte overhauls France side for Namibia MARCOUSSIS – France coach Bernard Laporte has overhauled his line-up for Sunday’s Pool D World Cup match against Namibia, making 13 changes to the side that were stunned by Argentina in the tournament opener.Laporte replaced a majority of the team that lost 17-12 to the Pumas on Friday, retaining only prop Pieter de Villiers and inside centre Damien Traille.Captain Raphael Ibanez will be on the bench for the match in Toulouse while scrumhalf Jean-Baptiste Elissalde takes over as skipper.Nampa-AFP and Reuters