No worries over scrum, says Australian coach

Australia's coaching co-ordinator David Nucifora insists the Wallaby scrum is fundamentally sound but was let down by inconsistency and a lack of application against Ireland.

"We don't have any issues with our scrum," Nucifora said on Tuesday.

Asked if the scrum problems in the 15-6 Pool C defeat by Ireland in Auckland on Saturday could be fixed before their next match against USA on Friday, Nucifora gave the Australian eight a vote of confidence.

"Our scrum's gone well this year. We put the All Blacks and the Springboks under a lot of pressure and dominated them in recent matches, so it's not an issue for us," he said.

"The Irish scrummed well the other night, we scrummed inconsistently the other night. What we've got to fix is our consistency and our application to that."

Massive improvement

Asked what Australia were expecting from USA at Wellington Regional Stadium, Nucifora said "physical commitment - they'll throw everything into us, into this match. They've done that in their first two games and we expect nothing less from them. It'll be a tough game."
Nucifora said all the players except wing Digby Ioane (broken thumb) were expected to be available for selection against the Eagles, although a question mark remained over flanker David Pocock's sore back.

He said there had been a "massive improvement" in Pocock's condition since he was ruled out of the Ireland match, but if there was any doubt about his fitness he would not play.

"At this point we're hopeful, but ... we won't risk with any of our players making something that's relatively minor into something major."

Ioane said he expected the cast to come off his hand this week and he still hoped to be available for the quarter-finals should Australia qualify.

Keep busy

The dynamic wing is unable to do any field training with the squad in case perspiration infects the surgical wound on his hand, so he has been doing static simulated altitude training with the forwards to keep busy.

It involves reducing oxygen intake to simulate high-altitude conditions and improve performance, but Ioane was a little vague about the benefits of the procedure when quizzed by reporters.

"(It's) just breathing through a bottle. Apparently it makes you faster," he joked.

"I don't know, mate. I'm just doing it because I've got nothing else to do."

Wellington-born Ioane, whose family left for Australia when he was one year old, said he was looking forward to catching up with members of his extended family on Tuesday night.

"I hope there's a mad dinner. Islanders have mad feasts," he said.