Rugby World Cup
Mumm called in to tighten Australia's lineout
AAP
October 10, 2015
Do Wales have enough to beat Australia?

With their scrum now a certified weapon, the Wallabies have called on the World Cup's leading lineout snaffler to bolster the other set piece.

Dean Mumm, who has come off the bench to great effect and also captained Australia to the 65-3 rout of Uruguay a fortnight ago, has four stolen lineouts to lead all challengers at this year's tournament.

© Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

It's a major reason why coach Michael Cheika promoted the 31-year-old into the Wallabies' starting lineup for Saturday's vital showdown with Wales at Twickenham, with regular lineout caller Rob Simmons benched in a key selection call.

The cracks in coach Michael Cheika's squad have been steadily disappearing as the World Cup marches on.

While the talent of Australia's outside backs was never been in doubt, other areas were less concrete. Halves?

Bernard Foley and Will Genia have answered critics during Australia's undefeated World Cup to date.

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Meanwhile, England is still smarting from the beating it was handed by a Wallabies pack revitalised by their Argentine scrum doctor Mario Ledesma.

Mumm acknowledges that it leaves few areas for teams to attack Australia, and he expects teams to target the lineout.

Wales have promoted 206cm lock Luke Charteris, benched for victories over England and Fiji, in a bid to do just that.

"He's massive," Mumm said of Charteris. "He brings lineout strength - and I think they have picked a side that is very strong lineout-wise.

"But we're focusing on us, which is what we definitely need to do.

"We need to improve our lineout going into this game and also going forward. Set piece is such a key element in big game and certainly in World Cups.

"Them picking a very strong lineout team might suggest that's what they're trying to target for us."

The Wallabies' lineout has endured some rough moments in the past month, notably in the second half of their opening victory over Fiji - when Simmons came from the field and three straight lineouts were lost.

Mumm confirmed he, rather than fellow starter Kane Douglas, would take over the calling duties from Simmons, but said there wouldn't be any sweeping changes.

"I will probably call in a slightly different way to the way Simmo will call, but our strategy is collective," he said.

© AAP

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