Australia - The Wallabies

When John Connolly took over as head coach in the early months of 2006, Australian rugby was in a pitiful state after the Wallabies' worst run of results for 39 years.

The Australian Rugby Union ran out of patience with Eddie Jones, who had guided the Wallabies into the 2003 World Cup final, after just one win in the previous nine Tests.

The November tour had bordered on the humiliating. Australia was emasculated as its notoriously suspect scrum was smeared all over Marseille, Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium.

This could not go on and the ARU knew exactly who it wanted to re-invigorate the Wallabies - Connolly and Michael Foley, two forward specialists who had been working wonders with Bath.

The irreverent Scott Johnson completed the three-pronged coaching team as backs specialist after turning down the chance to become Wales head coach.

There was little wrong with the Wallabies backs division. They boast a gloriously rich pool of talent. George Gregan, Stephen Larkham, Matt Giteau, Stirling Mortlock, Lote Tuqiri, Chris Latham - just think what havoc they could wreak on the back of a dominant scrum.

Connolly employed 'scrum doctor' Alex Evans and with Foley began to work on making the Wallabies a competitive tight-five unit.

"We have an established set of backs that have been very successful and you don't want to change that," Connolly said at the time.

"In the forwards, though, there is a lot of work to be done and I have a fantastic support team to help me do that."

Fast forward 18 months and have the trio of Connolly, Foley and Evans developed Australia's scrum to the point where it can compete with the likes of South Africa, New Zealand and England?

The short answer is no.

In 2003, Jones knew his pack could not match the game's big-hitters and so the Wallabies employed every trick in the book to defuse their opponents' power.

When Connolly arrived he looked to match it, selecting the giant prop Rodney Blake to bring some bulk into the front row. But size alone will not cut it.

And so Australia has reverted back to infuriating opponents with its canny scrum techniques. During this year's Tri-Nations it developed a ploy of binding late - until that was outlawed - and consistently engaging before being instructed by the referee.

This has the effect of neutralising any anticipated hit from the superior opposing tight five. The ploy worked to an extent but made the scrums a mockery and Australia few friends.

South Africa coach Jake White questioned the legality of Australia's tactics while New Zealand forwards coach Steve Hansen taunted the Wallabies saying: "They won't want to scrum because they didn't scrum last time."

Connolly insists: "We think we have the pack to win the World Cup".

But All Blacks hooker Anton Oliver believes Australia has become so used to not dominating up front they no longer let it worry them and instead rely on an effective lineout and their brilliance behind the scrum to win through.

"If you get into them physically and take away the physical component of their game, it doesn't actually perturb them that much," explained Oliver.

"Teams (like England and France) hang too much of the mental aspect of their game on their physical dominance, if you take it away from them a lot of the other parts of their game will collapse."

In that sense, Australia may well have the pack to win the World Cup - because it is quite happy to win it without one.

And anyway, with Dan Vickerman, Nathan Sharpe and Rocky Elsom Australia should rival South Africa as the most potent lineout force at the World Cup.

And that means quick, clean ball to set that glorious back division in motion.

Behind the scrum, Australia boasts a rich array of talent. Halves George Gregan and Stephen Larkham have played their rugby together for more than a decade.
Matt Giteau is primed to be one of the tournament's leading stars while Lote Tuqiri is always a danger, providing he remains focused.

Connolly has had to crack down hard on ill-discipline during his 18 months in charge. Tuqiri was given a two-match ban during the Tri-Nations after missing a team session and failing an alcohol test following a late night out.

If that did not hit home then the five-day boot camp Connolly sent them on in the build-up to the World Cup - along with a midnight curfew since imposed on Tuqiri and Matt Dunning - will certainly have straightened them out.

Sleeping in freezing temperatures, midnight swims, short-notice hikes and waking with frosted sleeping bags all featured in team-bonding exercises similar to those the Australian cricket team went through as it prepared to regain the Ashes.

Australia, the only side to have won the World Cup twice, should arrive in France in good spirits and confident of mounting a solid challenge for a third title.

The Wallabies gave the rest of the world hope with a win over New Zealand in Melbourne and have key players back in form, with Gregan, Mortlock and George Smith all enjoying eye-catching Tri-Nations campaigns.

"I don't mind a challenge and they don't come bigger than winning a World Cup," said Connolly.