While the long list of Wallaby faults have been well pointed out over the last two weeks, I want to indulge in a little bit of cautious optimism. First of all, an overview. Half-empty rightly points out that the Wallabies gave away tries through errors in the first test and produced an abominable half of rugby in the second.
Half-full says that in the first test the Wallabies re-found the long lost ability to claw back a lead and have the nerve to win at the death; like that Eales kick, like that pass from Campo to Lynagh. It also says that in the second test Australia posted 25 unanswered points in 40 minutes through expansive play, and could well have had more. A complete change of gear.
Of course, this wasn’t the strongest Welsh side (it also wasn’t nearly as bad as many would have you believe). However, not only can you only play what’s put in front of you, there’s plenty of top drawer competition to come in the Tri-Nations. The two “we can actually do it” confidence lessons mentioned above could prove vital in the months ahead.
Then to the detail. In the backs it would seem that the results of the experiment are now conclusive; Giteau makes a below average half back and a world class inside centre. I say that if two halves of turgid back-line play is what it costs to put this craziness emphatically to bed, then well worth it. But for the half-empty mind-set, this seems to be a ‘Back to the walls’ retreat.
Greg Growden claims that ‘This long-time midfield set-up, which has played together regularly since the 2003 World Cup, has been unable to stop numerous Test losses away from home’. I’d be interested to see the real stats on how much test game time the Gregan, Larkham, Giteau (at 12), and Mortlock combination has actually seen. My rusty memory has at least one of them (except Gregan) injured at any one time.
Regardless, this is the best half and centre combination that Australia has now. It also actually ‘clicked’ when allowed to play. Add to this some promising glimpses (and tries) from Ioane, Mitchell and Huxley, all names outside the usual suspects. Not only do they add depth to the squad, but also true pace and even some tactical kicking.
For the forwards, plenty of positives. The scrum found parity (without Baxter, go figure), the line-out largely dominated and players like Sharpe and Palu came into their own. Elsom has claimed 6 and Vickerman is working his way back. Don’t forget that when the back-line experiment was at its worse in the first test, the forwards stood up and pegged back a win almost single handedly.
To paraphrase the last world cup winning coach, you need to spend twice as much time finding what went right and figuring out how to reproduce it, than the time you spend dwelling on what went wrong. I hate to say it, but perhaps we could take a leaf out of his book.
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.
Do you have what it takes to become a sports writer? Write for the roar
Rugby Union articles
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (198)
- Will South African rugby force a Super 21 by 2018? (172)
- Brumbies 2012: New coach, new players, new attitude (128)
- Dan Parks and the unsolved questions of expat rugby (61)
- Pocock set to be named new Force skipper (56)
- Can the ‘Tahs win the battle after losing the Waugh? (51)
- What does the future hold for the Six Nations (50)
- Chiefs continue to wait for SBW (5)
- Nathan Sharpe to retire at end of 2012 (6)
- Queensland ready for Super challenge (2)
- Australian teams at Super disadvantage (54)
- Foley excited about Samoan rugby challenge
- Force rugby coach praises his pack (2)
- The real story of how John O’Neill turned Manchester City down (66)
- Wales show Southern Hemisphere how to play running rugby (27)
- What opening matches of Six Nations taught us (18)
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (201)
- Clinical Chiefs cost rusty Rebels in Corio (9)
- Six Nations shows rugby is a parochial game at heart (5)
- Goose’s Super Rugby up-and-comer XV for 2012 (29)
- What does the future hold for the Six Nations (50)
- Explore:
sheek said | June 6th 2007 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Looking at the state of World Rugby, & the World Cup draw, I will offer a back-handed support that the glass for Australian Rugby is half full.
Although Rugby is being played in more & more countries, it’s a case of quantity over quality. The depth of quality of most of the traditional ‘big 8′ countries leaves something to be desired.
Comparing the Wallabies to their predecessors of 1991, 1999 & 2003, reveals a far from vintage team. But comparing the Wallabies to other countries in 2007, is not so bad.
In the World Cup, the quarters will probably pan out like this :
QF!: Australia v England (B1 v A2)
QF2: New Zealand v Argentina or Ireland (C1 v D2)
QF3: South Africa v Wales (A1 v B2)
QF4: France v Italy or Scotland (D1 v C2)
As chaotic as Australia is, England is a basket-case. The quarters winners look pretty obvious, even this far out.
The semis will most likely be:
SF1: New Zealand v Australia (WQF2 v WQF1)
SF2: South Africa v France (WQF3 v WQF4)
Once, twice, three times proves it…..I wouldn’t bank on the ABs imploding again in a semi-final, like they did in 2003 & 1999. The rate of improvement of the Boks is frightening.
FINAL: New Zealand v South Africa
The way the Boks are improving, the ABs should watch out! At the moment, I’m tipping the ABs to win, but…..
So the Wallabies will make the semis, & could finish 3rd if they pick themselves up quicker than France (following both losing their semis). Not a bad effort. But helped by a less than vintage era in World Rugby.
Clarky said | June 6th 2007 @ 9:41am | Report comment
I tend to agree with both Matt and Sheek – the glass is half full. The Wallabies have experimented and Gits belongs at 12. Ioane, Tuquiri, Mitchell all add pace and panache at the back, whilst Huxley is doing enough for a squad berth behind Latham on his return.
In the pack, we have options for the first time in memory. Let’s not forget the form of some of those running around in Australia A. Polota-Nau must be putting pressure on Moore, Cordingley’s form has seen him nab a bench spot against Fiji, and supposed rejects like Schifoske are standing up to be counted. Other players like Holmes and Turner aren’t hurting their chances of being RWC bolters!
A year ago we complained about a lack of depth, but the injuries in key S14 teams this year have been a blessing in disguise! Without them would players like Turner, Holmes, Caldwell, Mumm, Cooper, Schifoske and co actually have had a decent run?
Bring on the RWC, and next years S14. We’re developing good depth, and can only hope the ARC helps further develop our players in line for 2011!
jimma said | June 6th 2007 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Mr Rowley:
Half full:
I concur on the likelihood of Australia making the quarter finals as pool winners. I will be in Cardiff on the 15th for the crunch game, which Australia must win to avoid the Bokke.
I also concur that the old Brumbies backline combo is the best we have, and on the face of it, with good go forward ball will score plenty of points. The forwards have also come along way in a short time, and hopefully big gay Al doesn’t get back in.
Dan Vickerman made the final pass that Stephen Larkham couldn’t make in Brisbane last year, and we won the test that was all but gone. I don’t think big Dan’s influence can be discounted. Sharpe is playing the best I have seen him in his career, I don’t know if this is because Dan is pushing him or because the pressure of being the senior forward has been lifted off him.
Half empty:
The 9-10-12 of the Brumbies of old is weak defensively, simply because Bernie is battered and Gregan and MG are on the smaller side. The AB/Bokke forwards, and even McAlistar, Mauger, Carter and the Bok backs would be relishing the chance of running at them. I don’t like our chances of having enough cover for them with ‘Taps’ Huxley at the back, and Latham is no Anthony Minicello either.
Our forwards have come a long way, but watching Pierre Spies (Anthony Kutofides anyone?!) and Juan Smith, Berger and we know how good the AB’s forwards are, we are not on their level, but could be closer than I ever thought come crunch time.
Don’t discount a Johnny WIilkinson led England either, their front row obviously has the tactical ability at scrum time and I see our boys conceding plenty of free kicks/penalties there if the Bokke game is anything to go by. And Johnny is about 4000 out of a possible 4001 when kicking them over the bar.
Verdict
The glass IS half full, and I will always be cautiously optimistic (even after the first half on saturday!!?) especially after the last gasp win in the first test. I think the Wallabies are gaining much needed confidence and will hurt teams that underestimate them.
Ben said | June 6th 2007 @ 10:01am | Report comment
It’s not looking too good for Australia. There is a certain element of truth in the fact that Larkham, Giteau and Mortlock have not been a winning combination in previous tests but to be fair, they were playing behind different forward packs and this is an area which does seem to be coming together slowly for us. I think we will all have a better idea of where we sit during the Tri-Nations and Wales and Fiji are not going to provide us with the really tough opposition required to prove our mettle.
That said, there are some good reasons for cautious optimism:
(1) Australia seems to do better than other nations in tournaments. We do seem to have a knack of building up through the tournament and peaking at the right moment. Other teams often burn up all the energy and gameplans too early in the pool matches and can’t produce a good enough performance when it really counts.
(2) NZ do have a history of choking. Perhaps from peaking too early, perhaps from the pressure on them. (The WC is a big chip on many shoulders over the ditch). Given the early injury problems, the jury must still out on whether the reconditioning program was a stroke of genius or a collossal blunder.
(3) SA has a history of self-combustion due to internal politics. Look the at the recent Luke Watson saga. There is still time for the SA hirearchy to blow it for Jake White and co.
(4) With a concerted effort we may be able to find Suzy the waitress in time for the likely semi final against New Zealand.
(5) While Australia still look a bit shambolic, we can still beat anyone if things click (look at last year’s demolition of SA) and once it is sudden death in the WC, anything can happen.
jimma said | June 6th 2007 @ 10:18am | Report comment
I had a look at historical 3N test match results of South Africa v Australia in South Africa.
Although there are precious few wins for Australia, the losses are just about all are by 5 points or less, which would indicate one mistake/moment of brilliance and the results are reversed.
So th glass is definietely half full there, there are certainly no 49-0 drubbings
jameswm said | June 6th 2007 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Remember this in a WC (or any match) – defence is crucial, because no matter how poorly you attack in the first half, if things are not clicking…if you defend well you won’t be too far behind. This has been a hallmark of Australian teams for a while – playing poorly but staying in touch.
I think things look OK if our first string players are fit and actually get picked. I foresee McMenimen being fully fit and being wasted on the bench with not-so-Sharpe preferred. OK, Sharpe has improved, but a fit McMenimen would run rings around him – literally. Sharpe is half a yard slower than a statue.
Polota-Nau I have mentioned enough but he could easily not make the 22. Maybe he is too young and dynamic for staid onl Connolly. My head is getting sore from all the scratching I’ve done on that one.
Turner needs to be given some chances because whilst he needs more bulk, he is smart and skilled enough to blunt opposition raids, but he is capable of producing Habana type tries out of nothing.
Blake needs to be back to full form (he was killing it before he got injured) and fitness and if he is, suddenly our pack looks pretty competitive (and forget about him playing loose head – it has been tried and failed). And if Taps Huxley gets anywhere near the full strength team, Peter Hewat must be good enough to be AB captain.
A pack of
??? Holmes probably
Polota-Nau
Blake
Vickerman
McMenimen
Elsom
Smith
Palu
has damaging ball runners (Palu, Polota-Nau, Blake, Elsom, McMenimen – all of them, to an extent), ball handling skill in traffic (Polota-Nau, Smith, Palu), some searing speed for forwards (McMenimen, PN), 3 genuine lineout jumpers, several real toilers (Elsom, Smith, Vickerman, Holmes), bruising defenders (McMenimen, Elsom, Palu, Vickerman, PN), tough nut mongrels (Elsom and McMenimen), some organisers (Smith, Vickerman) and what appears to be about the strongest scrummaging front row we can muster. Overall it seems pretty welll balanced but we only have 4 of them in the pack at present. . I can’t see how anyone can improve on that.
Put not-so-Sharpe in for McMenimen and you lose mongrel, searing speed, clobbering defence and ball-handling skill for some experience. Not a fair trade if you ask me.
The backs pretty much pick themselves and with decent ball from the forwards, Larkham and Giteau at 10 and 12 are as good as anyone in the world. .
Paulmc said | June 6th 2007 @ 12:18pm | Report comment
Whilst I agree we are drinking from a half-full glass at the moment I also consider there may be some spillage over in Europe because none of our inside backs can tactically kick – and this is one of Larkhams weaknesses that is constanly overlooked – he’s great with the ball in hand but whilst he ocassionally flukes a good one most only end up with the opposition running back at us
A few muddy fields and the game changes!
jimma said | June 6th 2007 @ 2:00pm | Report comment
Paul MC:
Spring in France could bring some rain and as shown by Mr O’Gara in Ireland kicking for touch can get you over the line. Apart from the AB’s and perhaps the Boks with Stein, Habana and Percy there aren’t many sides who will punish bad kicking with points. Rather just kick the ball back, so perhaps the backline will be satisfactory until then (which would be semi-finals/final.
Incidentally Habana has to be the best winger on the planet right now, and will be player of the RWC 2007, mark my words. I am trying to get odds on it now
Nate said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:21pm | Report comment
jameswm…
I will question you on stating the “ball running, handling and toiling” of one G Smith. A wonderfully talented player he is, but his handling is not what it once was. For example he dropped the ball at least twice last wkd. And “toiling”… Toiling is hard-work, Smith is actually quite lazy. He pops up when it appears right and gets himself on tv… But a true toiling #7 is exemplified in the great Richie McCaw… Funnily enough, Australia’s equivalent actually rhymes with him; Phil Waugh!
Phil Coorey said | June 6th 2007 @ 3:42pm | Report comment
Australia’s general lack of ball skills is hilarious. I would love to know what they do during the week at training.
I think we might have South Africa in the quarters as well, as Wales will beat us at Cardiff. That place is not easy to win at, we struggled there in 1999 and those guys could catch and pass. Wales are a better team now…