The Wallabies have to win at Perth
Columnist By Spiro Zavos, 14 Jul 2008 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
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- Ali Williams, All Blacks, ARU, Australia, ELVs, Graham Henry, John Connolly, lineout, Perth, Peter de Villiers, Richie McCaw, rugby, Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, South Africa, Springboks, The Springboks, wallabies
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A week is a long time, it’s said, in politics – and even longer in sport.
This time last week the Springboks were faced with being shunted out of the Tri-Nations and losing their legacy from winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
But now with an historic win 30 -28 at Carisbrook against the All Blacks in the bag (only the fourth loss ever by a NZ side in 104 Test rugby matches at the ground), the Springboks are back in the Tri-Nations tournament with momentum, and the RWC legacy can still be retained.
The Test against the Wallabies at Perth now becomes a crucial game in the Tri-Nations tournament. It is the last away match for the Springboks. If they defeat the Wallabies they will regard a two-out-three away wins outcome as a terrific result.
And the ARU has made it easier for the Springboks by allocating it to Subiaco Oval at Perth. The Springboks won their first Test at Perth in 1998 14-13 and drew 14 – 14 in 2001. I was at the first Test and it seemed like a home game for the Springboks with all the support from South African ex-pats urging their team on.
Against this, however, is the fact that the Springboks somehow have to get from the deep south of Dunedin and travel across the continent of Australia to reach Perth. They’ve played two really intense Tests in two weeks. At Dunedin it was noticeable that both the All Blacks and the Springboks were slightly flatter than they were for the first Test at Wellington.
What struck me most about the Dunedin Test was the way Peter de Villiers out-coached Graham Henry, something that doesn’t happen very often.
The All Blacks still have not got in place an effective system for setting up a drop goal to win a Test. Clive Woodward told me that he worked for some years on what he called a Z-play, last gasp play presumably, that called for the halfback to make a dash, for the forwards to drive forward together to take the ball further up field and for Wilkinson to be deep in the pocket to kick the easy goal, as he did in the 2003 RWC final. Why don’t the All Blacks have this type of rehearsed play?
The All Blacks, too, insist on taking short drop-outs. This gives the opposition field position and at Dunedin the Springboks scored a try and kicked a penalty (8 points) following mistakes by the All Blacks after their 22 kick-offs.
The Springboks toughened up their scrum. There was only one reset (by the Springboks) in 14 scrums. When the Springboks needed a steady scrum they got it for Joe van Nierkerk, the best runner from the back of the scrum since Zinzan Brooke, to set up an easy try for J. P. Pietersen.
The Springboks won the battle of the lineouts under the ELVs, even when Ali Williams was on the field. When they took a short lineout and put forward runners out wide, the All Blacks kept their 8-man lineout. But Matfield, despite the double teaming, was able to win the lineout easily and feed from the top. Once the Springboks were unlucky not to score out wide, and twice the All Black forwards were penalised for coming through the lineout in an offside position, an inevitability considering there was no one blocking their path.
The Springboks’ aggressive, counter-attacking defensive system held up well. The try the All Blacks scored was a superb effort of hard direct running and clever inter-passing, something that couldn’t be repeated in a fiercely contested match with huge tackles being launched all over the field.
John Connolly has predicted a Wallaby triumph in the 2008 Tri-Nations tournament. I wouldn’t be so confident. Both the Springboks (who must be now seen as favourites) and the All Blacks (but less so without Richie McCaw and Ali Williams ?) look like formidable sides.
So no predictions from this reporter, except to say that whoever wins at Perth on Saturday (and particularly the Springboks) will be well-placed to go all the way to win the tournament.
Recommend this story.
July 14th 2008 @ 2:10pm
Art Vandalay said | July 14th 2008 @ 2:10pm | Report comment
I don’t think anyone would argue that Perth shouldn’t get any internationals. I think many would argue they shouldn’t get must win, crunch tri-nations game as Australia has no home ground advantage in Perth.
July 14th 2008 @ 2:18pm
Justin said | July 14th 2008 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
I think against SA there is little advantage. Against NZ there would be but they wont play NZ there as it doesn’t produce enough cash.
July 14th 2008 @ 2:49pm
sheek said | July 14th 2008 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Firstly,
Re Perth. There must be some pain if you want to expand the game of rugby around Australia. It also makes geographic sense to play SA in Perth & NZ on the eastern seaboard (most times). But at the end of the day, all pitches are more or less the same length & width. What happens between the ears usually determines victory.
Secondly,
The Wallabies are still off the pace I believe. If they do beat the Boks, they can thank the itinerary. SA have to travel to Perth after two very tough tests in NZ. The Wallas will also need to display the same intensity at each engagement as demonstrated by both the Boks & ABs.
July 14th 2008 @ 3:30pm
Peter K said | July 14th 2008 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
The ARU is almost broke.
It is imperative that the revenue gets maximised (and costs kept down). This seems to be more important than whether we win or lose.
It relies a lot on gate takings for internationals. AB’s bring the most revenue from Melbourne and Sydney so they play there. SA from Perth so they play there.
However there are a lot of English and Irish in Perth as well so the Ireland test could of been in Perth, and the Bok test in Brisbane. This should of served both needs revenue, and winning chances.
July 14th 2008 @ 3:43pm
True Tah said | July 14th 2008 @ 3:43pm | Report comment
Peter K,
if revenue was the big thing, why are they playing the 2nd Bledilsloe in Brisbane (52,000) as opposed to Melbourne (85,000)?
Is it something to do with the fact that the Reds underperformance has somehow guaranteed them choice test matches?
I think people are buying into the whole “South Africa cant win in Sydney” too much. Didn’t Australia beat South Africa A by less than 5 points or so last year? Did I see a stadium with a scratch over 50,000 in Sydney?
The ARU needs the cash, IMO. Whilst winning is important, if the ARU goes broke, then we would face Australia being an amateur nation and getting smashed by the Boks and the Blacks.
July 14th 2008 @ 3:59pm
Justin said | July 14th 2008 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
Brisbane gets a Bledisloe as they got the short straw for a number of years in terms of Tests, getting the poor cousin awarded to them each year. They have shown that at Suncorp they get good crowds and also Brisbane is the second home of Rugby in AUS. Suncorp has the best atmosphere of any venue in AUS IMO (although this has little to do with it being awarded a Bledisloe I would think)
I’m not saying the cant win in Sydney or Brisbane but they have much more support in Perth, likewise the ABs on the eastern seaboard. The Bok crowd for Sydney was more down to the pathetic side SA brought over here if my memory serves me correctly.
If your side is not winning will that not hurt the bottom line more in the long run? Again its no guarantee of victory but I think the players would prefer to play the tough matches with a crowd that is 80% behind them rather than 50-50.
July 14th 2008 @ 5:47pm
stuff happens said | July 14th 2008 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
Good article by Spiro and he’s spot on; also agree with Sheek ( again).Like so many Tests this will hinge on whether the Australians can generate sufficient forward firepower for 80 minutes plus to counteract a rejeuvenated ‘Boks pack.My initial reaction is no.
I’ll be intrigued to see the team selections. Will the ‘Boks go with the heroes of Carisbrook or make some subtle changes?Have Spies and Kankowski really made this tour to sit in the stand for three weeks?Who will the Australian locks be, because if the Aust scrum proves to be vulnerable,then oh dear.
July 14th 2008 @ 5:52pm
Harry said | July 14th 2008 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
Time for Palu, Elsom and Smith/Waugh to prove they are world class – particularly Wycliffe and Rocky. Hope Vickerman’s fit.
July 14th 2008 @ 6:00pm
Scotty in London (late of Gosford NSW) said | July 14th 2008 @ 6:00pm | Report comment
I think Elsom, Smith and Waugh have already proved they are world class. But yes it is time for them to play like there is no tomorrow.
July 14th 2008 @ 6:08pm
Ben from Pretoria said | July 14th 2008 @ 6:08pm | Report comment
Good article Spiro
Interesting observation regarding van Niekerk running skills, he could have scored that try himself.
For the Perth test the Boks will have a very interesting selection issue. Schalk Brits who is a sevens Bok will be the hooker, he has by far the best sidestep in SA and can be used as a 4th loosie. Then you still have Kanko and Spies available. Van Niekerk has had 2 good games and for once SA has 3 worldclass 8 men to choose from.