By David Beniuk
August 27th 2008 @ 1:45am
Guilty Elsom rubbed out for Jo’burg
The Wallabies will get another glimpse of the future on Saturday after Rocky Elsom was suspended for Saturday’s Tri Nations Test against South Africa.
Elsom was rubbed out for one game by the SANZAR judiciary which finally found him guilty today of dangerous play during the second half of Australia’s drought-breaking 27-15 win against the Springboks in Durban on Saturday.
The flanker had been cited after pulling down Springboks jumper Victor Matfield in a lineout.
Elsom attended a two-hour hearing yesterday, only for citing commissioner Nick Davidson QC to postpone his decision until today.
Australia’s team at Ellis Park will now take on the look of the near future without injured lock Dan Vickerman (shoulder) and flanker Elsom, who will both bow out of Test rugby when they head to Europe at season’s end.
Reinforcement Nathan Sharpe has joined his team-mates at their base north of Durban but could find himself down the pecking order below rising stars Dean Mumm and Hugh McMeniman.
Sharpe, Mumm and McMeniman will vie for the blindside flanker position and one of the lock spots, with the man missing out likely to sit on the bench.
McMeniman has finally recovered from a bout of food poisoning which forced him out of last Saturday’s match and laid him low for three days.
“If it was to happen I think you’d just have to take it in your stride,” Mumm said.
“I think I’ve taken a lot of confidence out of (Saturday), and not knowing I was going to be there (because of McMeniman’s illness), and yet the team had such a good result.”
The Wallabies trained today for the first time since Saturday’s win, fittingly for Kiwi coach Robbie Deans at the Durban Crusaders’ ground.
Australia have only once won successive Tests in South Africa - in 1963 when the Wallabies beat the Boks 9-5 in Cape Town and 11-9 in Johannesburg two weeks later.
The seemingly minor nature of Elsom’s offence and the disruption caused by the length of time it took for the verdict have been the causes of frustration for the Wallabies.
Asked if he was surprised by the result, Deans said: “I’m not surprised by anything really in the game these days.
“You enter, you do your best and you hope for the best and you have to live I guess with what you’re delivered.”
Deans said it was too early to comment on whether the Wallabies would appeal.
“I’ll read the release and then we’ll go from there,” he said.
Elsom was the man-of-the-match last Saturday but Deans said the team would deal with the challenge of his omission.
“Every week there’s players who are injured and unavailable to us, Luke Burgess is one example, but there’s a queue of blokes who are waiting for their opportunity as well so it will be what is is,” he said.
“Nathan Sharpe has flown over as a contingency, we have all the other blokes who are on tour and Hugh McMeniman’s back on his feet after his illness so the whole group will be considered.
“I guess a suspension is not typical, but it’s a typical week in terms of managing your mix.”
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Frank O'Keeffe said | August 27th 2008 @ 3:59am | Report comment
Elsom getting suspended is a blessing in disguise. Australia don’t need the win against South Africa this weekend. If they beat South Africa with the bonus point then they’re only one game ahead of New Zealand and New Zealand have a far superior points for and against ratio.
I don’t know how the Aussie will approach the game. A win doesn’t serve them any good as far as winning the tri nations goes. It’s been 45 years since they’ve won 2 consecutive games in the republic so I guess that’s something to aspire to. But it’s far more important that they escape this game with as few injuries as possible. For all their poor form, South Africa will throw everything at them this weekend. Elsom is such a gun that Australia can’t afford to lose him, so it’s good. I want Mortlock, Elsom, Smith and Vickerman all in good health for the final Bledisloe…. how is Vickerman anyway?
What irks me is that New Zealand didn’t deserve the bonus point from the Eden Park Test. Nonu didn’t score that try. It’s an example of the TMV getting it wrong. Then on the weekend Australia were about the get a 5m scrum, ready to attack, when the video ref got it wrong again… and I have no idea how they can get it wrong! Had the ball bounced the right way a few times on the weekend Australia would have got their bonus point.
Personally I wish they’d just get rid of bonus points. I know they’re there to entice attacking rugby, but they’re not a leveller. I’d rather if two teams finish on the same amount of wins, the team with more wins against the other (since its out of three) gets the Tri Nations. That said, Australia and New Zealand 1-1 so far, so it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s going down to the final game.
Jerry said | August 27th 2008 @ 4:04am | Report comment
Frank - you could just as easily say the bounce of the ball favoured Aus in Sydney allowing them to get their bonus point. The Sivivatu non-call could have been a penalty try (bonus point for NZ) or a penalty and yellow card (meaning the AB’s within striking distance or ahead in the last 15 minutes and not having to play catch up football which allowed Aus to score the bonus point try).
As regards the Jantjes 5m call that was pretty clearly wrong, but then later in the match it looked like Jacobs didn’t take the ball back (after Lote toed the ball ahead) and Aus did get the 5m. It’s swings and roundabouts and if you isolate each little example you can show anything.
Frank O'Keeffe said | August 27th 2008 @ 4:16am | Report comment
At first glance I thought Sivivatu should have been given a penalty try. I was yelling at the TV and Ryan Cross when it happened because I thought it was so obvious. Later when I caught the replay it was obvious to me that Tiqui likely would have spoiled the try had Sivivatu kicked ahead. Then again, New Zealand went tap-kick happy that night and they might have decided they wanted to try.
But I concede it’s easy to isolate little moments in the match that show how things could have been different. It goes back to what I was saying about bonus points not being leveller. I’d hate for the little things to be the diffence between Australia winning and losing the tri nations.
That said, I submit the team who wins out of Australia and New Zealand deserves the tri nations so at least we’ll get a proper decider. Australia somehow winning on bonus points while losing to New Zealand 2-1 would take the shine away from the accomplishment.
I just hope this weekend doesn’t affect Australia. Will they turn up to play knowing there’s little to play for? If they lose will it effect their psyche’? If they go hard will they wind up with injuries? It would be nice to see Australia win two in a row in South Africa, but there’s more on the line…
LeftArmSpinner said | August 27th 2008 @ 5:46am | Report comment
Elsom and the Wallabies have been the victim of ridiculous, inconsistent citing commissioner. Van der linde tried to maim Cords and got 4 weeks. Steyn was not even cited for attacking Mitchell in a blatant late tackle!!!!
Anyway, Dingo will use it as a way of motivating the boys to hammer the final nail into the Boks psyche and coffin!!!!
The bullies deserve everything they get.
Frank, momentum is a much more important ingredient to success than the possibility of an injury to a player or two. Playing at 75% capacity doesnt reduce the risk of injury. It just increases the risk of losing!
Jerry said | August 27th 2008 @ 6:56am | Report comment
Left Arm - the citing and suspension for Elsom is bogus, but the Steyn incident was hardly worth getting heat up over either.
Justin said | August 27th 2008 @ 8:34am | Report comment
The problem with the Elsom decision is whether it will set a precedent. What he has ben suspended for would happen at least 2-3 times per Test. Its a penalty offense, nothing more. Though CJVDL should have got 6-8 matches for his Liverpool kiss. There was clear intent to smash Cordingly in the face with his head. A disgrace.
mudskipper said | August 27th 2008 @ 9:01am | Report comment
We get a window o the Wallabies for next year without Dan Vickerman and Rocky Elsom plus Timana Tahu…should prove to be interesting…
The other small advantage I’ve noticed this Wallabies in 2008 is having Giteau at fly each week and not filling in for Steve Larkham’s continual injuries has given the Wallabies a more sound platform to play from…
ohtani's jacket said | August 27th 2008 @ 9:12am | Report comment
You knew Elsom would be suspended as soon as it went to the citing commissioner. You also knew it would be one match. The precendent would’ve been if he’d got off!
tarpo said | August 27th 2008 @ 9:16am | Report comment
Frank,
Playing less than 100% actually increases the chances of injury. I know it doesn’t seem to make sense, but I have experienced & observed over many years.
LAS is right, momentum & building belief that they are winners is gold.
If there are injuries or suspensions they will deal with it. Deans seems masterful at covering the loss of important players, (based on the Crusaders) nobody is indispensable.
Justin said | August 27th 2008 @ 9:29am | Report comment
OJ - I think you missed my main point which is that this same incident occurs numerous times per Test. I hope there are sufficient lock stocks in world rugby if the CC continues in this manner. An absolute joke.
ohtani's jacket said | August 27th 2008 @ 9:37am | Report comment
Oh, I don’t think he should’ve been cited.