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While everyone in jerseys with two numbers on the back have been busy racing toward their pudgie colleagues to congratulate them on a job well done, has anyone wondered what has happened to the Wallaby backline recently?
I have not seen the Wallaby backs make such hard work of their play for some time. Look at the one time that Australia did cross the try line. How hard did they make that for themselves?
What about the inability to exploit overlaps and find gaps? These are not isolated incidents.
Granted, the team is without some key personnel, while others play out of position. That notwithstanding, there seems to be little continuity, threat, potency and free running lines in the back division.
So, why not?
Defensively, the team are fantastic. You cannot fault them there.
However, there seems to be little depth, invention or old fashioned “razzle dazzle” out there. Where are the back-to-back phases of running ball through the hands through opponents? Where is the re-alignment in preparation for another series of punishing runs?
Where are the support runners, pin-point execution and instinctive plays that have so long been a punctuation mark on any great Wallaby team?
If anyone watched the New Zealand vs Ireland game immediately after the Australia v England fixture, maybe you will have seen an interesting juxtaposition.
Am I alone in wondering this?
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.