Wallabies tame Sonny Bill and smash Baa Baas
By David Beniuk, 7 Jun 2009
David Beniuk is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Barbarians, Ben Alexander, David Pocock, Drew Mitchell, George Smith, International Rugby, James Horwill, James OConnor, Josh Valentine, Lachie Turner, Luke Burgess, Matt Giteau, Matt Hodgson, Rocky Elsom, Rugby Union, Sir Nicholas Shehadie, Sonny Bill Williams, Stirling Mortlock, Sydney Football Stadium, wallabies
The Wallabies tamed Sonny Bill Williams and thrashed a disjointed Barbarians side to open their international season with a 55-7 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.
Showing some early season rustiness against an even less cohesive Baa Baas, the Australians scored eight tries, with winger Drew Mitchell grabbing a double, to post their biggest victory in 11 games against the invitational side in front of 39,688 fans.
The Wallabies led 20-7 at the break after three first-half tries, before running away with the match, the famous Barbarians’ first on Australian soil, in the second 40 minutes.
Man-of-the-match Matt Giteau booted four conversions and a penalty goal on top of a pinpoint kicking game in general play.
Playing his first game in Australian since walking out on NRL club the Bulldogs, Williams looked dangerous on occasions with his trademark offload and only an amazing tackle from halfback Luke Burgess prevented him scoring with his first touch in international rugby in just the third minute.
But the former NRL superstar was also on the end of plenty of attention from the Australians, most notably from opposite number Stirling Mortlock, who smashed him in a big tackle two minutes later.
Williams also had a hand in the Baa Baas’ first-half try, scored by Iain Balshaw on the stroke of halftime.
He was also booed by a small section of the crowd wearing blue and white when he cleaned up by a Lachie Turner grubber in the second half.
The Wallabies have injury concerns over Burgess (hip) and Matt Hodgson, who left the field in the first half of his first game for Australia with an AC joint problem.
Robbed of Australian star Rocky Elsom, who withdrew with a leg injury on match day, the thrown-together Barbarians attempted to play with their trademark flair but predictably struggled for combination and pace.
The Wallabies opened their scoring through James Horwill in the sixth minute, before Mitchell got his first in the 16th and Giteau dummied twice and strolled over untouched in the 23rd.
Their attack lost some momentum until the 57th minute, when hooker Stephen Moore finished some good work from George Smith and Josh Valentine to push the floodgates open.
Prop Ben Alexander strode over in the 66th minute, Mitchell got his second in the 72nd, while David Pocock and James O’Connor bagged tries in the final three minutes.
Australia take home the new Sir Nicholas Shehadie Cup with the win.
Mortlock said Williams “held his own” while Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said the step up had been huge for the Kiwi.
“The toughest thing for Sonny was going essentially from club rugby into an international,” Deans said.
“You just don’t get the license to play and you could see he was often looking to offload and play a game that you can probably get away with at club level, but you just don’t here because the channels close and the contact is more significant.”
Deans was pleased with the first hit-out but will look for more patience from his side.
“It was a good start, there was some really good stuff,” he said.
“We were a little bit impatient, put the ball on the ground a little bit too frequently where if we’d just been a little bit more patient we would have profited.”
Barbarians captain Phil Waugh, who will join the Wallabies squad on Sunday morning, was impressed with the Australians.
“They certainly finished off well … that pressure into points really hurt us,” he said.
Deans confirmed Elsom would also join the Australian squad on Sunday and his injury would be assessed by medical staff.
Hodgson is likely to spend a lengthy time on the sidelines, while Burgess’ injury is considered minor.
© AAP 2012
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Mungehead said | June 7th 2009 @ 8:28am | Report comment
Classy performance by the Wallabies. Standouts for me were Mortlock (who I’m beginning to think I may have underestimated in the past) and O’Connor (what a talent), but really the whole side dominated in every position. The Aussies just moved twice as fast as the Bar-Bars, and their tactics were downright smart. Having said that, I think Waugh and MacAlister acquitted themselves well considering.
matt said | June 7th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
I think Waugh outplayed Smith.
Not sure of how much we can get from this game. Certainly better than the rusty start we are used to in Wallabies campaigns.
One thing, if the forwards don’t committ more to rucks and mauls, the Blacks and Boks (and Azzuri), will kill us. Less forwards waiting in the backs, more doing the dirty work…and in the second half this seemed to happen more (a Robbie reminder at half time?)
Mortlock was his usual self. How are those ribs S.B?
Horwill was everywhere.
Hodgson was not…come back Rocky.
Alexander went reallywell at tight head, and he’s a try magnet as ever.
Our scrum was crap in the first part of the game…where’s our scrum coach!
The backs looked the most settled I have seen them in ages.
AAC had one of his best games (bar a few mistakes), and his kicking game was better than I have seen from him before.
Sharpe still has very googly eyes.
The ref needs to be schooled on what knock ons look like.
Justin said | June 7th 2009 @ 9:31am | Report comment
For me it was clear that Valentine has a far superior pass than Burgess and should be the starting 9. If they want to keep Burgess then play him off the bench so that he can run and snipe at tiring players in the last 25.
Good to see we have speed in the side now, pretty much across the park although Mitchell makes too many mistakes for an International still.
McCallister showed his class…he will be a big improvement on Donald for the ABs.
bailey said | June 7th 2009 @ 10:26am | Report comment
I actually prefer Burgess over Valentine any day. Burgess’ passing was crisp, fast and on the mark. His defence was also superb, he certainly is a different player from last year and from when he plays super 14. Valentine on the other hand was great too, but he doesn’t carry the same enthusiasm as Burgess. I think they both work well for Gits which can only be good for Australian rugby and Robbie.
Peter K said | June 7th 2009 @ 11:19am | Report comment
The starting backs ALL played well. Burgess was my MOM until he went off.
He organised the backline very well and was to every ruck and tackle and got quick service out.
Valentine was ordinary in this compared to him. Notice the points dried up when he came on for 20-30 mins. Valentine just does not do the fundamentals of a scrumhalf as well, he does not get to rucks everytime and does not deliver a quick a ball.
I still think swapping Barnes and Giteau would work, with the extra room outwide the breaks that Barnes makes Giteau would turn into tries with his far superior acceleration.
The scrumaging was strong all game, but what do you expect against a Barbarians team after all it is a coordinated 8 man effort. Horwill also had a very strong game. Sharpe and Hodgson were ordinary. Smith and Brown unerwhelming and average. Pocock was better than both Smith and Waugh.
Cros said | June 7th 2009 @ 11:42am | Report comment
This was a very good ‘first up’ game for the Wallabies. Showed plenty of sting in attack and our defense is right up there.
Entertaining game too. However, Robbie Deans knows come Tri-nations time, those ‘stats’ at the breakdown, and whether we can hold our own at the ‘set-piece’ will be critical. Elsom has arrived at a very good time. The two best forward packs in the world are waiting.
The Barbarians game may best be remembered for the initiation of SBW and a one-sided scoreline. It did not answer the perennial problem of whether the Wallaby forward pack are up to the task ahead. Competative they may well be, but it will take something more than this to win the Tri-nations and Bledisloe.
Still, a promising start.
Gerry Faehrmann said | June 7th 2009 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
I think Matt (2nd comment) would have liked to bullet point his Post Match summary.
wallythefly said | June 7th 2009 @ 1:17pm | Report comment
think all matt’s comments were right on the money though
Working Class Rugger said | June 7th 2009 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
Pretty happy with most of the backline although I still think are working on cohesion together. Next week should be a completely different level. Burgess easily outplayed Valentine. When Moore scored his try if that was Burgess making the break it would have been try scored, he has alot more speed the Valentine. Saying that Valentine is a worthy back up. And does anyone really believe Valentine could have put on the beaut of a try-savers on SBW.
Mortlock had a monster of a game on SBW. I think SBW has realised that Rugby is a very different beast to league especially at the international level after last night’s game. Mitchell, AAC and Turner all had strong game and looked dangerous every time they touched the ball. Mitchell physicality has really improved and Turner could have slipped though any of those tackle if they made the slightest mistake. AAC had the back pocket locked up. As for Barnes and Giteau. They both had great games and kicked with deadly accuracy and effectiveness.
James B said | June 7th 2009 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
Didn’t SWB slip through Mortlock’s tackle with his first touch of the ball? Given it was SWB’s 15th game of rugby union, he did very well, and in fact didn’t appear to put a foot wrong all night… tackled well and managed to off load the ball every time he got tackled. Spilled it once when he received a hospital pass from Jack, so not his fault. I’d be a happy man if I was him. What he really needs to do is play a season in S14 if he wants to develop further into a more rounded player.