Matt Giteau and the Wallabies are right on target
Columnist By Spiro Zavos, 29 Jun 2009 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Berrick Barnes, France, George Smith, Matt Giteau, Rugby Union, wallabies
Australia's Matt Giteau slides in to gather up a loose ball during the Australia v France Rugby Union test at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Saturday, June 27, 2009. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
The defining moment of the Australia (22) v France (6) Test at the ANZ Stadium came not long after half-time when France intercepted a pass deep inside their own territory (as they did to win the first Test against the All Blacks) and a certain try under the Wallaby posts was on.
The referee Dave Pearson, who missed knock-ons galore in the first half, immediately ruled an off-side. Matt Giteau kicked the penalty. Instead of the scoreline being 10 – 10, it had now stretched out for the Wallabies to 13 – 3.
Three more penalties to Giteau in quick succession, all in relatively easy positions, and the Wallabies and Giteau were up to 22 points for the match.
There was no way a French side that notably tired towards the end of the match (a consequence no doubt of their tough two Tests in New Zealand) was going to come back from this position.
To their credit, though, and a testimony to the fact that this is a very good French squad, they fought on, did not concede any more points in the last quarter of the match and came very close to scoring themselves.
Pearson’s decision was effectively a 10-point turnaround.
It seemed to me watching the replay that Luke Burgess had his hands on the ball before the French player made his run into the Wallaby line. Burgess’s rather laboured, harbour-bridge pass allowed an easy run on to the ball for the interception.
With the scoreline at 10 – 10 France would probably have lifted from their tiredness to run hard at the Wallabies and drive harder into the rucks and mauls. And if this had happened, who knows what the final result might have been.
Even with all the ensuing penalties, the scoreline would have been Australia 19 – France 13 for the last quarter of the match. France would at least have been within a converted try to win the Test.
This is, of course, all speculation.
The Wallaby defence was tremendous throughout the match. Early on a charge down allowed France to flood the Wallaby line. But somehow the scrambled defensive line held.
And in the second half, there were times when France threatened only to be cut down by a defence that would not give up a try.
Outstanding for the Wallabies was George Smith. He made tackles, one of them quite late for which he was penalised, and snaffled the ball in his hits time and time again.
Robbie Deans, who knows something about how good a loose forward can be through coaching Richie McCaw, called Smith a ‘one-man band’ at the breakdown.
He is a freakishly good player who is carrying the Wallabies at the break-down. He doesn’t seem to get injured and while this is so the Wallabies have one of the best, if not the best ‘fetcher’ in world rugby.
The Wallaby set pieces, especially the lineout, looked strong. The scrum is definitely better than last year, although occasionally it buckles. It does put more pressure than in the past on the opposing scrum now, though.
The back three are developing Deans’ Crusader game of running the ball back from kicks, where possible, with some profit. It is this pace and work rate of the back three, and their general accuracy in the lines they run, that is rightly keeping Lote Tuqiri out of the team.
Where Tuqiri often complained about not getting the ball, and leaving his wing (something Deans does not like) to look for work, the current back three are getting many touches – and, more importantly, doing something creative with the ball on many occasions.
The other great improvement is the developing combination of the five-eighths, Giteau and Berrick Barnes.
Deans has always preferred the traditional New Zealand system of two five-eights rather than the Australian system of two centres. The two five-eights, as they showed in the first and only try of the Test, offer running, passing and kicking options that are difficult for defences to contain.
So the Wallabies have had four matches in their 2009 campaign. The Barbarians match was a romp that didn’t tell us a great deal, other than that James O’Connor is a terrific talent.
The two Tests against the Italians (who gave the All Blacks a very hard match winning the possession and position statistics and keeping the home side to only 3 tries) showed that the pack was at least competitive and that the back three has the speed and systems to challenge staunch defensive lines.
The Test against a strong French side showed that the pack can stand up to brutes. There is a growing fluency about the play of the Wallabies which was not reflected in the try statistics.
Overall, one can say that Matt Giteau (with his aspirations to be the leading five-eighths in world rugby) and the Wallabies (with their eyes on the Tri-Nations and the Bledisloe Cup) are right on target.
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- Explore:
- Berrick Barnes, France, George Smith, Matt Giteau, Rugby Union, wallabies
June 29th 2009 @ 11:49am
sheek said | June 29th 2009 @ 11:49am | Report comment
Thought it was a good test match. The acid days are around the corner, but this Wallaby side is evolving nicely. Our scrum has improved immensely, & is adequate. But it can still go up a few notches.
The defence is awesome, & the backs are nicely building combinations. There are plenty of game breakers, which is handy. Yeah, I’m looking forward to the next few years myself.
June 29th 2009 @ 11:59am
ironpaw said | June 29th 2009 @ 11:59am | Report comment
The wallabies are looking fantastic. The only worry is depth and a couple of injuries changes everything.
What would the team be like without Giteau or Smith? Are there credible replacements?
June 29th 2009 @ 12:08pm
Brett McKay said | June 29th 2009 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
Couldn’t agree more Sheek, things are bubbling along nicely…
June 29th 2009 @ 12:21pm
Ben C said | June 29th 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
We all know the Wallabies must be improving if they have prompted such optimisim from Sheek.
I would have been happier if, like thr All Blacks of 05 to 07, we had the mental discipline to keep our foot on the throat of any opposition, no matter how strong or how weak. I got the impression that (some of) the players weren’t at 100% and were saving themselves for the TN.
A few thoughts:
We desparately need a back-up/replacement tight-head as Alexander is struggling in that position. I am not convinced he is the long term answer as his scrumagging, even at loose-head is nowhere near as good as Robinson. Dunning and Shepherdson have been tried and aren’t the answer. Kepu was retraining for tighthead but seems to have fallen off the radar following his severe injury. Has Rodzilla learnt to scrummage and is he going to come back?
Sharpe had a good game and the challenge will be for him to keep it up and not slip back into old habits.
Mumm did some work at the breakdown but little else. He seems to be stuck between a lock (Waratahs) and flanker (Wallabies). Kimlin may be worth a try but I am increasingly unconvinced about the interchangeability of lock and flanker (except as cover for both on the reserve bench). We need to pick a specialist blindside flanker (Elsom, Hodgson, Mowen, Higginbottom) and stick with that rather than straddle the fence.
Brown is busy in defence and the breakdown but doesn’t offer much attcking thrust (a size issue?). Palu is busy on defence and an occasional big-hitter, offers less at the breakdown but far more in attack weighed against a tendency to become invisible for stretches. Palu needs to become more Toutai Kefu and less Reuben Thorne.
I would love to try a few matches with Barnes at 10 and Giteau at 12.
Who is going to replace Mortlock in the near future? Cross is too old, Horne too raw, Ioane is really a winger and Ashley-Cooper seems to play better at 15 then 13. Mortlock is our best 13 but I doubt whether he will last until the RWC11.
Once again I went to ANZ Stadium and regretted it. You would be hard-pressed to find a more soulless venue for any football match unless it is absoluely full. The catering was also worse than the SFS, which is really saying something as anyone who attended a Tahs match this year will know.
June 29th 2009 @ 12:38pm
Peter K said | June 29th 2009 @ 12:38pm | Report comment
Ben C – I agree with all your thoughts except on Mortlock. I do believe Deans can nurse him through to the RWC11. He is our only big guy that gets over the advantage line in the backline. The closest we have in that mold to replace him would be either Tuqiri or Tahu and I do not think the former can convert quick enough and Tahu is too injury prone to rely on, worse than Mat Rogers and that is saying something.
If we had to replace Mortlock it would be AAC to 13 and JoC to 15.
June 29th 2009 @ 12:42pm
Sam Taulelei said | June 29th 2009 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
The Wallaibies are building in confidence with every match, they know they have a few things to work on in preparation for their opener at Eden Park but they also know they have a good foundation to build upon. In Giteau they have the best no.10 in the world and he has been instrumental in the teams fortunes not only with his general play but also the improvement in his tactical kicking and goalkicking. Barnes complements Giteau’s game and together they remind me of the Carter and Mauger combination. There is a lot to be enthused about this side if you’re a Wallaby supporter and something to admire and respect if you’re not.
Conversely the All Blacks are showing signs of a team down on confidence. While there have been disruptions with injuries there hasn’t been any solid form as a team that they can build upon. There have been improvments within individual areas most notably at the lineout and restarts with Isaac Ross continuing form and development. The scrum is gaining parity but the Wallabies won’t have anything to fear at this setpiece and should gain asendancy. Loose forwards will be strengthened with the return of McCaw and So’oialo however Read has done nothing wrong. However it’s from no.9 and beyond that the problems are most visible, there is little rhythm or timing in passes, angles and lines of running. While the Wallabies have Giteau and Barnes to guide their backline, NZ is really struggling with either McAlister or Donald in the hot seat. They’re also struggling to control the ball kicked into the air and that’s a weakness I’m sure the Wallabies will be looking to exploit.
June 29th 2009 @ 12:50pm
bennalong said | June 29th 2009 @ 12:50pm | Report comment
Ben C
Mumm was given the role of runner because of his speed. He ran for the kick-offs and the high balls and , unless you get there with the ball, its a low percentage job. He did his job and put in tackling and at the b’down
Blindside is Rocky’s position (when is he back for —– sake?) and I’d see Higginbotham as understudy, but not yet. Ben Mowen is in there too but hasn’t got the red hair.
I think Stirling is eyeing the World cup and certainly he offers a commanding presence. See him up close – he’s a massive unit and an inspirational captain. He’ll be there for a while I’d say. Tahu’s in the squad. When he was outside Barnes he certainly looked the goods. Cross and Tahu are not really too old and I don’t give a fig for the World Cup. It shouldn’t influence your personnel decisions.
I’m hoping Lote gets a chance to reinvent himself but having said that Drew Michell did what Deans demanded of him and would keep his spot.
I favour Barnes at 10 but Deans likes Giteau there so I don’t expect change.
Besides, things are good and getting gooder.
June 29th 2009 @ 12:57pm
Justin said | June 29th 2009 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
Mumms done nothing to justify his place in the team IMO. Casper is rarely sighted, makes few tackles, seems to watch too much, he looks a rabbit in headlights to me. Fark all carries with the ball or support in the open field.
I think Kimlin deserves a shot if Rocky isnt fit. Higginbutt is good going forward but has some lapses in defence which are costly.
June 29th 2009 @ 1:21pm
AndyS said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:21pm | Report comment
Yes, well, that is the warm-ups and easy bit over. Now it gets interesting – can’t wait.
June 29th 2009 @ 1:48pm
Worlds Biggest said | June 29th 2009 @ 1:48pm | Report comment
surprised no one has brought up the poor crowd figure. The ARU continue to be invisible when promoting there events and just hope the faithful will turn up. This game warranted 55,000 + and would have achieved it if they got off there @rse and did something about it. Until the ARU become proactive and get serious about competing with other codes, Rugby will remain a niche market sport in this country.