Wallabies ready to kick into gear

 
Armchair-critic Roar Rookie

By Armchair-critic, 16 Jul 2009 Armchair-critic is a Roar Rookie

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This weekend provides the Wallabies with a golden opportunity to get one up on their traditional foes. For the first time in a number of years, the Wallabies hold the advantage in a key area of the game.

Throughout recent Bledisloe Cup series’, the All Blacks have had Dan Carter steering their side around the park. At the top of his wide array of skills is Carter’s ability with his left boot.

He has consistently been able to get the All Blacks out of trouble, and into attacking positions, through his prodigious tactical kicks.

However, come Saturday, the All Blacks will have Stephen Donald at first-five.

In comparison to Carter, Donald’s kicking game lacks both the distance and accuracy. In fact no one in the All Blacks backline possess a strong distance kicking game, except perhaps for Muliaina.

However, even he is a second string kicker.

This provides a clear advantage to the Wallabies, who possess strong kickers throughout their backline. Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes, in particular, have proved to be strong in this area during the French and Italian Tests.

During these Tests, tactical kicking was one of the more pronounced tactics adopted by the Wallabies.

Were these matches used as a testing ground for possible tactics? It would appear so.

The Wallabies would be silly not to utilise the kicking skills within their side to ensure the game on Saturday night is played at the All Blacks’ end of the field.

It seems this fact has not been lost on either side, as their selections would indicate.

The inclusion of both David Pocock and Phil Waugh, two specialists breakaways, on the reserves bench will allow the Wallabies to kick long and then attempt to force turnovers at the breakdown if the All Blacks choose to run it back.

However, the selection of Cory Jane ahead of Jo Rokocoko suggests the All Blacks are awake to this tactic.

Assistant coach Wayne Smith explained: “Cory’s got a fullback’s all-round skills, he’s a high ball catcher, a kicker, and he’s a good finisher as well.”

It would appear then that the All Blacks may be reluctant to counter attack and will opt to simply kick the ball back.

The counter attacking ability of Muliaina, Sivivatu and Rokocoko has proved to be a constant threat for the Wallabies over recent years. The inclusion of Cory Jane does not diminish the ability of this back three.

However, if their willingness to attack has decreased, then one would think the Wallabies are in with a real chance to succeed on Saturday.

In saying that, this is just one aspect of the All Black’s artillery, and if the Wallabies are to succeed, they will have to dominate right across the park.

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