Golden opportunity slips through Wallaby hands

Roar Guru

By Alan Nicolea, 19 Jul 2009 Alan Nicolea is a Roar Guru

Tagged:: All Blacks, Berrick Barnes, Bledisloe Cup, robbie deans, Rugby Union, Tri Nations, wallabies

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Wallabies player Berrick Barnes held the moment in his hands. A moment which could have signaled an end to a 20 year Eden Park hoodoo against the All Blacks that would have laid the perfect platform for Australia to win their first Bledisloe Cup since 2002.

In a match defining moment in the first half, the Wallabies found themselves leading New Zealand by 13-3 when Barnes sliced through the All Blacks defence.

He had a golden opportunity to throw an inside ball to captain Stirling Mortlock that would have seen him score under the posts for a 17-3 lead.

Instead, Barnes hallucinated in the midst of having the chance to end an Eden Park curse that stretches back to the late 1980′s.

Barnes eventually threw a bad ball to George Smith which hit him the head, thus bringing an end to a period of play which held the key to unlocking a golden opportunity not just in the match, but for the rest of the Tri Nations.

Indeed, the Wallabies deserved to snatch such an opportunity given the way they played against their great rivals.

Robbie Deans’ men dominated the first twenty minutes of an encounter that saw the All Blacks play as if they were contesting a World Cup quarter-final.

Australia made the All Blacks pay for their lack of defensive structure with a neat try to Berrick Barnes in just the fifth minute of the contest.

Wallabies half Matt Giteau then scored a penalty to put his side up 10-0, and in a position to tighten the noose on the All Blacks.

But the lack of composure from Berrick Barnes in that critical moment in the first half proved to be the key in allowing the All Blacks back in the contest.

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw scored the All Blacks first try thanks to a brilliant offload from Comrad Smith.

From that moment on, the All Blacks kept biting away at an Australian lead that should have been more difficult to chase down.

After only trailing 13-10 at the break, the All Blacks clicked into the gear necessary to record a 22-16 win that once again places them in the box seat to retaining the Bledisloe cup for the seventh year in succession.

Although many will argue that the Wallabies should be proud of the way they pushed the All Blacks away from home, coach Robbie Deans should also be mightily disappointed with the lack of clinical play from his side.

Too many times did the last pass or kick go astray against an opponent that does not offer too many second chances.

Despite being without their chief playmaker in Dan Carter, the All Blacks still managed to make the Wallabies pay for their lack of respect for possession.

This is the component of the Wallabies game that is proving to be their Achilles heal when a rare chance at Bledisloe and Tri Nations glory presents itself.

It is no doubt holding back a side that is really putting in the necessary effort to finally reclaim Southern Hemisphere bragging rights.

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The Crowd Says (29) | Page 1 of Comments

Mitch O said | July 19th 2009 @ 6:22am | Report comment

Yes the Wallabies did dominate the first 20 mins but frankly so what?

This was a very very rusty AB’s performance and they still won. From where I was sitting the AB’s were a 25% better side by the end of the game and the Wallabies game was going backwards.

Why the Wallabies continue to persist with Al ‘take a dive’ Baxter is beyond me. They were also out coached, the AB’s turned up with a superior game plan, and surprisingly executed a superior kicking plan. Mortlock must be getting very tired of making the same old speech.

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Yikes said | July 19th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment

Well, they persist with Al because he’s actually quite good. The video replays were not kind to Joubert’s decision making at scrum time.

Actually the ball that hit Smith’s head should have been play-on because off the head is not a knock-on. Brave ref who ruled that though!!

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Knives Out said | July 19th 2009 @ 8:29am | Report comment

‘Well, they persist with Al because he’s actually quite good.’

That’s not strictly true. Baxter is still one of the least effective props playing test rugby. Granted some of the decsions were wayward, but then that has always been the case with scrum refereeing. My perception is that it was 50/50. At no point was Baxter pressurising Hore or Mealamu.

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Yikes said | July 19th 2009 @ 8:38am | Report comment

KO, neither was the reverse true, though.

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Knives Out said | July 19th 2009 @ 8:42am | Report comment

In terms of physicality, ruck defence, scrummaging, lineout-play, ball carrying and work rate I would strongly argue that Baxter is a very poor test prop. That’s just my opinion, obviously, but I would have to disagree with you, Yikes.

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CronullaKiwi said | July 19th 2009 @ 8:48am | Report comment

Wallabies were blown away at the breakdown. The AB’s adopted a conservative style making good yards around the rucks and eventually eventually wore the wallabies down. Their clean outs were superb, was very proud of the packs performance tonight which was what I expected.
Joubert was spot on with Baxter, you can not complain about that. Replays showed Baxter on the ground bent over two fold while Woodcock was sprawled out forward, you dont have to be a scrum guru to work out whats going on here.

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fred said | July 19th 2009 @ 9:00am | Report comment

yikes,youre looking thru rose tinted glasses if you think baxter is up to it ;you would be best advised reading KO ACCOUNT COS ITS MORE NEUTRAL.
the wallabies have the easy draw so lets hope the”belief”returns or deans will join tuqiri and save aru a lot of money

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PB said | July 19th 2009 @ 10:18am | Report comment

It’s the optimistic “we’re getting there” attitude that is crucifying this wallaby team.

They sound exactly the Waratahs. “Oh, if we just do this… if this just happened… we’re almost there….”

“If” the ref had called the outrageous rushing defence ouffside that led to the 17th minute play, they would have conjured some other magic moment that lost the game for them. But they lost this before they walked out on the field. Since Eales, the Wallabies NEVER win when they should be favourites. Ergo, they never win when things are close.

Look at their wins in Sydney and SA last year – what followed? And what followed the most classic dissection of a SA team in Australia (49-0? I forget what year too); the worst game of rugby ever played, aerial ping-pong as Aus lost their nerve. Compare their last two WC exits to England – one favoured to win; one they were underdogs.

Luckily for Wallabies fans, if this “promising” loss is properly realised as the disaster it really is, they will go into their forthcoming games as clear under-dogs, and still be under-dogs for the next close contest against the ABs, and maybe know themselves well enough to win it.

But they really should have beaten this underdone AB side who will never be so weak again this year. Failure to admit a problem only makes the problem worse.

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Justin said | July 19th 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment

Re the missed try opportunity I actually though Mortlock stuffed it up. I didnt see any reason to cut back inside. Had he satyed outside it was a draw and pass situation. I dont think Barnes was expecting Mortlocks move as it was unnecessary and he would not have had time to react and throw the right pass. Still should have scored but that was my feeling at the time. mortlock was quiet all night, very disappointing match from him.

Genia to start, Burgess cannot execute the basics. Not up to this standard I am afraid.

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LeftArmSpinner said | July 19th 2009 @ 5:43pm | Report comment

Alan, I like your work but this time, I think it is a bit too simplistic. sure the try would have really helped the Wallaby cause, but they may have taken their foot off the accelerator earlier and more had they scored.

You have to play for 80 minutes!!! By play, I mean tackle ferociously, run straight and hard, not give away any penalties, contest at the breakdown and concentrate all the time!!!!

The Wallabies didnt do that and the AB’s, after weathering the early storm, did. they also played to the conditions in both halves. Hey presto, they won and deserved to win!!!

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