Wallaby tour will end as it starts, with a loss
Roar Pro
By Untimely zapped, 30 Oct 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, Grand Slam tour, Rugby Union, wallabies
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The first game of the Wallabies’ tour carries some disturbing psychological baggage – the Wallabies haven’t scored a try against the All Blacks in more than 200 minutes of Test rugby.
And it’s not as if they’ve been playing a wonderful team. In the 2009 Tri-Nations, counting all six games, the All Blacks scored just 10 more points than were scored against them, which means that either the Kiwis’ attack is lacking, or their defence is.
Or both are shaky.
Still, I believe the All Blacks will again come out on top, especially with Smith and Sivi back and Rodney determined to show who’s boss.
They’re 34 points better than the Wallabies in the last three Tests, and they’re packed with experience – seven of the starting team have 390 caps between them.
The Wallabies have players with lots of caps, too, but few have the talent of their opposite numbers. I’m backing the All Blacks to win all their games on their tour except for the one against the French.
That one might be a point too far.
It pains me, but I feel the Wallabies will have to beat Scotland to avoid a whitewash. For a hard tour like this, which includes mid-week games, you need bench strength and the team just hasn’t got anybody, outside of George Smith if he stays on the bench, to come on and turn the game around.
Apart from Ioane and AAC, we don’t have any bet-the-farm game breakers in the backs unless Deans finally plays Giteau at I/C.
In the forwards, we have Elsom who can make a difference, and a first class prop. And if Palu can’t be talked into getting out there and bullying people, we don’t have a No.8.
Bottom line is, even if the English, Irish and Welsh packs do contain second choices or players who’ve been off their feed, they’ll still be better than our front five.
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Eiger said | October 30th 2009 @ 3:56am | Report comment
Dont think so Zapped, the English forwards taking the pitch arent so much as second choices as 3rd, 4th or 5th. Dont know how you can right such drivel when all of their first choice picks last November were shown up, so dont think Johnson’s choices this time round will be putting the fear of god into our tight 5.
pothale said | October 30th 2009 @ 4:06am | Report comment
But his overall premise is not drivel, Eiger.
He said that the tour will end as it starts – with a loss. Australia start against New Zealand, and finish against Wales. Two teams who they lost to last time they played them.
Knives Out said | October 30th 2009 @ 4:20am | Report comment
Yes, quite Pothale. Anyhow, as rugby fans we all know that being first choice tends to mean you are good at something specific and not necesarily everything. The English scrum was poor last Autumn (but certainly not as much as the subsequent myth would suggest), but the English forwards dominated the ruck contest. My opinion is that any of the second rate props like Flatman (who hasn’t been slected), White and Bell would dominate most opposition. Here’s hoping that those Australian forwards are as over confident as you, Eiger.
Eiger said | October 30th 2009 @ 7:56pm | Report comment
Disagree, still think its drivel, but then, thats the great range of opinions that are on the roar. Its all swings and roundabouts though isnt it? Do well in one areas and let another slip a little. I was at the game last November KO so I dont actually need to cite myth – the English pack were shown up – pure and simple, they may well have dominated the ruck contest but that doesnt really matter, they still lost.
Knives Out said | October 30th 2009 @ 11:51pm | Report comment
Why were you at the match if you don’t understand rugby, Eiger? Did you win a competition? How can a pack be shown up if it dominates such an important part of the game? If you were a fan then you would have noticed that Al Baxter did his usual and collapsed time and time again. I think what you’re trying to suggest is that Australia had a powerful scrum, which it certainly did but unfortunately most of Australia’s penalties that arose from the scrum came from arbitrary refereeing rather than good technical scrummaging. You can make juvenile generic comments about the 3rd string English forwards all you like (‘they still lost’ – ho ho ho.. genius!) but I doubt you know much about them, and even if you did then you still ignore the key point which is that certain players are chosen for their ability to excel at various aspects of the game. Phil Vickery was chosen as the 1st choice tighthead on the Lions tour and was exposed as a scrummager. Adam Jones – the 2nd choice 3 – came in and absolutely reduced Mtawarira to looking like the poor scrummaging prop that he is.
Go_the_Wannabe's said | October 30th 2009 @ 11:13am | Report comment
The Enzedders won in Wellington because they didn’t want to be known as the losingest side in AB history – 3 home losses in a season? Unthinkable for them – we never stood a chance…….now the shoe is on the other foot……can the Wannabe’s motivate themselves to not be the losingest Wannabe’s ever and lose 4 on the trot to the AB’s? Sadly, I think not. This dysfunctional group don’t have any sense tribalism or the ticker for it all.
You see, It’s all about money these days. Until they hit them in the hip pocket, nothing’s going to turn them around. So how do you fix that? Here’s an idea…..if all they care about is the hip pocket, then make it a $10/player bonus payment for a loss and $50,000/player bonus for a win, come what may (other than their normal salary, of course). That’s how you turn it around!!!!!
Now, predictions for the rest of the debacle laughingly known as the GS tour:
1. vs English Petals – 2 teams here competing to be the most dysfunctional of all time – tough one to call really. After the loss to the AB’s in Tokyo, Gits will move to IC, Cooper to 5/8, 2 Dads back to FB, JOC to the bench. Aussie Golden Wattles by 4.
2. vs. Irish Bog Hunters – Pouring rain of course with 80,000 Landsdowne Lunatics baying for blood…….like, well, Irish blood hounds anyway. After several injuries in the previous match JOC tried at IC with Gits at 5/8. Doesn’t matter who else plays in backs because the mud encrusted ball will never get to them anyway. The fighting Irish win 9-3 to the delight of the fans. Rocky Elsom suspended by Deans for 1 match because he tackled his own players all day. You can take the boy out of Ireland…..
3. vs. The Thistly Scottish – Yes, they will be very prickly indeed due to all the write ups of them being the only sure win of the tour for the Wannabe’s. And they’re right. Remaining Wannabe’s squad without injuries plays a dour match…..Deans has to warm bench (and gets a run with 5 min’s to go)……Wannabe’s win freest flowing match yet…..12-3 (4 penalties to 1).
4. Ahhhh, now who’s left? Yes that’s right, the Welsh Rarebits…….no chance here for the Wannabe’s. They have never beaten Osprey (I think) at Cardiff. So how the heck are they going to beat the test side????? These Taffies will have been tuning up on some of the best sides in the world just before the Aussies Lambs head to the slaughter. This will be unfortunately humiliating. Barnes makes his comeback (because there’s no other backs left standing) at 5/8. Gits is shunted to IC but throws the toys out of the cot because he’s lost the VC (again) and his position (again). Barnes is so rusty he wouldn’t have made the Cobar Camels 3rd grade anyway. Deans retires from professional coaching after being on the receiving end of a 38-0 thumping and moves back over the dutch to open a B&B in Invercargill.
Phew, what a tour…..I’m glad that’s over (but not as glad as Dingo will be!). I can hardly wait until the next year’s TN when we at least have the excuse of being hammered by the no.1 & 2 teams in the world!!!!!
It’s a good thing we’re at the bottom of the trough and we’re on the way up again for the RWC in 2011. Right???? Yeah, right.
Dean Pantio said | October 30th 2009 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
“lose 4 on the trot to the AB’s?” They’re on a six test losing streak now. They lost five in a row in 2005-06. They lost seven in a row in 1995-97.
Go_the_Wannabe's said | October 30th 2009 @ 2:30pm | Report comment
4 BC tests on the trot this year. Sorry, my mistake for not fully clarifying that important point in my spiel earlier.
Knives Out said | October 30th 2009 @ 4:27am | Report comment
Right.. back to the article. I’m not sure how Australia will go during the tour. Saturday’s game will be informative. I have a sneaking suspicion that NZ are growing in confidence and will really roll the Wallabies. That said, history has taught us to beware a wounded Australia.
pothale said | October 30th 2009 @ 5:03am | Report comment
New Zealand will get hammered by a resurgent Australia who will then lay waste to all of the home unions and clubs in the NH.
Except for Ireland of course to whom they’ll lose by 2 tries scored by John Hayes lurking on the wing.
Knives Out said | October 30th 2009 @ 5:12am | Report comment
I imagine that Hayes has been doing a lot of sprint training and track work during his gardening leave.
pothale said | October 30th 2009 @ 6:37am | Report comment
Yip – he was spotted the other day chasing after a heifer – and it was moving at a fair clip.
I’ve decided that after reading all and sundry about the Wallabies chances of winning any of their matches on tour, and the opposition generally licking its lips looking to dine out on Wallaby chops each weekend in November, that the only team that is really lying in wait for them is Scotland.
Even the Wallabies figure they’ll beat them despite all their woes since they’re ‘not really a test team’. Wonder has Robinson got anything up his sleeve?
Knives Out said | October 30th 2009 @ 7:10am | Report comment
Wow. That must have been one fast cow. I heard a funny story a few months ago about Buckley and Hayes going shooting together. Imagine the sight of two 6’4 20 stoners plodding through the countryside with a shotgun over their right shoulder. That would make a good Christmas card from the Munster team.
I’m not buying into all this sinking HMS Wallaby banter. They’re no mugs. Talking of mugs… the only thing Robinson has up his sleeve is his losing dinner speech.
pothale said | October 30th 2009 @ 7:40am | Report comment
I agree about HMS Wobbly. I can see it now, a victory over NZ and then England and suddenly the world will be turned. We only had a few schoolboys and half a cat left in the squad and we still went out and beat them, etc, etc
Australia attempting to be underdog isn’t going to work. this is a team ranked third in the world and that benefits continually from playing the top two teams regularly every year. Would that we all could benefit from that.
Was thinking about this the other day. It perpetuates the teams who occupy the top 3 ranks and long periods they remain there e.g. a Lions tour every four years means none of the HN get a chance to play matches away. Ireland last played SA and Aus at home in 2006 and in 2004 before that. They played them away about 2 years ago, and won’t play them next year. There’s an invitational test match for the opener of the new Lansdowne Road in November. But unless you play the top 3 on a absolute regular basis, you’re rarely going to compete for top 3 ranking. And with the nature of the seasons, that’s unlikely to happen.
Knives Out said | October 30th 2009 @ 7:44am | Report comment
It’s a bloody SH conspiracy. I’m not sure I see the point in regular NH away tours until the length of season issues are rectified. When NH teams travel down under they tend to play a two match series and get thumped, as opposed to the 1 match away game that the SH teams play in the Autumn. How much would this 2:1 ratio affect the rankings over a prolongued period?
Rusty said | October 30th 2009 @ 8:48am | Report comment
It would depend on the results wouldnt it. Frances win over the ABs this spring for instance significantly improved their ranking from 8th to 5th while reducing the ABs points. If the French could have backed up the first win it would have been quite likely they would have been catapulted into the top 3 at the expense of Australia. So, I dont think it matters about ratios etc- the key is simply to win your games be they home or away. Also, if anything the two bites of the cherry away from home is your best chance to maximise on ranking points all year.
Knives Out said | October 30th 2009 @ 11:52pm | Report comment
But what I’m saying is that the chances of a NH away win are miniscule due to myriad reasons, so they’re just shipping points.
Hammer said | October 30th 2009 @ 9:18am | Report comment
There is method in that madness of yours Pot – look how the Wallabies were very fortunate against Italy on their last 2 northern trips and Scotland could well be as big a banana skin as possibly their midweek fixtures ….
Jecker said | October 30th 2009 @ 6:55am | Report comment
Re the loss of Barnes – Ryan Cross is quoted as saying “Hopefully, it won’t change too much.” We have news for you, Ryan – it’s going to change a hell of a lot. For starters, it puts James O’Connor at FB for the AB game, and he’s still too young and too short to play that position on an international stage. He could be a winger in the Shane Williams mode, or a centre in the Horan mode, but Dingo seems to be the kind that doesn’t want to believe his eyes – witness the way he insists on trying to make a natural 12 into a 10.
It also puts Cooper in a Wallaby guernsey and while a lot of Oz rugby fans think he could be tremendous, a lot think he could be anything but. And the bookies who took bets on a Wallaby win are breathing easier because Barnes is pretty good at the snap.
So now Untimely’s post, specially the bit about the Wallaby bench being less than great, is looking pretty smart what with Horne already gone and Tyrone Smith in the tour, a guy who wasn’t thought good enough to make it originally. And anyone who thinks the bench isn’t so bad, take a look at the some of the replacements: Dunning, Burgess, Mitchell – we need replacements for the replacements.
Justin said | October 30th 2009 @ 7:01am | Report comment
Deans showing his selection genius again!
Bloody hell, lets not have one player out of position in the backs, lets have two! Surely the smartest move is to keep 2 Dads at 15 and put, gee shock horror, an inside centre to 12, that being JOC!
The last time Cross and AAC played together it was a disaster and dont JOC and Cross play in the centres together at the Force? Oh and isnt some guy called Gits their 5/8!
The simplicity is there for all to see except Drongo Deans….
Hansie said | October 30th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Yep, exactly.
Harry said | October 30th 2009 @ 8:17am | Report comment
JOC at fullback against NZ = disaster.
AAC and Cross at centre v SA = disaster.
Ioane, no game for 6 games = potential disaster.
Softy Chisolm and inexperienced Alexander starting in tight 5 looks potentail disaster.
Even Scotland’s looking iffy as the forwards are extremely vulnerable, and if, as is likely, we get hammered on the weekend, we have no depth at all and it could get extremely ugly.
Darkest hour before the dawn … is this it? Or are the next 5 weeks going to be the worst for Wallabies supporters since the mid 70′s?
mudskipper said | October 30th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
Wallabies please put Tyrone into 12 and AAC back to full back… Tyrone last years Rookie in 2008 has plenty to offer and excellent defense and speed…
The All Blacks see O’Connor as a weakness at 15.
Unconditional said | October 30th 2009 @ 9:43am | Report comment
My suggestion….. All Blacks by 14. Wallabies are not ready for this Kiwi onslaught. And the fact that Berrick Barnes has rolled his ankle is not doing the boys in canary yellow any favours. KIA KAHA!!!