By Darren Walton
November 24th 2009 @ 3:26am
Wallabies hurting more than anyone, says Elsom
Captain Rocky Elsom has assured disillusioned Australian rugby fans that no-one is hurting more after Saturday’s exasperating loss to Scotland than the Wallabies themselves.
Still dumbfounded by how his side lost a match it dominated so heavily against the world No.9 team, Elsom on Sunday said he’d never seen a more depressed bunch of teammates than in the Australian dressing room at Murrayfield.
“It wasn’t great in there,” said Elsom after the Wallabies arrived in Cardiff to prepare for Saturday’s tour finale against Wales.
“It was extreme disappointment. So if anyone was disappointed with that performance, then I’d think we’re that too, but on a largely magnified scale.”
Coach Robbie Deans insisted his players were acutely aware of what it meant to suffer Australia’s first loss to Scotland since 1982, an almost unimaginable result being likened to the Wallabies’ infamous loss to Tonga at Ballymore 36 years ago.
“To give an insight into what the shed was like, it was probably the most shattered I’ve experienced in terms of a team that just knew that they contributed to their own demise in every way possible,” he said.
Deans has demanded everyone in the touring group, from players to the coaching staff, accept responsibility for the sobering defeat – just as he did personally on Sunday with a defiant message to disillusioned Wallabies fans in Australia.
“The message is it’s not for me to tell them what to do. They’ll do as they see fit and that’s their right,” he said.
“All I can assure them is that we’re not going to back off any of the challenges and we’re going to do our best to address them and hopefully represent them in a better fashion next time out.”
Desperate to atone against Wales, the Wallabies departed Edinburgh still trying to get their heads around how Scotland managed to beat them despite spending just five per cent of the match inside the Australian 22 – and 37 per cent of the Test camped in their own quarter.
“I can’t put a finger on it,” Elsom said.
“It would be very easy for us to say we took them too lightly or that our preparation during the week was poor or that we just didn’t front up.
“But I just don’t feel like that was the case. Our preparation was good, better than previous weeks.”
Deans is sorely missing the class and leadership of his first-choice centre pairing of Stirling Mortlock and Berrick Barnes but, rarely one to offer excuses, said there was no point blaming injuries for his side’s stunning decline from grand slam hunters to spring tour flops.
“The best players are here,” he said.
“We have another opportunity against Wales and we’re lucky to be able to have this opportunity, to be honest.
“It would have been pretty tough to chew on if we had to finish on that last effort.
“And there’s really not much involved in turning it around. We were over the line three times (against Scotland), didn’t convert too many penalties … close one of those games out and we get on a roll.
“But we’ve got to take the first step. That’s the step we’re waiting on.”
Deans also has a lengthy injury list to worry about, with six players in doubt for Saturday’s Test.
Prop Benn Robinson (shoulder) is causing most concern, but centre Digby Ioane (shoulder), halfback Will Genia (knee), No.8 Wycliff Palu (neck), flanker and captain Rocky Elsom (quad) and prop Sekope Kepu (ankle) are also all in a race against the clock.
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ps can anyone tell me why rugby in NZ is so dominant and played across all strata of society and in Oz it is mainly a preppy...
Mick Gold Coast QLD said | November 24th 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Nah, heard that one too many times before already, Rocky. Just words.
Mick Gold Coast QLD said | November 24th 2009 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Hang on – I’ve just thought about that and discovered I never ever heard Thornett, Shehadie, Farr-Jones or Slack speak of their players’ feeeeeeelings.
Do we have a new public service mentality happening here in the Wallabies? How did they manage to name one bloke as captain – it’s supposed to be an “inclusive” thing.
“I demand my employer funded grief counselling for our deferred success against Scotland!”
Do the referees now say “Touch, pause, engage – are you comfortable with that?”
I really, simply do not care about how the participants most to blame for their failure feeeeeeeeeel. Their bank manager feels no different this week to last week and I’m sure that helps ease their depression.
Worlds Biggest said | November 24th 2009 @ 10:30am | Report comment
so they bloody well should be hurting, strips need to be torn from these pretenders after that farcical performance. What I or thousands of others wouldn’t do to be in there position. We would all do it for nothing in a heartbeat to wear that jersey. These muppets get very well paid to represent there country but play like 14 yr old schoolboys most weekends. They’re a joke. After 5 years of this rubbish I am very close to giving up on these clowns and that is coming from a passionate Wallabies fan.
Campbell Watts said | November 24th 2009 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
I don’t think you can overstress enough HOW RIDICULOUSLY OVERPAID this playing group is!!!
In all honesty who decides Gits is worth a million plus per annum??
O’Connor $600k???? At 19??? What – was he going to go overseas if they didn’t pay him that??
“It wasn’t great in there” says Rocky – is it normally great after a loss is it?? Come out with some honesty please! You shoud be telling us this is the lowest point in you life!! That is the commitment we expect!
“It wasn’t great in there” is the sort of thing you say after losing the sports quiz night down at the local!!
BAH!! I wipe my hands of you pathetic show-ponies! May the Welsh wipe the floor with you!
PastHisBest said | November 24th 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
“What – was he going to go overseas if they didn’t pay him that??”
And if he was then good riddance, because it’s not about the honour of the jersey then is it?
Antony said | November 24th 2009 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
If your hurting so much, start off all of you (every single wobbly) by giving every single test match salary from 2009 to charity. God knows you guys dont deserve it! Some less PRIVILEDGED people could do with it.