Can Cooper still shine with Burgess’ poor passing?

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By Spiro Zavos, 2 Jun 2010 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert

Tagged:: Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper, robbie deans, Rugby Union, wallabies

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Australian rugby union player Luke Burgess is tackled by Jimmy Cowan. AAP Image/Paul Miller

For some weeks now, the gossip around rugby circles is that Robbie Deans would not select Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale in the same Wallaby starting XV. I must admit to passing on this nugget of misinformation in one of my recent posts. We were all wrong.

The Wallaby team to play Fiji at Canberra on Saturday night has Kurtley Beale starting at fullback and Quade Cooper at number 10. The rest of the backline is predictable enough (Digby Ioane/Adam Ashley Cooper the wingers, centres Rob Horne and Matt Giteau) except for the halfback, Luke Burgess.

Readers of The Roar will know that I don’t rate Burgess, likeable and enthusiastic chap that he is, as a halfback of any quality.

First and foremost, halfbacks have to be good passers of the ball. Burgess passes poorly, and what is more, his timing of pop-up passers to one off runners is appalling.

The great Des Connor, a Test halfback for Australia and New Zealand, says that Burgess has a technical failing in that he passes with his feet together which means he does not have a steady platform to launch his passing from. He always seems to me to resemble a man falling forward off an unsupported ladder when he makes his passes.

The result of this terrible technique is that number 10s do not flourish – ask Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes – when Burgess is the halfback. Now Cooper has the task of trying to run a backline when he doesn’t know where the ball is going to be delivered to him.

Cooper’s play has been thrilling this year because Will Genia has passed beautiful long, flat and catchable balls to him to run on to. Every now and again, Genia breaks, a tactic that keeps flankers from flying at Cooper.

I’ve thought that aside from Genia, who is in a class of his own with the other Australian halfbacks, that Josh Valentine has been the next best, or next least worse, Australian halfback. Valentine is inclined to be too stroppy and give away penalties by antagonising referees but at his best he is feisty, runs quite well, and with a couple of steps, wind-up passes quite nicely.

Burgess, to his credit, is an excellent defensive halfback.

This may be the reason why he is being played with Cooper and Beale. The two stars, as well, are probably on notice that unless they improve their tackling, they will not be picked for future Tests, especially in the Tri-Nations, where the Springboks particularly will run their big loose forwards right at (and hopefully not through) Cooper’s defensive channel.

The front row is clearly not the starting front row when all the injured props and hookers are back playing. The back five, though, looks to be the best the Wallabies can put out on to the field, while Wycliff Palu and James Horwill remain injured.

Aside from Nathan Sharpe and Rocky Elsom, it is a smallish back five which will have to lift considerably against tougher sides than Fiji. Peter Higginbottom is out injured, but when he comes back, he might be considered a possible number 8 given his size, speed and power.

Deans suggests in classic coach-speak that “the selection template is always a living document.” At least he is not on about ‘the group’ and their ‘journey.’

I think he means that selections change when circumstances change.

I would take from this that Burgess (for his passing) and Beale and Cooper (for the quality and enthusiasm of their defensive work) are on notice this Test to lift their game. The Fijians, if their forwards can give the backs even about 30 per cent of the ball, should provide an interesting challenge for the halfback/number 10 link and the fullback to see if they can translate Super 14 form to the Test level.

For what it is worth, I think Cooper and Beale are up to this task. I don’t think Burgess is.

The problem with this, presuming I’m right, is that if Burgess unravels, then he’ll bring down Cooper with him.

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The Crowd Says (84) | Page 1 of Comments

Mr Saunders said | June 2nd 2010 @ 3:23am | Report comment

I can think of three reasons why Burgess has been selected:

(i) Deans is unwilling to ackowledge his mistake in persisting with Burgess for so long;
(ii) Deans is offering Burgess another chance/a last chance at test level;
(iii) Deans has selected Burgess for a specific tactical reason.

Whatever the reason Burgess simply cannot pass (a glaring indictment of various people), and having a 9 that cannot pass is not the way to go.

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Frank O'Keeffe said | June 2nd 2010 @ 3:32am | Report comment

Spiro,

If I was a man in your position I’d be asking a different question: why is Luke Burgess being selected at all?

I agree he comes off as enthusiastic and likeable.

However, for all of my criticism of Matt Guteau, he would have done a lot better last year he had a better halfback.

Giteau searched for more space and room, minimising his ability to attack the advantage line. Often the passes were still poor and Giteau had no choice but to kick, and kick aimlessly, giving the game back to the opposition.

Burgess should have been dropped last year after the Auckland Test. I still maintain that’s the worst I’ve seen the All Blacks play in a long time… yet Australia were worse. Burgess’ two brain-snaps that gave away two penalties were a huge reason why Australia lost.

Robbie Deans should have been held accountable for sticking with him for so long. And really the writing was on the wall in 2009 when Burgess had trouble holding his Super 14 spot with the Tah’s… yet he was a protected species for longer than he should have been.

It’s the same with Barnes. People criticise Barnes for not attacking the advantage line, but five-eighths invariably search for more space and room to work with when Burgess is halfback.

I don’t want to be harsh on the nice lad, but as I write this my mind is flooded with memories of some of his bad mistakes… like against France in 2008 where Giteau wanted a clearing kick, but Burgess’ pass was so horrible Giteau had to ground the ball, seconds later there was a 5m scrum where France scored a penalty try (admittedly a controversial one that shouldn’t have been awarded). Then there was in Auckland last year when the Wallabies were called from onstructions that resulted from Burgess being in two minds… in the same game, when Australia were running into a breeze, he sought to pass the ball to Giteau (who would have been kicking into the breeze), when the right thing was for him to kick the ball himself. The ball was so high that Giteau had to pluck it out of the air with a little leap, by which time he was swamped by All Blacks, and only a diabolical George Smith penalty prevented the All Blacks from scoring (how Smith wasn’t red-carded I don’t know).

Burgess shouldn’t go anywhere near the Wallabies jersey.

Surely there’s a young halfback in Australia who, with a bit of experience, would develope into a better player. Surely there’s a coachable player out there who could learn better technique than Burgess does.

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counterruck said | June 2nd 2010 @ 5:11am | Report comment

copper should shine in what is likely to be very open/loose match, i dont think even burgess can ruin that. for all the talk of “playing whats in front of you” the wallabies have still reverted to their pre-programmed type under deans, here’s hoping copper injects some spontaneity into their attack.

anyone know who has been selected for the the fiji XV? incidentally, according to the records, fiji actually have a decent record against the wallabies winning in 1952 and again in 1954, with a draw in melbourne in 1961

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Hoy said | June 2nd 2010 @ 5:23am | Report comment

If Fiji is smart, they will run Cau Cau at Cooper and Gits all day. Neither are big, and Cau Cau tips the scales these days at what is reportedly above 110, yet still seems to run and move so silky smooth. He was a handful on the wing, I think these days, if worked right, could be a bigger handful (pun intended) at 12.

I have said many times before, Burgess was awesome as a raw product. Watching him play ARC and I knew he was going to be a Wallaby. I think he has been overcoached along the line somewhere between playing for Melbourne where his passes were crisp, flat and long, and now, where it is a lotto. He just never seems to know what to do now, whereas when he came onto the scene that was never an issue. So much potential, going backwards I am afraid.

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Short-Blind. said | June 2nd 2010 @ 5:31am | Report comment

I’ve been a critic of Burgess in the past but he has been a little better this year at S14 level – his passing is OK for about 50% of the time but when he is tired or under pressure when his forwards are going backwards it deteriorates badly. When this occurs it will reduce Cooper’s time and space compared to what he had with the Reds and Will Genia. Cooper will still do OK in what will be a loose game against Fiji but will be under more pressure against the better teams (Genia should be back?). I basically agree with Frank that until Burgess gets through passing remedial lessons from a top ex-halfback and more consistently proves himself (in this area of the game) at S14 level he should not be given a Wallaby jumper.
Valentine has the next best pass and all round game of other Aussi halfbacks we have seen this year. I am a little distressed that RD hasn’t plucked some younger halfback talent with great potential (J Turner, R Kingi, McKibbin) that has yet not had regular S14 time. We just have to try this talent to find a ‘gem’ that can back up Genia.

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- Rockin Rod said | June 2nd 2010 @ 8:30am | Report comment
  
  RD wants justin turner to play in the Under 20s RWC, but dont be suprised to see his name in the squad when he returns
  
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  - el gamba said | June 2nd 2010 @ 10:59am | Report comment
    
    Whilst young, outside of Genia he had the best pass in an Aus side IMO.
    
    Soaks boy too… greatest Club in the world.
    
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    - Short-Blind. said | June 2nd 2010 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
      
      Gamba excuse my ignorance – where/what club is ‘Soaks’. thanks
      
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      - scarlet said | June 2nd 2010 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
        
        Associates in Perth, WA. Based in the Nedlands Park Hotel (Steves) in my day. One of my old clubs too as I used to live just around the corner – unless there is another Soaks in Australia?
        
        Reply
        
        Cattledog said | June 4th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
        
        Seems there’s a few of us who have had a run with ‘Soaks’ over the years…in my case about 30 years ago during a posting to Perth!
warrenexpatinnz said | June 2nd 2010 @ 6:03am | Report comment

Burgess will be in because of his size and that will help against the Fijians. I would assume that this is his last chance to start and press claims as you assume if he does poorly this week there is only one more game before Genia should be ready to come back.
In defense of Burgess he has age on his side and shows enough to be perservered with as long as his rugby brain switches on for a full 80 minutes and every game after that.
As a wild card positonal change and to fit him in the squad if Cooper and Gitteau click why not have Barnes wear 9 as his passing is pretty good, chip kicks generally spot on and not afraid to take the line on. Having three players able to break the line, kick and pass from 9,10 and 12 would be demanding on any defensive side.

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Killerwhale said | June 2nd 2010 @ 6:21am | Report comment

Good question and the short answer is no!

Another question could be “Will Coopers ribs be able to handle the pounding they are going to get from the loose forwards when he is trying to drag in one of Burgess’s trademark high passes?

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Hombre said | June 2nd 2010 @ 6:22am | Report comment

Just like the 1st international last year the Wallabies will roll a team in black and white on Saturday … Cooper will have a field day, the backline will sparkle …. which in turn will switch the media (esp the foxsports cheerleaders) into overdrive ….

and another thing who at he ARU decided to play this game in Canberra – where by kick off the temp will below well south of 10 degrees …. nice way to stack the deck even further …. perhaps they should hold a rematch in Darwin – to give the poor old Fijians a bit more of a chance

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Jecker said | June 2nd 2010 @ 6:39am | Report comment

Sam Domoni, so I read, had chosen 15 overseas and nine home-based players led by former Fiji 7s captain and halfback Emosi Vucago. Caucau returns to the side for the first time since 2006, and there’s some talk about trying him at centre. Another flyer, Sireli Bobo, is also back. Campese Ma’afu gets the nod as does Tuapati Talemaitoga (Southland). Nemani Nadolo, a star in Australia’s Under-20 squad last year when he played as Ratu Nasiganiyavi, is also making the trip.

Fiji will be tough, hard and strong. And very fast. Please Canberra, stay dry. We want to see some running rugby from both teams.

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Red Rooster said | June 2nd 2010 @ 6:40am | Report comment

It is Scott Higginbotham not “Peter Higginbotham” – helps credibility when you are writing comment pieces

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- Lee said | June 2nd 2010 @ 6:45am | Report comment
  
  Whats going on? Earlier on in the week Spiro even said that Jacque Fourie played for the Bulls, when that isn’t the case! Shocking!
  
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  - Coxinator said | June 3rd 2010 @ 9:37am | Report comment
    
    He’s on a hat-trick!
    
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    - zoo said | June 3rd 2010 @ 11:40am | Report comment
      
      I’m a fan of Spiro’s, but he didn’t get either name right. Peter = Scott and Higginbottom = Higginbotham.
      
      Reply