It’s Wallabies game on against the All Blacks
Columnist By Spiro Zavos, 26 Jul 2010 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
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- All Blacks, Berrick Barnes, David Pocock, IRB, Jaque Fourie, Peter de Villiers, Phil Kearns, Quade Cooper, Rocky Elsom, Rugby Union, Springboks, Tri-Nations Tests, wallabies, Will Genia
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South Africa's Bryan Habana, right, lines up Australia's Nathan Sharpe.
In boxing terms, the Wallabies won a clear-cut points decision against the Springboks in Brisbane on Saturday; as opposed to the knockout of the Springboks at Auckland and TKO at Wellington inflicted by the All Blacks.
Part of my confidence leading into this match was related to the Brisbane hoodoo for the Springbok, and in fact for other visiting international rugby sides. Greg Clarke, the excellent Fox rugby caller, gave a statistic that the Wallabies have now won 40 of their last 46 Tests at Brisbane. This includes eight consecutive Test wins against the Springboks.
Suncorp Stadium has the best playing surface anywhere in the world. The ground, which was built to host State of Origin matches, has a great design for watching rugby matches of both codes. The ball-in-hand game that the Wallabies (finally) adopted for the Test is perfectly suited to the venue.
So the hoodoo, the perfect surface to play running rugby, the Springboks’ brain-dead attack on the IRB referees (ensuring their vigilance for the inevitable Springboks foul play), and the fatigue factor involved with the Springboks getting smashed in the two previous weeks by the All Blacks, created the sort of perfect rugby storm that virtually ensured a Wallaby victory.
Helping this outcome was the arrogance of the Springboks in the way they scheduled travel plans which virtually ensured their tiredness was accentuated on Saturday night. It’s hard to believe but at 4 a.m. on the Sunday morning after the Wellington Test, the Springboks left for Brisbane. The lethargic way they played at Brisbane suggests that they had not recovered.
The All Blacks, incidentally, were in Melbourne on Saturday night which allowed their coaching staff to be at Suncorp to watch the enthralling Test live.
The other piece of arrogance is the refusal of the Springboks to change their game from the kicking, thugging, and then run the ball as a final resort type of game that was so successful for them last season.
As everyone in the rugby world knows, except the Springboks apparently, the tackle interpretation has changed from last year and now favours (correctly) the attacking and not the defending side.
So the first two times Ruan Pienaar got the ball at Brisbane he kicked.
Then we had Jacque Fourie commit a dangerous tackle on Richard Brown. He was correctly given a yellow card for this, and has been suspended for four matches. Fourie, like Botha and Burger (who did some un-noticed eye-scrapping in the Test), has form. He was suspended last season for a similar offence.
When I heard Phil Kearns on the Fox commentary say that ‘maybe a penalty’ should have been awarded for the dangerous tackle, I wrote down in my note book: ‘Someone should tell Kearns to shut up.’ This was commentary that was on a par with that of Peter de Villiers for its ignorance. If you make a dangerous tackle, you get sin-binned.
Last week I got plenty of bagging mainly from South African supporters for suggesting that it seems to be part of the Springboks game plan to perpetrate some form of thuggery early on in a Test to intimidate the opposition. Three acts of thuggery in the early moments of the first three Tri Nations tends to suggest a pattern.
There were a number of aspects of the Wallabies’ game that were good. For one important thing, they showed more legitimate mongrel than they have for some time.
Rocky Elsom, I thought, played his best game for the Wallabies. He made some mistakes with the finishing off of his runs. He is not a skillful player as far as passing or kicking are concerned. But his tackling was hard-shouldered and effective, and his running hit the right lines and gave the Wallabies great go-forward ball.
His match statistics were terrific: three linebreaks, 16 runs for 114m, three off-loads, seven tackle busts, four lineout wins. No wonder he looked exhausted, physically shattered in fact, when he faced the cameras after the Test.
The scrum held up, just, against what is not a particularly strong Springboks scrum. At Melbourne, the All Blacks, who do have a strong scrum, will try to do to the Wallabies at scrum time what England did to them. If they get on top at scrum time then the Wallabies could be in for a hard night.
The lineout with only one loss held up better than the All Blacks at Wellington. The forwards stopped the rolling mauls, except a crucial rumble on their try line which resulted in a Springboks try to Gurthro Steenkampf.
Quade Cooper played a perfectly under-stated game, rather like that of Daniel Carter at Wellington. There was no need for him to make sizzling breaks. He took on the line occasionally but contented himself with linking up with his backs and forwards to keep the pressure on the Springboks tacklers.
The threat of his running and the Springboks’ attempts to thwart the gaps created chances for Will Genia. Genia once again demonstrated that he is now ready to be ranked with the greatest of the modern Wallaby halfbacks, a golden line from Ken Catchpole, Des Connor, John Hipwell and Nick Farr-Jones.
With Cooper’s suspension, my guess is that Deans will play Berrick Barnes in Cooper’s place at Melbourne. He must give him the instruction to give away the stupid kicking game that Waratahs coaching staff imposed on him and the other backs this Super 14 season.
David Pocock had a blinder. He exposed the Springboks’ tactical stupidity of not playing a ‘fetcher’. Pocock made a crucial tackle on the Wallabies try line and then forced a penalty by driving through the ensuing ruck. He got turnovers, in the McCaw manner. And by just being there he forced the Springboks forwards to get to many rucks and mauls they were trying to avoid to conserve their flagging energy.
So the Wallabies go to Melbourne with spirits uplifted from their great victory.
They have won in Melbourne against the All Blacks, a victory which resulted in them clawing back an All Black lead at half-time. But that All Blacks side, in 2007, had just made the tough trip back from South Africa a few days earlier.
Unlike the Springboks, a side on the slide, the All Blacks are a side on the up. And so, of course, are the Wallabies. So it’s game on in Melbourne!
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July 26th 2010 @ 6:43am
Hombre said | July 26th 2010 @ 6:43am | Report comment
” the All Blacks are a side on the up. And so, of course, are the Wallabies. ” … really ? sure the Wallabies were better than the previous June tests – but it would be hard not to be …. but are the “of course” on the up.
I thought the game was scrappy and disjointed – nothing in it said that this Wallabies side reached a level anywhere near what was on display form the previous fortnight – as has been pointed out in other posts they played against 14 men for 20 mins and didn’t take advantage – a good result sure, but this article highlights things lined up pretty perfectly for them – they’ll need to be at a distinctly higher level this weekend – and I just can’t see it from what’s been on display so far
July 26th 2010 @ 7:16am
Hayden said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:16am | Report comment
I notice Spiro, no mention of Cooper’s form: Breaking and entering, drunk driving, not to mention dangerous tackling, every bit as bad as Fourie’s.
It’s the first time I’ve heard the words Greg Clarke and excellent in the same sentence.
It was a big ask to expect the Boks to change their playing style on such short notice. They first need a clean out of personnel to do that. I for one hope that PDivvy resists this urge and keeps chugging along like he has been.
I’m expecting Melbourne to be a lot closer than the three games we have seen so far, but in the end a win for the ABs.
July 26th 2010 @ 8:47am
warrenexpatinnz said | July 26th 2010 @ 8:47am | Report comment
Hayden have your opinion on the game but if you like tackling below the belt on Cooper’s dealt with off field issues I suggest you go and jump into bed with Greg Growden.
You are correct on a close game this Saturday but my main concern aside from whether the Wallabies can for once play two games back to back at the same intensity is the playing surface as it is copping a bagging from AFL quarters and I would hate to see any player injured because of it. With this the scrums will be needed to watched very closely and without sounding to melodramatic the potenntial for a serious injury is there if guys slip unexpectedly.
I would think a further big step up will be needed by the Wallabies to match an AB side that is playing very well presently however Deans you would think will be preparing the Wallabies one game at a time and by this I mean a game plan which is different to the opponents faced.
July 26th 2010 @ 9:29am
Hayden said | July 26th 2010 @ 9:29am | Report comment
Warren, did you lose your sense of humour when you crossed the ditch? I guess I should have added a smiley face to my post. But if you read Spiro’s article, he tears Fourie a new one but then completely glosses over Cooper’s offence, which was just as bad.
July 26th 2010 @ 10:02am
el gamba said | July 26th 2010 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Brown landed on his head, Steyn was able to lower himself with his arms. Otherwise both tackles were similar and deserved similar punishments – bearing in mind past form. You cannot take off-field form into the equation, especially made up stuff like drink driving. You would be crazy to say Fourie’s and Cooper’s on field form is similar though “that” ankle tap was silly Quade…
July 26th 2010 @ 10:58am
Working Class Rugger said | July 26th 2010 @ 10:58am | Report comment
el gamba
You have expressed a great deal of dis-illusionment with the game recently. What did you make of the match?
July 26th 2010 @ 12:01pm
el gamba said | July 26th 2010 @ 12:01pm | Report comment
I’ve also been busy at work so perhaps I have been a little grumpy too!
I was really happy with the attitude of the Wallabies in general. Largely I felt that a number of players stood up, whether SA were tired or not, our forwards didn’t let them in the game through aggression at the breakdown. That turn-over when Pocock smashed Burger off the ball typified this. The instant this happened guys like Sharpe were switched on enough to support Pocock and take the opportunity. I think that it was a great case of standing up to the bully.
Our backs were better because of the better ball given to them. We still missed chances and the lack of clinicalness may haunt us in games where our upfront dominance isn’t apparent.
All in all, it was a great step forward. I am now nervously awaiting how we approach the AB’s fully aware that they are a completely different team to S.A. (as are we!). I am happy that I will be there as a guest of Bundaberg, their product can help calm the nerves!! (and keep away the Melbourne chills…)
July 26th 2010 @ 10:35am
warrenexpatinnz said | July 26th 2010 @ 10:35am | Report comment
Hayden sorry I didn’t read it as tounge in cheek.
The guy is 22 years old and still growing up and unlike most of us has to do this in a public forum due to his career path. I may seem a tad over senstive on the issue but these guys play for our enjoyment as well as theirs so encouraging them is better than taking the p… whether it is tounge in cheek or just a low blow.
I still have my sense of humor otherwise why would I be lliving in NZ and going to wear my Wallaby jumper come Saturday morning and doing the shopping with my wife, who is a Kiwi and an ardent AB fan, as are my Kiwi born kids. Yes I am the lone Wallaby supporter in my household!
July 26th 2010 @ 10:50am
Apelu Tielu said | July 26th 2010 @ 10:50am | Report comment
You’re a brave man, Warren, but I have many friends like you: married to Kiwi women who would have their children wear the black jersey. It has always been a source of great fun and mirth.
July 26th 2010 @ 12:03pm
el gamba said | July 26th 2010 @ 12:03pm | Report comment
Not funny in my house. Kiwi wife in Australia. We have two girls AND THEY WILL SUPPORT THE WALLABIES.
July 26th 2010 @ 12:59pm
Hayden said | July 26th 2010 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
I guess it was just a play on the word ‘form’. No offence intended. You are indeed a brave man, and should the Wallabies win, I’ll raise a glass to you from afar.
July 26th 2010 @ 1:18pm
warrenexpatinnz said | July 26th 2010 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
Cheers Hayden, hopefully will be whistling come Sunday morning.
El Gamba I have two girls as well, 15 going on 20 and 8 going on 15 and the only way I could get them to sing the Aussie National anthem with a passion was for me to learn and sing the Kiwi anthem both English and Maori version.
I’m the boss at work but the soft cookie at home.
July 26th 2010 @ 2:09pm
el gamba said | July 26th 2010 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
I hear you Warren. The only thing my one and three year olds love about Rugby is the HAKA! Hard to compete with that.
July 26th 2010 @ 6:58pm
mother teresa said | July 26th 2010 @ 6:58pm | Report comment
expat,cooper is ill disciplined and impulsive which is a sign of immaturity which will take time to change especially cos the consequences of his behavior have gone unpunished(until now).the spasmodic upside is as a risk taker with talent he is exciting to watch but dont rely on him to make the tackle when needed just the miracle rip the ball.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:47pm
Joseph said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:47pm | Report comment
What kind of post is that MT? ole Mr Fence-sitter, Mr safe, Mr i’ll cover my bases aye? On the one hand if Cooper does something extraordinarily spectacular then your in the know because in your opinion he’s a “risk-taker” but in your next breath quick to demonise him if he plays the odd sub-par game! Me i’ll always back the kid not afraid to express himself well aware his crashes can be just as spectacular but I guess i’m just a “glass half full” kind of guy.
Hey watch you dont poke your head too high above the parapet!
July 26th 2010 @ 7:28am
sheek said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:28am | Report comment
It would be extremely foolish for Aussies to get carried away with this win. We still have to play the ABs 3 times, as well as the Boks twice in SA. It won’t get easier, but harder. And we won’t have Cooper for the next two tests.
The Wallabies butchered almost as many chances as they created. And the Boks also created several overlaps, despite their prevalence for kicking. Only a combination of poor options & desperate defence denied them.
The uplift by the Wallabies forwards demonstrated the importance of forward momentum, but can they sustain this? The Wallabies gave us one important C – commitment, but can they give us that other often elusive C – consistency?
I still don’t think Deans has his combinations right, & I’m sure he’s also aware of this. The Wallabies have given us the right start to the 3N, now they have to build on this. The mountain suddenly seems larger, not smaller…..
July 26th 2010 @ 7:32am
pothale said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:32am | Report comment
For the record, Fourie got a ban for four weeks, leading to him missing one test and two potential Currie Cup matches.
Cooper got a two week ban, meaning he’ll miss two test matches.
If I’ve read and understood the reports on the bans correctly.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:37am
Hayden said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:37am | Report comment
Thanks pothale. Hopefully that will help defuse the howls of Saffer outrage once they count up on their fingers and toes and decry the fact that Fourie got a longer ban than Cooper.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:48am
Jerry said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:48am | Report comment
Fourie should get a longer ban than Cooper – he has form.
Considering he was suspended for this tackle last year – – and with De Villiers being suspended last week, it’s inexcusable that he was dumb enough to do another tip tackle.
July 26th 2010 @ 8:25am
Magic Rat said | July 26th 2010 @ 8:25am | Report comment
So the past actions of your team mates should be taken into account when you are being sentenced?
July 26th 2010 @ 5:24pm
Jerry said | July 26th 2010 @ 5:24pm | Report comment
Course not, his prior form does that.
But if one of your team-mates was suspended for something, you’d be a huge idiot to do the very same thing less than 5 minutes into your next match. Especially if you yourself were suspended for the very same thing the prior season.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:47am
sheek said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:47am | Report comment
Yes pothale,
Very astute. SANZAR is now in ridicule with its ‘weeks’ rather than ‘matches’ penalties.
Copper gets 2 weeks which includes 2 tests. Fourie gets 4 weeks which only includes one test & two CC matches. De Villiers copped two weeks & one test.
Clearly, there is something very wrong here. And the human race considers itself smart….. ?
July 26th 2010 @ 7:49am
Jerry said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:49am | Report comment
It’s not a SANZAR thing, it’s an IRB thing. It is stupid though.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:39am
mickh said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:39am | Report comment
I don’t think anyone is really getting carried away. The Springboks were really bad last week. I haven’t seen them play that badly for a while and it wasn’t Wallaby pressure that forced the Boks to play the way they did. They just didn’t want to be there.
I echo Hayden and predict a gallant loss on Saturday. As long as they don’t leave anything on the field and do their best then I’ll be gutted but accept a close loss. Because the All Blacks are looking very good.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:50am
Terry Kidd said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:50am | Report comment
I agree with both Hombre and Hayden in that the Wallabies created a lot of half chances which they then squandered. Yes, apart from the scrums, the pack went ok but all the backs and the running forwards need to step up with passing skills and option selection to ensure that the half chances are taken. The defence is good but they will need to score at least 4 tries to beat the ABs.
I predict that the AB scrum will be strong and the Wallabies will struggle there but the Wallaby line out will be strong and the ABs will struggle against it. I think the backs essentially even themselves out and the result will come down to speed and intensity at the breakdown.
The great unknown is how the Wallaby backline will function without Cooper. I hope that Barnes plays 10 and Giteau 12 with Barnes simply shovelling the ball to a wide and deep Giteau with the ball to be run from there. Giteau at pace will throw doubt in Nomu, who is not the best at changing direction in defence, and thus also into Conrad Smith. The other bonus is that it will keep McCaw, Ried and Kaino on the run, moving side to side.
Keep the ball away from the ABs and keep width to minimize the AB chances for aggressive counter rucking in numbers. I fht e Wallabies can do those things then they are in with a great chance. Wallabies by 5 cheers,
July 26th 2010 @ 7:51am
kingplaymaker said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:51am | Report comment
Two things defeat good All Black sides: unpredictability and their own complacency.
The latter is definitely in the Wallabies favour as the ABs have clearly identified South Africa as the main enemy having lost three times to them last year, and the Wallabies as a sideshow having beaten them lthree times ast year. Hence the Wallabies must explode in a rampage at the beginning.
The unpredictability factor is why France often beat them. Their style and psychology is so different from anything the All Blacks are familiar with that they cannot work out how to respond and are completely disrupted and thrown off their game. So the Wallabies should throw a mixture of things at them and counter-intuitively continue to run the ball a lot, as after two matches against the Springbok kicking machine New Zealand will not be familiar with playing a pure running attack.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:56am
KevKom said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:56am | Report comment
Yeah, I was surprised more hasn’t been made of Bergers ‘scrape’ across the eyes – when I saw it with a SA mate we both thought he was gone for a very long time given his record. Presume it wasn’t as bad as first looked?
July 26th 2010 @ 7:58am
Seiran said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:58am | Report comment
I’d be surprised if Barnes is brought in for flyhalf as Spiro suggests.
I think Giteau will get a run at Flyhalf with Faingga or Barnes playing inside-centre. Probably Barnes to start with Faingga on the Bench.
I thought Ioane might be in for a chance but now he’s buggered up his arm again, that idea is out the window.
July 26th 2010 @ 8:07am
kingplaymaker said | July 26th 2010 @ 8:07am | Report comment
Serian personally I would like to see Beale given a run at fly-half. Everyone forgets he was thought of as a high quality 10 in the making last year but like Cooper had game management problems. Unlike Cooper he wasn’t persevered with or put in charge of a running game by the coach.
July 26th 2010 @ 5:15pm
Seiran said | July 26th 2010 @ 5:15pm | Report comment
I thought a problem with putting Beale up front would be his size. Beale standing next to Giteau leaves a pretty big weak spot for the AB’s to attack. This is why I think Faingga and Barnes wil get the nod. They’re both pretty good defenders.
If Barnes get the nod, I think he’ll play more ball in hand. Tactical kicking has gone out the window this year and I think it will only be used if the Wallabies get a clear upper hand in the lineouts.
I’m looking forward to seeing McCaw v Pocock. Surely this will be the key battle this weekend.
July 26th 2010 @ 9:29am
Dan said | July 26th 2010 @ 9:29am | Report comment
Barnes will most likely be fly half because of his tactical kicking abilities; it makes him perfect for the position and means Giteau doesn’t have to alter his role. What it will mean is that the wallabies will play a different style of game, probably focusing more on playing behind the AB line with clever kicks intermixed with good running.
July 26th 2010 @ 8:22am
Taniwha said | July 26th 2010 @ 8:22am | Report comment
I agree with KPM in regards to complacency could be the AB’s achilles heel, always play a bit better when there are noticeable points to the media and public to prove. Silly articles like the one from Taine Randell don’t help the cause to much. The relatively muted response of the Australian players and press to the win over SA has me thinking there is plenty of fire in the Wallabies belly for this one.
July 26th 2010 @ 9:01am
warrenexpatinnz said | July 26th 2010 @ 9:01am | Report comment
Agree Taniwha, not sure why Taine carries the chip on his shoulder regards the Wallabies and the English side. Justin Marshall was very similar but lately i have thought Justin has become a very good commentator, and calls the game well for both sides.
The subdued celebrations after the match was very evident and I know Rocky’s lack lustre post talk was bagged but aside from him being buggered I took it that the team has had it drilled into them that this was the first of six games and the celebration waits until they actually win the TN or the Bledisloe cup.
As I have posted before and as shown by an improved Mitchell and to an extent Mumm on Saturday night, these guys are well aware that getting dropped from the squad now could effectively end their world cup hopes as with the players to come back in; Palu, Polata, Horwill, Alexander, Ioanne, Davies, Hynes you would believe one mediorce performance would have Deans consigning them to the bench or to club rugby.
I am not expecting the Wallabies to suddenly become the greatest side next week but what I do expect is less errors, same committment culminating in an improved performance.
Whether or not this equates to a win, well I would say the chances are far better with the confidence of a win under their belt and with the game being played on Aussie soil.
July 26th 2010 @ 9:08am
Taniwha said | July 26th 2010 @ 9:08am | Report comment
I think Randell has a real axe to grind with Dean’s in relation to how his own career ended as a result of when Mitchell/Dean’s were in charge of the AB’s, which affects his objectivity. He wrote a similar article last year in a similar vein against Dean’s.
July 26th 2010 @ 7:18pm
mother teresa said | July 26th 2010 @ 7:18pm | Report comment
maybe he does have an axe to grind but his summation is factually correct in my opinion.time will tell.
July 26th 2010 @ 9:22am
Hayden said | July 26th 2010 @ 9:22am | Report comment
I’m wincing at Randal’s comments also. And wasn’t it Stu Wilson who famously predicted the Wallabies would be road kill on the AB’s way to the WC before the semi final in 03?
July 26th 2010 @ 10:41am
warrenexpatinnz said | July 26th 2010 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Occasionaly he comes out with some very good comments however there now seems to be more negative rugby writers and commentators, too many cheerleaders when it comes to the international scene.
In someways SANZAR has got it wrong appointing NH rugby referees, maybe they should have insisted on NH rugby commentators so we can listen to impartial but informed game day commentry’s.
I like Wynne Grey’s peices in the Herald and Rod Kafer’s comments in general as both are well informed and not a one eyed view.