Wallaby boys thrashed by All Black men
Columnist By Spiro Zavos, 2 Aug 2010 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
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- All Blacks, Bledisloe Cup, Dan Carter, Joe Rokocovo, Mils Muliaina, Rugby Union, wallabies
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Kieran Read of the All Blacks breaks past the Wallabies defence during the first match of the Tri-Nation series, played at Etihad stadium, Melbourne, Saturday, July 31, 2010. (AAP Image/ Joe Castro)
The scary thing for the Wallabies going into the second Bledisloe Cup Test at Christchurch next Saturday is that the All Blacks were slightly off their best at Melbourne. Despite this, they scored 7 tries to 3, and more crucially were able to go up a gear in their attack virtually at will.
One remarkable statistic that bears this out is that they scored three tries to Dan Carter, Mils Muliaina and Joe Rokocovo and a penalty by Carter directly from four kick-offs. In a long career of watching big time rugby, I don’t think I have ever seen this number of tries scored by one side from kick-offs.
Occasionally, very occasionally in fact, you might get two. But three tries and a successful penalty suggests a superiority over an opponent that spells trouble, you would think, for the Wallabies at Christchurch.
A Sun-Herald sports sub was tough but accurate enough with his headline: Boys 28 – Men 49.
The difference between the All Blacks of this year and last year is quite astonishing. The coaching staff has got the team playing as commandingly as England did in 2002 and 2003. It is the most-capped All Blacks side ever. A number of the most experienced players were involved in the 2007 fiasco.
But there are new players (not selected in 2007) like the Franks brothers, Tom Donnelly, Kieran Read, Corry Jane and Ma’a Nonu who are giving the old hands the muscle, power and speed that has turned the side around this season.
In the words of Rod Macqueen before the Test, “this All Blacks side are on the verge of greatness.”
I had the pleasure of talking to a group of guests in the Clemenger BBDO box at Etihad Stadium before and during the Test along with New Zealand’s renaissance man Chris Laidlaw, great halfback, Rhodes Scholar, MP, noted radio broadcaster, and author.
The only real hope for the Wallabies, I suggested, lay in the fact that with 7 consecutive losses to the All Blacks they must be, in statistical terms at least, close to a victory. Moreover, the last 7-win streak by the All Blacks against the Wallabies was stopped at Melbourne in 2002.
This is a sort of variation of Peter FitzSimons’ intriguing theory that the All Blacks had already played 320 superb minutes of rugby against the Springboks and had, therefore, exhausted the amount of superb rugby any team can play in a season.
This was a good try by FitzSimons and myself.
The reality is that a team that wins this convincingly away from home, on a slippery surface that does not suit its fluid, hard-shouldered game, has a lot going for it. And Macqueen may well be right. How the All Blacks go in South Africa will be the acid test.
How can the Wallabies stop this juggernaut?
The first thing is that they have to believe they can. And as Robbie Deans pointed out, they played the last 37 minutes of the Test with Drew Mitchell off the field and held the All Blacks to a 14 – 15 score line.
What is more the Wallabies made most of the play in this period. So they have to believe that this shows they can compete with the All Blacks.
Another factor (or straw?) that can be grasped is that the Wallabies started off strongly and if James O’Connor had been been able to convert a long break into a try from the opening phases in the game the tenor of the match might, and I stress might, have been different.
I think that Robbie Deans has to change his pack around a bit.
Anthony Faingnaa should start at hooker. He is a busy player and the scrum seemed to go well enough with him there. His toughness and speed around the ruck area are badly needed.
Nathan Sharpe was taken off and replaced by Rod Simmons. Simmons needs to start, either with Sharpe or Dean Mumm. There is a compelling case, too, for Scott Higginbottom to come in as a flanker. Just for his size, I’d go with Sharpe, with the proviso that he rarely plays up to his weight.
Rocky Elsom can be moved to number 8. These changes should toughen up the pack and give it some more speed with David Pocock and Higginbottom leading the way.
The Wallabies missed Quade Cooper, and they will be a much better side when he comes back into the side after Christchurch. Matt Giteau made a slashing break in the opening seconds of the Test but that was it. Cooper would have challenged the defence and defeated it occasionally as well.
I would move Giteau back to inside centre (Macqueen’s option, too) and play Berrick Barnes at number 10 with strict instructions to keep his kicking to minimum. It was his attempted kick which Carter charged down (immediately after he’d been charged down by Drew Mitchell) which brought the All Blacks really into the Test.
With Rob Horne out, Adam Ashley-Cooper will probably be moved into the centres. We might see Cameron Shepherd on the wing in place of Drew Mitchell, who as a Roarer suggests should give away the bruiser boy haircut and let his playing reveal his toughness.
Kurtley Beale will probably go back to fullback where he played pretty well while he was on the field.
A big problem for the Wallabies right now is that they are playing dumb rugby and making stupid mistakes. For instance, following the yellow card given to Ben Franks, Giteau failed to find touch. The All Blacks ran the ball back, got some momentum and a try followed shortly afterwards.
Late in the first half, when Drew Mitchell was in the sin-bin for a tackle (?) that wasn’t replayed on my TV coverage, the referee Craig Joubert (who had an excellent game) called both captains and warned them that there were two many instances of a team preventing its opponents from taking quick taps or quick lineouts. The next infringement was going to be a yellow card, he said.
This was good strong refereeing. Richie McCaw went over to his players and told them in no uncertain terms what the requirement was. Rocky Elsom wandered away and seemingly did not tell anyone. There was a television shot of Drew Mitchell limbering up on the sideline seemingly unaware of this general warning.
Mitchell should have been paying attention because if a player is given two yellow cards, he immediately becomes a red card victim. I am always amazed how nonchalantly players ignore this yellow card peril. And some time after, early on in the second half, Mitchell cynically and slyly knocked the ball out of an All Black’s hands trying for a quick throw-in. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
The cruel thing about this is that Deans’ coaching career has been marked by turning players into clever, smart operators. Three of the All Blacks pack and Carter were all trained and identified by Deans.
Somehow in a week he has to turn a side that is being out-gunned and out-thought into a winning combination. And this team has to play in a city where the All Blacks invariably play well.
It’s getting close to miracle time this season for the Wallabies.
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- All Blacks, Bledisloe Cup, Dan Carter, Joe Rokocovo, Mils Muliaina, Rugby Union, wallabies
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:03am
Redback said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:03am | Report comment
The forwards were soft and slow. The backs besides mitchell’s stupidity were not to blame and were victims of the forwards gutless performance.. The problem with Aus though is the conservative approach it has taken over the last 5 years. The attacking nature no longer becomes natural and when they get through the break they tend not to score. The All Blacks totally different. when they make a break they score when they counter attack they score. Wallabies need to blood some youg mad bastards up front and the backs need to chance their arm at every opportunity.
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:04am
johnny-boy said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:04am | Report comment
Genia – would probably be the better captain – low injury rate and calmer. Pocock should be forwards leader maybe.
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:16am
macavity said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:16am | Report comment
Fair dinkum, when will the ruggers stop humiliating Australia?
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:18am
Vincent said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:18am | Report comment
One would wonder if Mitchells Wallabie days are over after the weekends sending off…
August 2nd 2010 @ 11:54am
Mungehead said | August 2nd 2010 @ 11:54am | Report comment
I doubt it. It was a harsh lesson, but I felt you could almost apportion as much blame to Rocky for the red card. Mitchell at least showed some spirit before his mistake, and his charge-down try was gold.
August 2nd 2010 @ 7:23pm
mother teresa said | August 2nd 2010 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
mitchell is intermittent and therefore not an edge cos of inconsistency,please leave the building
August 3rd 2010 @ 8:29am
Mungehead said | August 3rd 2010 @ 8:29am | Report comment
Sorry, but I’ve always thought Mitchell had great potential, and some of that was realised in that game – the red card was just plain unfortunate. My belief is he’ll learn from it… or maybe when he’s coached better. *leaves building*
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:20am
JAJI said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:20am | Report comment
I actually think Australian Rugby punched above its weight during the 1990-2003 golden years. When you consider its a niche sport played by a niche market in only 2 cities in Australia the fact we won 2 World Cups in the pace of 8 years is testament to sound management, coaching and junior development during that time
However things are going pear shaped now. Of the battle of the 4 codes in this country it is probably in last position at present and lets face it despite media hype from Fox Sports and various other journos talking up our chances before each Bledisloe Cup game we havent won a series in 7 years or a Super14/15 for even longer and the floggings are getting worse. We struggle to beat countries like Scotland and off season touring England. As the battle between the four codes hots up Rugby may have the most to lose. Even in its strongholds private school Sydney its facing stiff competition – Knox Grammer has as many football sides and Rugby sides I have heard and AFL is being played by Riverview now. Kiddies now have the Socceroos to aspire to as well where before from a national sides perspective there was the Wallabies and no one else. Some of the fresh faced North Shore kiddies have other codes to pick from now…..
Lets face it the talent is being spread thin amongst the four codes for our population our size. Countries such as England, France amd South Africa have only 2 serious codes with populations of 50 million and over. We have under half the population and double the codes. One of the codes is going to suffer long term. I have been told the ground on Saturday night was over half filled by Kiwis. Yes that 1200 corporate lunch was “standing room only” but thats hardly grass roots is it
John O’Neil learnt from football to hire managers irrespective of their country of birth – the Deans experiment doesnt seem to be working and Ewen Mckenzie aside not much is left in the cupboard at present. The downward spiral from post the World Cup 2003 still does not show any signs of changing course. There is probably too much money being paid to individuals in the game now too compared to the glory days back in the 1990s too.
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:54am
breakaway said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:54am | Report comment
This is very true, but reflecting on history or the present reality of the sporting landscape in the wake of a bitter defest to the mortal foe does nothing to assuage the pain. There are some positives though: first it was a very successful foray into AFL territory with a terrific game that would have pleased at least halft the crowd (those with Kiwi blood). You could not fail to enjoy the spectacle. Secondly, the 51000 crowd may have given potential sponsors of the Rebels heart to back the new team. And third, our players tried their guts out but came up short against a very very good team. Full credit to the ABs, they are a great team.
PS I didn’t see what Drew Mitchell did to earn his first yellow card but it all seemed pretty harsh on him in the circumstances. But it made not a jot of difference to the result.
August 2nd 2010 @ 11:55am
MarkR said | August 2nd 2010 @ 11:55am | Report comment
breakaway, I need to stand corrected on two points;
1) Melbourne crowds are not passionate, I was wrong, maybe it was the stadium as the previous 2 games I’ve sen at the G but the crowd was brilliant- very passionate, vocal from both sides.
2) Despite saying I’ve never seen a suit at a Melbourne game I did see a suit ! maybe it was the fact I was in platinum instead of my normal cheap seats, but there were 2 guys behind me in suits.
As for Mitchells first card, I rewatched the game last night to see the tries again & watched for Mitchells first yellow. Joubert said late & no hands, but I rewatched from the previous kick-off until teh yellow & still couldn’t find it !
It was a great game until the score bloew out, the Wallabies have some excellent players but don’t have the finishing of the ABs yet, perhaps they’re still a season away ? Your counter rucking was very good but your scrum is still not good enough. It would’ve been interesting last night to see if Cooper would’ve made a difference. I was talking with some Aussies at 1/2 time & were were all amazed at the quiality of tries we’d seen in just 40 mins of rugby, it was a great game to watch (despite the drunken pratt in a suit behind me who wanted to do strange things to Joubert & his family).
August 2nd 2010 @ 7:26pm
mother teresa said | August 2nd 2010 @ 7:26pm | Report comment
no,game was over at halftime.logic suggests cos 8th loss in a row.nz had first yellow card and scored converted try.
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:34am
katzilla said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment
I can’t see the All Blacks dropping any games in this 3N even in the republic.
South Africa have the players to cause an upset but not the game plan, and I doubt they’re going to have radically changed that in their few weeks off.
The Wallabies need to forget who they’re playing, forget what happened last week, don’t look at the scoreboard and just concentrate on the basics and building some pressure on the ABs. A few kicks wouldn’t go astray at crucial times too.
Holding on to the ball at all costs is just as one dimensional as a kicking game but even easier to defend against.
I’d also have someone like Higginbotham go out with a definate game plan to upset Read, even it means a bit of a working over at the bottom of the ruck. See how he reacts, if it upsets his game it will have flow on effects to Kaino and McCaw and subsequently the AB ruck dominance.
August 2nd 2010 @ 12:36pm
allblackfan said | August 2nd 2010 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
sounds like Higginbotham would get a yellow card (not to mention that Read would be used to rucking; the NPC features the occasional ruck now)
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:35am
Arky said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:35am | Report comment
Moore and Fainga should be interchangeable depending on what is required – speed or strength. At least Moore is throwing well this season. Fainga does have the speed around the paddock that is required.
Sharpe and Simmons in the second row. Back row could use the injection of Higginbotham for his general tough, direct and hard hitting style. I am told he is still some way off being ready though with his injury requiring more physio to rebuild muscle mass and strength in his leg.
AAC at 13 would be a positive more direct move with Shepherd coming in at full back and Beale on the bench. Cooper will make a difference at fly-half and provide more opportunities. Giteau should be allowed to settle and get more comfortable at inside centre. He had one of his better games there in Brisbane and more time in position should afford better performances.
But surely we can do something about the refereeing? No complaints about the outcome – the better team won (and is winning consistently) but how many times were the ABs blown up for not rolling away and yet we saw no warnings. Then two yellow cards without any warning and then the third which meant money for travel and attendance was wasted. Rugby will continue to lose crowds when the standard of referring is so unbalanced, so inconsistent and so lacking in uniformity. If we had consistent refereeing would Richie McCaw be such a menace? How can a player build a reputation around persistently arbitraging the interpretation of his action on any given day?
August 2nd 2010 @ 9:14am
Tragic said | August 2nd 2010 @ 9:14am | Report comment
I actually think that the referee’s performance favoured us (i.e the Wallabies). If you leave the red card aside, which was harsh but fair considering the warnings, there were a few ruck penalties that were pretty rough on the All Blacks. I think we got the rub of the green there, but weren’t able to capitalise.
And failing to capitalise is one of the key differences between these two sides. There are any number of factors that you need in place before you can ‘put the icing on the cake’, but the ability to convert clear advantages into points is a very troubling problem for the Wallabies against the All Blacks (and other sides). We have seen it in line breaks whre the support players are not positioning themselves and the ball carrier is not holding it up looking for the support (one of the key features of the NZ game is the swarming of support play and the ability of the carrier to find them). We have seen it when we have a 15 on 14 advantage and fail to kick the ball out or win the 10 minute period points-wise. We have seen it with poor finishing and failing to put the ball down over the try line. and we (amazingly) see it when there are 3 easy points on offer and the ball is sprayed wide of the posts. This is not acceptable.
The stupidity is another thing. I don’t think we’ll hear that back-handed compliment of being the ‘cleverest’ national side any more. Thankfully there is a silver lining…
August 2nd 2010 @ 8:59am
Chuck said | August 2nd 2010 @ 8:59am | Report comment
At which point do we question whether Genia is really as good as the hype suggested, or merely a lucky recipient of playing inside Cooper every week? Genia was woeful on Saturday – sure he has a bullet pass, but if you make no effort in defence then you are a liability
August 2nd 2010 @ 9:05am
MPS said | August 2nd 2010 @ 9:05am | Report comment
Mitchell is one of the best wingers in the world (Mitchell, Genia and Cooper are our only world class players at the moment). He was unlucky for the first (soft) yellow, and the second yellow was poor captain-team communication and at the time as a one-eyed supporter I thought it was also ridiculously soft. He regularly tackle-busts, makes plenty of yards is incredibly quick and often makes game-changing plays. When he stays on the park he can tackle as well.
35 missed tackles says it for me. Too many brush-offs by the AB big men that suggested a lack of enthusiasm. Thought our second rowers and no.8 missed a stupid amount of tackles – Our big men should be hard enforcers, not blokes that can be shrugged off.
The other glaring difference was kickoff posession.
Otherwise the stats (apart from points and tries scored) weren’t actually that different. It seems we were out-smarted and out-enthused.
August 2nd 2010 @ 9:33pm
Dexter William said | August 2nd 2010 @ 9:33pm | Report comment
“Mitchell is one of the best wingers in the world”
Well what is the point of reading the rest of what you wrote.
August 2nd 2010 @ 9:28am
chrisa said | August 2nd 2010 @ 9:28am | Report comment
How many Wallabies would make the ABs team, maybe Genia and Rocky on the bench if they were lucky. They might also be in the AB second XV as would Cooper. Otherwise our boys are in the 3rds.
As for Mitchell as a world class player MPS you have clearly been watching someone completely different from me. I was disappointed when the Waratahs picked him up from Perth and he was lucky to keep his place. It was posted in another thread that his reaction to a well taken but fortuitous try exemplified the overblown image he has of his own skills. I know you need self belief but that was absurd.
Rocky needs to go the second row and play the hard, grafting Brad Thorn role. He is the only one we have who is remotely tough enough to do it. If Higginbotham is fit he must play, size, speed and commitment. How long till Alexander gets back? Not that he strikes any fear into the ABs.
Shepherd needs to get a start on Mitchells wing, AAC must stay at 15. Giteau back to 12.