Wallabies buggered without Beale
Roar Guru By KingsofCommentary, 15 Oct 2011 KingsofCommentary is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Kurtley Beale, Rugby Union, wallabies
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Kurtley Beale’s torn hamstring stands to cripple Australia’s chances as much as his own for the defining Rugby World Cup semi-final clash against New Zealand.
A back three without king Kurtley might hold its own, at best.
But that’s not good enough for this do-or-die encounter.
Beale’s blessing is his capacity to ask the hard questions of the best defenses, and to penetrate with clinical proficiency. It’s also fair to say that on every occasion the Wallabies have failed to fire, Beale has been the exception.
But Beale is out after failing to recover in time. Coach Robbie Deans gave Beale maximum recovery time, knowing how critical Beale’s presence is in this sudden-death playoff.
Deans said at the time: “It will be tough on Kurtley if he has to miss this one, but we will take no chances. If he can’t play, he will contribute off the field as he always does. Adam and Ant are both good men.”
“Good men” is a fair description of Ashley-Cooper and Anthony Faingaa. But Robbie needs “great men”, not “good men” for the pending assignment. Because their opposites are on par with greatness and come in the form of Israel Dagg, Richard Kahui and Cory Jane.
Robbie’s outlook for Kurtley wasn’t particularly hopeful and all hope was extinguished this morning. The ‘slight hamstring tear’ takes requires more than a week to mend and not the kind of ailment that can be played around, as it would have limited Beale’s radical range of motion, which is what sets him apart from most rugby mortals.
Anthony Faingaa comes into the backline while Ashley-Cooper drops back to No15. And with that arrangement, Australia’s threat level from the rear drops from ‘serious’ to ‘medium’ at best.
Fortunately for Australia, the mad musing around giving Quade Cooper license in the No15 jersey has been wisely discounted.
Notwithstanding, the heat goes on super Cooper to significantly up his game, which to this point, has been rather underwhelming.
The problem for Australia though, is if it hits the fan in the caldron of RWC headquarters Eden Park, Quade won’t have Beale to bail him out.
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- Kurtley Beale, Rugby Union, wallabies
October 15th 2011 @ 2:20pm
Nicol'arse said | October 15th 2011 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
Its not only the ‘rear’ that our threat level drops from serious to ‘meduim’ at best… its in the centre as well. I don’t reckon this backline arrangement is going to ask too many questions of the AB’s at all. It will all be about QC looking for inside passes to Digby & JOC coming off blind wings and/or long cut out balls on the open side. It will all be quite predictable me thinks. I don’t like it.
I hope I’m wrong but if we think we can sneak our way past the AB’s playing like we did last week, we are very wrong. The ONLY way we ever beat NZ is when we attack relentlessly. And I don’t mean fancy backline plays all game. I mean when the forwards go nuts and we get the upper hand at the breakdown, and we just launch wave after wave of attack. Whether it be forwards running on to the ball from deep with quick clearance from the breakdown to wide expansive backline plays that ask plenty of the defense.
But it is NOT by playing a conservative crash & bash game that relies on just solid defense alone. Does anybody remember the 1st & 2nd halves in Brisbane? We will not win playing a tight, conservative game. It might work for England and the Yarpies sometime… but it does NOt work for us.
Poor selection and tactics IMO.
October 15th 2011 @ 2:22pm
Bazza All Black said | October 15th 2011 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
You never want to see a player injured but this is good news for the ABs…it might not matter if Public Enemy #1 has a scorcher but if does not….
October 15th 2011 @ 4:39pm
Emric said | October 15th 2011 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
it does even the odds a tad bit but a full strength wallabie side should be able to take a half strength all blacks side – makes me sad both sides are not field their top teams
October 15th 2011 @ 2:32pm
Republican said | October 15th 2011 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
The Wallas are buggered anyway, with or without Beale since it’s going to be wet.
Austrlian sides play a more backs orintated game and this is because our dry condition are conducive to this style.
The Kiwis are without exception better in the wet. On a heavy Eden Pk track the All Blacks forwards will dominate in a yawn of a spectacle, to be sure.
October 15th 2011 @ 2:43pm
Paul_From_Melbourne said | October 15th 2011 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
Not only Beal has x factor. He is also good under the high ball. ASC is adequate but he was not assertive under the high ball in the past and hasn’t played in that position for a long time. AB should pressure him with high ball just outside the 22 with chasers running after their kicks.
Of course all blacks would have to kick well especially if it is going to be wet. Is that the current forecast for tomorrow?
October 15th 2011 @ 3:59pm
Stin said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:59pm | Report comment
Fine and sunny forecast tomorrow. Ne’er know….! Reckon we’ll see JOC up the back a fair bit.
October 15th 2011 @ 2:39pm
Jiggles said | October 15th 2011 @ 2:39pm | Report comment
This is being blown out of proportion way too much.
Beale has had a very indifferent year.
AAC slots straight into fullback with Faingaa going into 13. Its almost the same back-line as Brisbane but swapping JOC and Beale. JOC has been producing this year, Beale hasn’t.
In terms of players the Wallabies “must have” on the pitch, he is down the list.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:11pm
Frank O'Keeffe said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
Because Faiinga is such a good replacement? Did you see the Ireland game? Fidgeting around with that backline is terrible. He’s a good tackler, but his passing is atrocious.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:42pm
Jiggles said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:42pm | Report comment
He did the job well enough in Brisbane. he isn’t spectacular, but for a 13 the first thing you want is a rock in defence who can read the opposition lines and keep the structure. He does this very well. anything on top of that for a 13 is just gravy in my opinion, thats why Smith is the best, amazing in defence, positionally and when executing tackles, plus has the ability to spark outside plays.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:14pm
Pierce said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
Absolutely agree, the only ‘disaster’ for Wallabies would be 7.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:49pm
peterlala said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:49pm | Report comment
True Jiggles, but he does have the ability and the X-factor.
October 15th 2011 @ 4:39pm
mark said | October 15th 2011 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
“Beale has had a very indifferent year” would n’t that make him the barometer for the wallabies – if he does n’t show then neither do the wallabies?
October 15th 2011 @ 3:04pm
Mtrain63 said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
Yes Jiggles You are quite right, Although Kurtley Beale is a great loss i believe AAC is more then adequate to slot into fullback, as for the centres they will not stop tackling and running the ball hard.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:08pm
sheek said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
Forget Beale for the moment.
The Wallabies will be more buggered if they don’t get their scrum, lineout & breakdown right first…..
October 15th 2011 @ 7:52pm
Touko said | October 15th 2011 @ 7:52pm | Report comment
Ain’t that the truth.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:14pm
Johnno said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
If the wallabies reject the 5-2 bench split now they have that option,
I ouwld bring in rob horne to O/C. Offers more than A.Faiangaa.
Horne is just as good on D, as Faiangaa or Mcabe, but offers more in attack and passing.
Conrad smith will fear Horne more than A.Faingaa.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:30pm
ohtani's jacket said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
We’re going into this game with Aaron Cruden in the pivot. I don’t think it really matters who’s buggering whom in the Wallabies.
October 15th 2011 @ 3:41pm
Rugby Diehard said | October 15th 2011 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
I thought buggery had been stamped out of the modern game.
October 15th 2011 @ 5:25pm
Uncle Argyle said | October 15th 2011 @ 5:25pm | Report comment
No it still exists in a dark under world of select memeber, its like the Freemasons,its not a secret society but a society of secrets. Apparently you have to be an All Black to get in?
October 15th 2011 @ 5:14pm
the other Steve said | October 15th 2011 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
OJ, is that the voice of despair?
Because if you are writing off the All Blacks, I’m off to the doctors right now for a happy pill prescription and unplugging all my computers and phones for the next week!
October 15th 2011 @ 6:33pm
ohtani's jacket said | October 15th 2011 @ 6:33pm | Report comment
I wouldn’t write the All Blacks off if I was the last man on earth.
I just think it’s pointless getting excited about Beale being out when we’re missing Carter. It’s not as though they cancel each other out.
October 15th 2011 @ 6:39pm
Uncle Argyle said | October 15th 2011 @ 6:39pm | Report comment
OJ Deans,
wales or france?
October 15th 2011 @ 6:48pm
ohtani's jacket said | October 15th 2011 @ 6:48pm | Report comment
Wales. I will be upset if France win this game.
October 15th 2011 @ 7:14pm
Uncle Argyle said | October 15th 2011 @ 7:14pm | Report comment
Me too.
October 15th 2011 @ 11:24pm
Frank O'Keeffe said | October 15th 2011 @ 11:24pm | Report comment
Well at least that’s some consolation for me.
October 15th 2011 @ 5:22pm
Uncle Argyle said | October 15th 2011 @ 5:22pm | Report comment
KOC,
I simply di not buy Dagg, Kahui and Jane “are on par with greatness”. Dagg is a rare talent but not a seasoned international yet. Kahui has been strong in this tournament but when I think of great All Black wingers I think Kirwin, Lomu, Wright, Williams, Stu Wilson, Jeff Wilson not Kahui and certainly not Jane.
As an Australian I am more than happy with out back three. Of course I would have want Beale there. He too is a rare talent but Adam Ashley-Cooper is no slouch and is a seasoned international. Digby is argueably the most destructive winger in the world with ball in hand, his defence aint too bad either and O’Conner is improving every test and has an ability to move in tight spaces.
Looking forward to it.
October 15th 2011 @ 5:23pm
Bazza All Black said | October 15th 2011 @ 5:23pm | Report comment
its the bloody tension that is getting to me – I don’t give a stuff about tonights game, I just want to get on with Sunday’s game.
I have a conference with our Australian offices next month so I hope to God we win…
October 15th 2011 @ 5:28pm
Uncle Argyle said | October 15th 2011 @ 5:28pm | Report comment
What if there is a really smoking hot Aussie chick who just wants too talk about the fine art of jumping at 2 in the lineout, whilst asking you to rub lotion on her back and asking you to name your greatest wallaby XV of all time….reckon you would be go for the Wallabies then?
October 15th 2011 @ 9:35pm
Mike said | October 15th 2011 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
I’d go for Sweden on that basis.