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Following the Wallabies’ resounding victory against Argentina in Rosario and admirabl battle against the All Blacks in Dunedin a last month, Ewen McKenzie hoped he could continue Australia’s decent form in the end of year Tests.
It was not to be the case, however, as the Wallabies were defeated 20-13 by England. Moreover, the game at Twickenham created several talking points that will give McKenzie and his opposite, Stuart Lancaster, food for thought.
The scrum is still Australia’s main Achilles heel
Australia’s woes in the scrum were once again painfully exposed by England.
The English forwards were dominant, pummelling the Australians in the scrum, while the loose forwards did well in the breakdown and carried the ball well.
The power of England’s pack inflicted multiple penalties against the Australians, with Ben Alexander clearly struggling – much to the ire of referee George Clancy.
If it wasn’t for Owen Farrell’s indifferent kicking display, missing three out of five penalties, England could have taken the game away from them. arrell would redeem himself by scoring the winning try in the second half.
Quade Cooper is rediscovering his once electric form
The performance of Quade Cooper against England was at times back to the levels of 2011, when he ran riot with the Reds in their Super Rugby winning season and Australia’s Tri Nations triumph.
He directed the play and passed well, a lovely pass to Folau a notable highlight. Cooper linked well with centre Matt Toomua and it is a partnership that could blossom if given the chance by McKenzie.
A missed penalty that could have made the score 16-6 early in the second half was crucial, as England soon capitalised by scoring two unanswered tries.
But Cooper’s performance was one of a man beginning to rediscover the form that made him loved by Queenslanders and grudgingly respected by his enemies, whether they be in or out of Australia.
England’s new centre pairing is still a work in progress
While the forwards were dominant, the backs were disjointed at times. Handling errors were a source of constant frustration for England after they managed to move deep into Australian territory.
The new centre pairing of Billy Twelvetrees and Joel Tomkins lacked spark or conviction. It was Twelvetrees’ feeble tackle that led to Matt Toomua scoring, while Tomkins failed to show that spark his brother Sam showed that prompted the New Zealand Warriors to pay a world record transfer fee for him.
It was a missed opportunity for both players to show Lancaster what they can do. Twelvetrees might start against the Pumas next week, but Tomkins could be replaced depending whether Lancaster gives him another chance.
Mike Brown’s MOTM display helps his race for the No.15 jersey
Though the backs as a whole failed to match the prowess of the forwards, there was one man among the England backs that did – Mike Brown.
The Harlequins fullback showed Lancaster just why he should be moved from the wing to fullback for England with an assured performance. His line break from his own tryline helped rejuvenate England (though his foot was in touch) at a period when they were down 13-3.
Coupled with the replacements England made, with Ben Youngs adding pace, the English were able to take control of the game and score those two important tries.
But the contribution of Mike Brown was crucial not just for England, but also for himself. It will go a long way in help take control and keep hold of the No.15 jersey over Ben Foden and Alex Goode.
It was a good victory for England, showing character and strength – especially when they were down by ten points. That is something that will please Lancaster ahead of next week’s bruising encounter against Argentina.
Italy is a potential banana skin
Australia next travel to Turin to play Italy in what will be a tough game.
Out of the five Northern Hemisphere teams Australia play, it is the Italians who arguably have the strongest pack. Head coach Jacques Brunel will no doubt try to utilise his pack to trouble the Wallabies and try to get that historic victory.
The Italians have improved under Brunel, showing a new style under his tenure – one that likes to be more expansive and keen to offload but still hold onto their love of scrummaging. Importantly it has gotten results, with wins France and Ireland in the Six Nations earlier this year.
Italy’s 30-man squad for the end of year Tests has some interesting additions.
Fly-half Tommaso Allan has declared for Italy ahead of Scotland, with Brunel using his connections in Perpignan (where he achieved hero status by winning them the Top 14 in 2009, and where Allan plays his rugby) to snare the 20-year-old as the man to solve Italy’s fly-half problems.
Secondly, the addition of young centre Michele Campagnaro shows Brunel wants to build up their stock of young backs. Campagnaro and Luca Morisi have shown good form for Treviso, with Campagnaro scoring for Treviso on Saturday.
But Brunel will look to first choice centre Tommaso Benvenuti and powerful winger Gio Venditti as their main attacking backline threat.
It will certainly prove an interesting spectacle at Turin next Saturday.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.