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What worked and what did not in international rugby last weekend

17th June, 2014
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Nick Cummins of Australia . (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Expert
17th June, 2014
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After another compelling weekend of North versus South, it is time to overreact prematurely. Here, I give you ‘What Worked and What Didn’t and What Might Work’, the definitive list of everything important in international rugby.

What Worked
Real fullback play. We saw three throwback fifteens strut their stuff this weekend: Ben Smith, Willie le Roux, and Rob Kearney. They fielded the high ball under duress. They joined the line at speed and with intent. They used the boot to exit, but also to attack and create space or pressure for their opponents.

Willie le Roux took over the first half of the Test in Durban and the beginning of the second half. There were five tries scored, with his hands and clever boot involved in four of them. He was a rock under the high ball, and was always searching for weakness in the Welsh setup.

Warren Gatland called him a ‘pest’ and one of the best fullbacks in the world. It’s true. Willie le Roux has been a consistently improving force from the back and fullback is his true position, as he does not have full-out speed for the wing.

As Ben Smith showed on defence, a wing without speed is a big liability. England needs a scorcher on the wing, not a fast prop.

Alex Cuthbert worked hard to emulate his boyhood hero Bryan Habana, and he was good, if not as good as Habana.

The All Black midfield worked. With Conrad Smith out due to a broken finger, it will be interesting to see Steve Hansen’s choice. But against England, Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith were dynamic and smart.

Jan Serfontein as a starting 12 worked. He can improve, but as a big ball-carrier who keeps and presents the ball in contact. He was up against the monster Jamie Roberts; it did not look like Serfontein was the novice.

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The Australian scrum. It is working. Two different French front rows have tried to exploit this traditional Wallaby weakness but James Slipper has stood up and might be the answer.

Tom Wood worked. He is the definition of a hard working no-nonsense blindsider.

Good hands in the second row, that worked. Geoff Parling and Victor Matfield – take a bow. Matfield seemed astounded that local hero Bismarck du Plessis knocked on at one point – at a restart and in general play. The ‘Old Man of the High Veld’ was not bothered by Durban’s sticky air.

A big burst of quick ball worked. It worked for New Zealand. They buried the English in a short irresistible surge. For the Boks, it worked during most of the first half. Wales simply could not keep up with that concentrated power and pace off of quick flat passes by Fourie du Preez.

A real loose trio works. Francois Louw and Duane Vermeulen ruled the breakdown in Durban. Willem Alberts and Schalk Burger at blindside were sufficiently abrasive (and they will definitely improve in Nelspruit).

That type of balance is crucial. Wales had no answer, because they had a mismatched set of loose forwards.

What Did Not Work
Mike Phillips. The Welsh defensive structure, which was opened up by chip kicks and the simplest of lineout moves.

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Adam Jones and his box kicks by Aaron Smith.

Manu Tuilagi at wing: there are so few real seams in Test rugby, and you need your wingers to be able to finish like Julian Savea or Habana. A sniff should be all they need. Tuilagi never looked like getting to the line and then he was turned over by slender Ben Smith. He had to find a way, like all wings, to keep the ball alive.

Michael Hooper at captain. I love Hooper as a livewire forward. But he was mystifying about his attitude towards points, and seemed too complacent with the referee.

Not having big ball carriers who can come around the corner at speed, at a low height, to provide three to four metres of gain line momentum. Australia and Argentina lack them, making the Rugby Championship a mountain to climb. Australia has the backs to overcome that problem, but Argentina does not.

Finally, as could probably be predicted, predictability predictably worked last weekend.

What Might Work, but We Still Don’t Know
A scrumhalf for Australia who is not named Sanchez. I have not been impressed with his would-be heirs.

Morne Steyn at flyhalf for the World Cup also may work. He will be pushed by Pat Lambie and Handre Pollard, but injuries to Johan Goosen and Lambie, as well as Pollard’s run at the Junior World Championships, have given Steyn breathing room. He played well against Wales. He kicked to the corners with pinpoint accuracy, tackled well, passed when he should, and did not slow South Africa down.

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I still prefer taking a chance on Pollard in the Rugby Championship, though.

Finally, England. I think they are coming right, but don’t they have to win one?

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