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There were many positives despite a dismal 12-all draw between the Wallabies and All Blacks at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night in equally dismal conditions.
There were rare moments of brilliance from the All Blacks in the first half and the Wallabies in the second, but most of the 80 minutes were an instant cure for insomnia.
On the credit side, the Wallabies must be commended for stopping the men-in-black setting a new world record 18 straight wins against top tier sides – that took guts and passion in conditions that far-suited the All Blacks.
South African referee Jaco Peyper controlled his 18th Test, and his 19th should be between Zambia and Afghanistan, but that would be cruel to both countries.
There’s no argument about the 24 penalties he dished out, but the number of offsides, forward passes, and knock-ons he and his touchies Romain Poite and Stuart Berry missed defied description.
‘Penalty’ Peyper pinged the Wallabies for being offside at the kickoff after Aaron Cruden had opened the scoring with a penalty. That decision was spot-on, but he never penalised either side again for being in front for the rest of the game, and both were serial offenders.
Next up the return clash at Eden Park next Saturday, where the Wallabies must win to have any chance of regaining the Bledisloe Cup after an 11-year drought.
But Eden Park is a hoodoo ground for the men-in-gold, not having won there since September 6, 1986 with a 22-9 success. Can the Wallabies end the drought?
Of course they can, with the right team from the kick-off.
One of the outstanding features on Saturday night was how the Wallabies tight five held their own against the All Blacks. What was more outstanding was the energy level increased even more once behemoth Will Skelton was injected late in the game.
That’s the only change needed up front, with Skelton a must in the starting line-up for Eden Park, so too Bernard Foley and Nick Phipps, who both lifted the side immeasurably once they were taken off the bench.
Selected half Nic White was pedestrian in clearing set plays and ruck-mauls, giving Kurtley Beale little to no chance to strut his stuff at 10, and even less chance to set up Israel Folau as they did so well in tandem for the Waratahs.
An Eden Park starting backline of Phipps (9), Foley (10), Rob Horne (11), Beale (12), Adam Ashley-Cooper (13), Pat McCabe (14) and Folau (15) will do what the Wallabies didn’t do last night.
That Test was there for the taking. Let’s face it, ignoring what the Waratahs achieved is sheer folly.
My suggested Wallaby backline for Eden Park is the Waratahs backline with Pat McCabe the only outsider. It’s a proven backline under fire, so use it.
Net result? Spectators and television viewers won’t have to keep propping open their eyelids with matches.