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Even McKenzie should have been dancing jigs as Michael Cheika developed his team through the winter. What an inheritance!
Not only were they winning, they were winning with style.
Most points for, least against, most tries and the turnstiles were twirling.
That Waratahs took me back 50 years to when the NSW sky blues challenged each touring team. It may be that memory plays tricks but it did seem sometimes those teams were nearly as strong as the Test sides.
So to some rumination. What would happen if McKenzie was to take the Waratahs team as his baseline and then insert improvements?
To make up the 22, you need to add a couple of props and a hooker. I can’t see why you would drop any of the Tahs’ starting three; I agree with Spiro that Benn Robinson is a pretty good asset at scrum time. Is there a personality clash issue behind his non selection? Surely his scrummaging offsets his ball carrying shortcomings. He doesn’t seem to miss tackles either.
With respect to the additions, I have no idea who is best. That is one for an ex-prop to ponder.
The rest of the scrum is a bit skeletal coming from the Tahs, who provide two eligible backrowers and a lock from the bench, assuming that’s where Will Skelton fits in.
To make up the contingent of eight starters and bench players three second rowers and a couple of backrowers are required. You need at least one lineout calling lock and another two big, beefy, aggressive types. Similarly for the back row. Big and aggressivee; you have more luck with big players.
As for the names, others can judge better than me. I’m not sure Matt Hodgson is big enough but I sure like his aggression.
So, to the nine backs. Here we need to add a halfback to the squad and two others. I guess Nic White, Matt Toomua and Tevita Kuridrani speak for themselves.
As to the starting line up, why tamper with the sublimely successful Waratahs combination of half, five-eighth, centres and fullback? That team covered the problem of Kurtley Beale’s defensive issues brilliantly by playing him as a second fullback in defence who took dozens of offloads from Israel Folau.
Maybe this is a parochial way of looking at the formation of the Wallabies and is likely to end up with nine or ten Waratahs in the starting line-up.
But heck, they are coming from a winning team which seems to have great culture and played the vast majority of the Super season with confidence and determination.
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.