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Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie had nine hours flying time to Argentina to mull over his selections after the inexplicable 28-10 loss to the Springboks at Newlands last weekend.
Let’s make four parts of the McKenzie mix abundantly clear from the get-go – he was a world-class prop during his 51 caps for the Wallabies, he coached the Queensland Reds to the Super Rugby title in 2011, he’s a highly intelligent bloke and a highly-qualified town planner.
Lots of quality pluses there, and he’s earned those accolades, which defies many of his selections since the three-Test wipe-out of the French in June.
Clearly, the 2014 Super Rugby stats didn’t gel with McKenzie. The line was drawn in the sand, but he ignored the obvious. Wallaby players are like every normal person, if the coach shows confidence in a player’s ability, he keeps improving.
If the coach saws off a player who has done nothing wrong, but is dropped nonetheless, that can be soul-destroying. Not only to the one dropped, but all his teammates who know that player didn’t deserve such shabby treatment.
It becomes a domino effect that can be very destabilising, even devastating. And so unnecessary.
The 2014 Super Rugby tournament gave Ewen McKenzie a very established pecking order. That was set in concrete after the Waratahs won the tournament and beat the Brumbies in the semi-final to get to the decider.
With Will Genia out injured, the half-back order of merit was clearly Waratah Nick Phipps one, and Brumby Nic White two.
The 10 jersey was Waratah Bernard Foley one, Brumby Matt Toomua two. The 12 jersey – Waratah Kurtley Beale one, Brumby Christian Lealiifano two.
Let’s stop right there.
What did McKenzie come up with for the first two Tests of the Bledisloe, and Rugby Championship?
White (9), Beale (10) and Toomua (12), totally ignoring a proven formula over 16 rounds, and a finals series.
And when the White-Beale pivotal combination didn’t work against the best team in world rugby – it was never going to work – McKenzie blamed both players for his own lack of the obvious and sacked both of them to the bench.
Then what?
McKenzie selected Phipps and Foley as the pivotal combination to start against the Boks, which is exactly what he should have done against the All Blacks in the first place.
Did the penny drop for McKenzie with Beale at inside-centre? No, of course not.
Beale has been on the bench for the last three Tests, coming on the 73rd, 53rd, and 54th minutes to replace Toomua, when it should be have been the other way round.
Now that Toomua is injured, if McKenzie doesn’t automatically bump Beale up to 12, with Christian Lealiifano on the bench, the ARU must ask the Wallaby coach some serious questions.
And among those questions would be why has giant lock Will Skelton been ignored after his blockbusting Super Rugby performances, which were instrumental in the Waratahs ending their 19-year drought.
Skelton is now in Mendoza to cover for the injured Rob Simmons, that’s the official line. But to be more accurate, that should read Skelton’s in Mendoza to replace Simmons.
This is the team that McKenzie must select against the Pumas to do justice to what is fair and recognising form.
(1) James Slipper
(2) Jimmy Hanson
(3) Sekope Kepu
(4) Will Skelton
(5) James Horwill
(6) Scott Fardy
(7) Michael Hooper
(8) Scott Higginbotham
(9) Nick Phipps
(10) Bernard Foley
(11) Rob Horne
(12) Kurtley Beale
(13) Tevita Kuridrani
(14) Adam Ashely-Cooper
(15) Israel Folau
(16) Saia Fainga’a
(17) Benn Robinson
(18) Sam Carter
(19) Jake Schatz
(20) Matt Hodgson
(21) Will Genia
(22) Christian Lealiifano
(23) Joe Tomane
The only reason why I haven’t selected Genia as the starting half-back at Mendoza is his lack of game time after long-term injury.
But hopefully he’ll be back to his best come Bledisloe 3 at Suncorp on October 18, leading into the Spring Tour throughout November against the Barbarians, Wales, France, Ireland and England.
It’s time for the Wallabies to be allowed to play the pattern of play they enjoy, by Ewen McKenzie selecting the best equipped players to do the job.
They are there, but sitting on the bench or on their lounge at home doesn’t translate to winning internationals.