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Cheika's Waratahs can brawl, but the Wallabies need to box

25th May, 2015
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That's it Cheik, teach 'em how to kick. (Image: Tim Anger)
Roar Guru
25th May, 2015
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2359 Reads

Since returning to his native shores, Waratah and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has evoked the long-dormant brawling spirit of the Australian rugby player; who could deny that after seeing the Waratahs bully the All Black-laden Crusaders off the park last Saturday night in Sydney?

However will this ‘best in Brophy’s tent’ mentality be the sole strategy required for the Wallabies to win this year’s Rugby Championship, Bledisloe Cup, and the cup of global rugby domination, the William Webb Ellis Trophy? I hope not.

Accepted, lawful violence has its place in victory. Forwards who dominate their opposition generally lay the foundation for success, and to dominate you must be physical – politeness never won a rugby match.

Seeing the Tahs dominate the likes of Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Wyatt Crockett, Sam Whitelock and Owen Franks is nothing to be sniffed at. Yet it was a ‘brawler’s win’ – the type that can win you a club match or even a Super Rugby match but one that lacked the finesse, discipline and intelligence required if the Wallabies are to be serious silverware contenders in 2015.

I find it unacceptable that a side that dominates both possession and territory loses any game of rugby; to do so is as a key indicator of poor strategy and/or a lack of skill. In the Cheika game plan this skill is place kicking, and strategy is the failure to use of the drop goal as a point-scoring option on the back of his side’s physical dominance when they have not been able to cross the paint.

Some may argue that the Wallabies just need to improve their attack. True, and a valid argument, but it’s pretty hard to defend against a pot goal, it’s very hard to get penalised trying one, and even harder to turn the ball over in the process if done well.

Cheika has got the Wallabies playing with a physicality that can compete with the best of Northern Hemisphere sides. Great! However, under his reign the Wallabies have the unenviable record of one win and three losses, with one of those losses to Australia’s World Cup nemeses, England.

On the 2014 end of season tour the Wallabies’ place kicking was of high standard and assisted the Australians in their victory over Wales in Cardiff, with 15 points coming from Bernard Foley’s boot, and a further three from a drop goal. Interestingly, the Wallabies dominated both possession and field position to defeat a decent Welsh team in their own back yard.

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That ability to dominate both field position and possession continued into the latter three Tests, however poor place-kicking contributed to the 26-23 loss to the Irish, with the Wallabies failing to convert two of their tries, thus leaving four valuable points on the park that may have given them a 27-26 victory.

Furthermore at no stage did the Wallabies attempt to obtain points from the drop goal like in Cardiff, despite dominating both possession and territory for the match. It is near criminal that in second half the Wallabies could only manage three points despite having 63 per cent of possession and territory.

Against France, the Wallabies again lost by a mere 3 points, 29-26, and the place kicking was superb. Yet despite again having 63 per cent possession and territory, the Wallabies only scored 10 points in the second half to France’s 12. Again, not one attempt at a drop goal.

The English game was a clear indicator of not maximising opportunity. The Wallabies gave themselves every chance to win, enjoying 66 per cent possession and 70 per cent territory, ran at the English all day, but could not break them down. This is where the brawler throwing the big punches loses on points to the boxer who knows how to defend, but also knows how to score the points to win the match – and that’s what really counts at the end of the day. Again, not an attempted drop goal in sight and the Wallabies lost by nine.

Cheika is too often looking for knock-out punches like a brawler, and not using the jab enough like a boxer.

In rummaging through the SANZAR stats of 2015, the Waratahs have not ever opted to have a pot at goal, so I can’t see this option being utilised by his Wallabies at the World Cup, despite the pain the drop goal can inflict. At the 1995 Rugby World Cup a Rob Andrew drop goal sunk the Wallabies. In 2003 history repeated itself, with the famous Johnny Wilkinson drop securing England its first William Webb Ellis Trophy at Australia’s expense.

And let’s not forget the Stephen Larkham drop goal that helped sink the then World Champion Springboks at Twickenham in 1999, the last time the Wallabies won the Rugby World Cup.

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The malaise currently surrounding place kicking in Australian rugby is a concern. Again rummaging through SANZAR stats it appears that Cheika’s own Waratahs have left 63 points out on the park in 2015 by failing to kick their penalties and conversions. This equates to about 23 per cent of the total of points scored by the Waratahs this season. Now, what business would not want to increase their revenue by 23 per cent?

Under Cheika the Wallabies have failed to convert position and possession into points, costing them victory. Before I get howled at for advocating 10-man rugby as our total game plan, I don’t. However I do not wish to see a repeat of 2007, when the Wallabies were pushed all over the park and missed the opportunity to win the match by missing a place kick.

We must learn to maximise our opportunities and sharpen our skills instead of justifying unintelligent rugby by saying we play it ‘our way’.

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