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Well… That was a hell of a game.
It wasn’t pretty. It certainly wasn’t open footy. But somehow it was still entertaining – maybe not necessarily high quality, but certainly high effort.
So soon after a game like that it’s hard to think straight about what this means for Australia and Wales.
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Is it just the Wallabies getting up in a scrappy one? Or is the making of a team for Australia, and the unmaking of a team for Wales? Or do Wales take plenty of positives out of this game in how they were able to disrupt the Wallabies?
I don’t claim to have answers, but here are my talking points out of the game.
Body height – Wales were spot on, and the Wallabies weren’t
From the very beginning of the game it was obvious Wales came in with a very specific goal – to disrupt fast ball for the Wallabies at all costs.
This isn’t to say they did a heap of illegal stuff on the field. What they did do was execute some very specific skills very well, and at the right times.
The two that stood out were holding players up when they ran in with high body height, and those grass-cutting tackles getting the Wallabies to ground early.
From there, Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric had a field day. Tipuric was the pick of the loose forwards for mine, and Alun Wyn Jones probably the best forward on the paddock.
But strategically, I thought the Wallabies could have identified this earlier and run a little lower after the first person was help up early in the game.
It set the tone for the physical nature of the game, with Wales right in the battle.
What does that ten minutes mean for Wales?
Brett McKay will address everything about those ten minutes that will go down as the making of this Wallabies team if they go far in this tournament, but I was wondering what Warren Gatland would make of Wales’ attack when faced with 13 men on the Wallabies side.
With a big tip of the cap to the Wallabies, you feel that was Wales’ time to win the game, and they didn’t.
Twice held up, and one knock on over the line from Toby Faletau while Will Genia then Dean Mumm were off the field.
Take nothing away from Australia’s defence, but lay it out.
Miraculous defence? Poor attack? Bit of both?
Probably a bit of both.
Ben McCalman was a beast
A bloke who doesn’t get too many plaudits, McCalman came on for Sean McMahon before Michael Cheika knew about David Pocock’s injury that would eventually force him off.
During the aforementioned famous ten minutes, where Wales hammered the Wallabies’ line again and again, Ben McCalman was the man who just kept turning up.
A team man who embodies what this Wallabies team is becoming.
He worked hard for his teammates, doing double time on tackling and pushing hard in mauls.
When he got the ball in attack, he made plenty of metres in an encouraging sign for Australia. There may be life after Pooper.
I thought that if one player embodied the Wallabies’ spirit, which is probably what won them the game, it was McCalman.
Israel Folau and David Pocock… uh oh
Injuries will be a massive concern for Australia right now. They certainly are for me.
Israel Folau looked like he was suffering towards the end of the game, although he managed to finish the game. It was the same ankle that troubled him against England.
David Pocock left the field after about 60 minutes with what looks like a nasty calf injury.
They are arguably Australia’s two most important players, and we have no clue as to the seriousness of the injuries beyond what we saw on their faces.
I don’t mean to be presumptuous (well, maybe a little bit), but a quarter-final against Scotland could be an opportunity to let Folau and Pocock recover properly.
With Kurtley Beale and Ben McCalman, who could be their replacements, both playing well at the moment, and Michael Hooper coming back from suspension, it would be no disrespect to Scotland to play a couple of players in better shape than Pocock and Folau right now.
How important is Rob Simmons?
Two players were conspicuous in their absence today.
One was Michael Hooper. The other was Rob Simmons.
Kane Douglas and Dean Mumm both tried hard all game long, but neither managed to get full control at lineout time.
Australia rarely competed on Wales’ throw, and lost a couple on their own. More concerning was the throwing to no lift, which doesn’t seem to happen when lineout general Rob Simmons on the field.
Whatever Simmons does when he’s on the field at lineout time, it seems to work. I might ask Greg Mumm exactly why this is, but the question arises: just how important is the lineout, and Rob Simmons, to Australia?
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.