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This is the concluding review of the Wallabies’ famous win during Michael Cheika’s first game against the Springboks, examining how the replacements from both sides dashed the Springboks winning momentum.
This the continuation of the first analysis Wallabies bested by Beast, highlighting the poor form of the starting scrummagers, in particular Will Skelton, and the excellent form of Zimbabwean-born Tendai Mtawarira.
Today, we’re joined by coach DaniE.
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First up is the first scrum after Big Willy was replaced. All the other players are the same as the last scrum at 49′ which the Springboks starters and finishers (replacements) drove through the Wallabies:
The next engagement is tricky scrummaging by the Wallabies. As soon as the set is called, James Slipper, with Scott Fardy and James Horwill behind him, immediately pressures Frans Malherbe’s pod. Slipper is on Frans’ right ribs, whose bind is gone. His legs are too straight, which typically is his normal stance due to his height. It is a fait accompli once Ruan Pienaar feeds the pill.
Digby says: Surprised Owens let that go, it appeared unstable with the Wallabies applying weight before the feed. You win some, you lose some.
Harry says: Malherbe normally gathers himself for the actual push with a momentary almost-bent legs stance. Here, he was still hanging out in his straight leg giraffe pose. The problem was there was a pretty huge and obvious pre-feed push from the Wallabies’ loosehead side of the scrum. I can’t tell if it was coordinated, but Fardy did look like he was into it. Miscarriage of justice there, mate.
DaniE says: This is my debut Scrumma-mogram (I can barely say it without twisting my tongue, let alone spell it!). I usually only watch scrums with a simple formula – which team won the go-forward and who did the referee give the ball to (and I don’t question his decision as I’ve no idea). I’m dabbling in the details now. Here, Holmes is so far into the Boks hooker you can barely see him, it looks like Fardy is the tighthead prop. Fardy’s barely able to push into Holmes’ butt, he’s sunk underneath the Bok’s front three.
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Four minutes later, the Wallabies wide attack is starting to work, but they keep dropping the pill. In this event, Slipper and his cronies try the same pre-engagement on Malherbe. But the referee catches it this time.
Digby says: Not a whole lot of difference except Pinot Noir not putting the ball in and Slipper absolutely face planting. Funny. It does look however that the Springbok tighthead side is purposely looking to set up to angle in and negate the Wallabies attacking.
Harry says: I actually think this scrum could have been just a reset. Yes, the Wallabies were pushing more than the Boks, but both scrums were pitching and bobbing. For me, the difference here is more about Malherbe’s bind. Malherbe has a very odd bind, in my opinion. When he gets a good grasp of what he wants to grab, it’s quite effective. Here, he gets Slipper’s underarm hair and bows out his elbow, and then keeps burrowing into Slipper’s pec in a sort of strange right cross if he were a boxer. When he does that, he can usually face-plant a loosehead. Also, maybe Nigel was just doing the makeup call.
DaniE says: Quick-as-a-flash, Slipper is eating grass. He’s much too hasty packing that scrum. I do feel a little for modern forwards, they’re at the mercy of the delivery of the scrum commands by the refs. How consistent is the delivery? That was a little nit-picky to me – I felt that pre-set by the Wallabies was barely negligible.
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Wallabies continued their attack. Again, it is the Springbok feed on their five-metre line with a 10-point lead. Scott Sio is now on the park, after Slipper was short-armed in the last scrum.
Francois Louw fiddles with Malherbe’s weird looking straight-ish leg, which totally depowers him. This is compounded by Sio’s inward shove powered now by Horwill and assisted by a Michael Hooper shove, which wedges between the Springbok front rowers. Hooper sees the pill pop out and wins a crucial in-goal tackle for a Wallabies attacking scrum.
Digby says: Malherbe is already on the angle here and without support from Louw who is not going with him, instead pushing straight.Easy job for Sio to get underneath by simply driving straight through. It almost seemed like Louw was trying to get him to straighten by pushing his leg in. Malherbe is flat out just binding on the arm now, he knows he is in trouble.
Harry says: The simple explanation here (I believe Spiro calls it Occam’s Razor) is that Louw tackled Malherbe while Malherbe was busy scrummaging. Bad boy Louw. Stop that. Leave a prop’s leg alone. As far as motivation, maybe Malherbe had eaten too many beans.
DaniE says: Everything happens so quickly in scrums. Malherbe’s angling, Sio’s push inwards and Louw’s little caress all happens in moments and Hooper’s fast little legs take advantage of that collapse.
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It is now the 72nd minute. Both Wallabies scrum pods power through the Springboks, led by Holmes and his homies. Sio, Horwill, Hooper and David Pocock shellac then flatten Adriaan Strauss, while Malherbe is squashed.
Digby says: So much pressure here, I love it. Such a hard thing to do to hold the pressure in the scrum for six or more seconds and Van der Merwe’s side relented first in a screaming heap. Beautiful.
Harry says: This is an utter abomination. I reverse myself. I think Louw should have climbed on his prop’s leg like a koala, and thereby become a flying buttress to save the Boks from utter humiliation. Good elementary scrum, Mr Holmes.
DaniE says: After years of watching Wallaby scrums crumble like a souffle too quickly extracted from the oven, it’s quite enjoyable to see them push together as one and actually win a collapsed maul call for themselves. Last year was the year of some relief – the Wallabies can actually scrum successfully! Hopefully that legacy continues.
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After the penalty win, the Wallabies opt for another scrum. This time, the Springboks do a better job in defending the inward drive by Sio. But their flankers are committed, allowing a Horwill decoy to facilitate a Hooper try.
Digby says: What a difference inside the same match. Earlier, the Springboks scrum held easily and allowed the flankers enough time to assist in cover. Now, they have no choice to remain bound, Louw can’t risk slacking off with Malherbe already about to reach for the stars. Noticeable too that Reinach was already well away looking to cover in defence, unlike Pinot Noir in the previous example who remained close and communicating with his flanks.
Harry says: The Wallaby scrumhalf crouched, paused, then crawled into the scrum, pulled up the lock’s shorts, checked his watch, asked the hooker to move his foot, and then pilfered the ball from his own team. It was a turnover-gained-and-lost.
DaniE says: Phipps had to really reach in to collect that ball after it bounced off what I think was Pocock’s leg. Despite the ball staying in for longer, the Wallabies’ scrum still held up. What a nice change. That try was scored when Lood was committed to holding up Horwill. Nice addition of the extra man into the line.
That’s all folks!
Your observations are appreciated, questions even more so – no question is too silly. And anyone can answer!
Stay tuned for ‘Wolfing down the Stormers’
Please request any other engagements you want to be ‘Scrumma-mogramed’. We need ideas!
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.