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The rumblings are getting louder to sack Michael Cheika as Wallaby coach.
No way, he’s not only the best man for the job, but there’s no contender in sight, here or overseas.
Last week at ANZ, the Wallabies came fifth in a two-horse race with a record 42-8 hammering by the All Blacks.
More of the wash-up from Bledisloe 2:
» Match report
» Seven talking points
» What changes should the Wallabies make?
» DIY Player Ratings
» WATCH: Highlights from the match
Last night in Wellington, the Wallabies came fourth in the 29-9 loss, with a definite improvement in commitment and attitude, but way short of what’s required to beat the All Blacks.
Stats-wise, that was Cheika’s sixth successive loss since the Rugby World Cup final. In 2005, the then Wallaby coach Eddie Jones suffered his seventh straight loss, and was replaced by Kiwi Robbie Deans, the first foreign Wallaby coach.
Deans was the first and last foreign coach of the Wallabies..
The facts are crystal clear, Cheika hasn’t been dropping passes and missing tackles, the men in gold are the culprits.
Last week the Wallabies missed 40 tackles, revised from 38. and last night it was 30, which was magnified by the All Blacks attack stats.
They ran 411 metres to the Wallabies’ 187, beat the defence 30-9, and made 161 passes to 77. There’s no argument,they are a great side, and even though the Wallabies mixed it the first half to be down 15-9 at the break, they fell away alarmingly in the second half.
They could be forgiven if they suffered from claustrophobia as the All Blacks enjoyed 71 per cent territory, and 60 per cent possession.
There’s no clouding the obvious, the Wallabies are simply not good enough.
Take out Israel Folau, David Pocock, and Will Genia, the Wallabies best last night, and the welcome aggression shown by lock Adam Coleman in his run-on debut, the Wallabies are realistically very light on ability right across the park.
Now there’s a two-week break in the Rugby Championship before the Wallabies take on the Boks at Suncorp in a game they must win, at all costs.
The interest will centre on who is in the Wallaby squad?
Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, and Adam Ashley-Cooper are front and centre to be missing.
James Hanson for Moore, Tom Robertson for Kepu, move Samu Kerevi in one for Foley, and install Folau at outside centre, and Reece Hodge for Ashley-Cooper.
And that’s just for starters.
The ‘Pooper’ experiment will also be under the microscope, with Pocock retuning to his world class seven jumper, Michael Hooper to the bench, and Lopeti Timani entrenched at number eight.
And that fortnight can be well spent taking in what renowned skills coach Mick Byrne has to say, and defence coach Nathan Grey.
It’s a terrible indictment Wallabies have to brush up on basic rugby essentials, but it’s a fact of life.