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Time for the Mick Byrne way to kick in with the Wallabies

30th August, 2016
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Stephen Moore is back to the Reds' bench. (Photo: AFP)
Expert
30th August, 2016
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Skills coach Mick Byrne is the most important link in the Wallaby camp right now.

After six successive defeats – three by the All Blacks, and three by England – the most telling factor is the Wallabies have never looked like winning any of them.

The reasons were blatantly obvious, with lack of basic rugby skills – can’t pass, can’t catch, can’t tackle – a terrible indictment on what the Wallabies have produced in the past.

Byrne is a former Melbourne, Hawthorn and Swans AFL rep, winning a flag with the Hawks, who switched to rugby after he hung up his boots.

After stints in England and Scotland, he landed the plumb job of All Blacks skills coach in 2005 until last year.

In that time the All Blacks won back-to-back Rugby World Cups, retained the Bledisloe Cup 11 times, and won eight Rugby Championships.

Admittedly, Byrne had quality cattle compared to what the Wallabies have now, but he made key All Blacks like Richie McCaw, Tony Woodcock, Dan Carter, Ma’a Nonu, and Conrad Smith better players.

Even though those six have called it a day, their replacements have been taught the Byrne way, so it’s no surprise the new-look Kiwi side is mighty slick.

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With the Wallabies having the weekend off, there’s plenty of time for Byrne to make his mark before they take on the Springboks at Suncorp on Saturday week.

But having been talking about a lack of basic skills after each of the six successive losses, how were most of the Wallabies picked in the first place, and when they kept offending why weren’t they dropped?

Skipper Stephen Moore, prop Sekope Kepu, flanker Michael Hooper, bench lock Will Skelton, bench half Nick Phipps, inside centre Bernard Foley, and winger Adam Ashley-Cooper should be missing against South Africa.

The pack replacements – James Hanson to take over from Moore, Tom Robertson for Kepu, David Pocock to revert to his normal position as captain of the side, with Lopeti Timani taking over as No.8, and Rory Arnold replacing Skelton.

In the backs, half Nick Frisby to replace Phipps, Samu Kerevi to move in one to replace Foley, Israel Folau to switch from fullback to outside centre, Luke Morahan to replace Ashley-Cooper, with Andrew Kellaway the new fullback.

Others who deserve another chance are prop Scott Sio, locks Kane Douglas and Adam Coleman, flanker Scott Fardy, flyhalf Quade Cooper, and winger Dane Haylett-Petty.

After six successive defeats, no Wallaby can expect to be safe, with the exception of Pocock, Folau and Will Genia – it’s as simple as that.

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So it’s up to Mick Byrne to pick up the pieces, in conjunction with defence coach Nathan Grey.

Between them, rugby fans must be able to say the Wallabies can pass, can catch, and can tackle, or there’s no point in playing.

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