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Can the Wallabies master that deadly combination?

12th January, 2018
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Kurtley Beale (C) poses with former Wallabies Lloyd McDermott (L) and Gary Ella (R) during the Wallabies Indigenous Jersey Launch at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence on July 17, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
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12th January, 2018
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I have previously preached the gospel of the 2-4-2 attacking system used by the New Zealand teams, and now I’m going to reminisce on the three vital cogs without which it just couldn’t work and ask: “Do the Wallabies have those same cogs?”.

The 2
Dane Coles and Codie Taylor, with Nathan Harris in the waiting – not too big, not too small but with plenty of skill and agility. The bit of skill and agility they do lack are being worked on over time to help them fit into the 2-4-2 structure.

This side of the ditch we marvel at Dane Coles’s running and handling exploits – he runs around like a second open side flanker, and this is exactly how New Zealand hookers are used. The 2-4-2 makes him look good and gives him the opportunity to make himself look good.

Codie Taylor is being baptised in these ways at the moment and is doing a better job of it at every outing. When is the last time you saw Dane Coles or Codie Taylor making a front-on hit on the defensive line and make significant brute metres? Never, and this is because they aren’t used in this way and it is not expected of them.

Do we have hookers who rival them? Think about the persistent selections of Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau, who offer only slow, immobile diesel engines as opposed to the more efficient turbocharged petrol engines of the New Zealand hookers.

I will admit Jordan Uelese is an exciting prospect, but will his engine match those of the smaller, more mobile and agile New Zealand hookers? I for one hope Uelese is an exception to the rule in the Malcolm Marx mould.

I’m also a big fan of Damien Fitzpatrick now that he has returned to our shores. He would fit nicely into the New Zealand hooker mould, especially given his last name.

(AAP Image/David Moir)

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The 9
Aaron Smith and TJ Perenara provide excellent service with electric decision-making. With them rest the keys to the All Blacks attack. Most of the time it’s their split-second decision-making and quick vision that allows the All Blacks attack to function.

After the 2009 All Black debacle against the Springboks kick and contest game their scrum halves have also now been upgraded to include a deadly kicking game a la Fourie du Preez. They are slight of frame because they are so fit, excellent low tacklers behind the defensive line, excellent kickers and always in support of the ball runner or not far off it – again, because they are so fit.

Do we have scrum halves who rival them? Think the persistent selections of Will Genia and Nick Phipps – slow service, poor kicking games and poor split-second decision-making and vision. Plus they’re much slower, heavier framed and less energetic than their New Zealand counterparts.

Joe Powell does not inspire me with confidence but, then again, he is not even allowed to get decent game time at the Brumbies. In my mind Jake Gordon is the future, but he too will be wasted if the current attacking structure used by the Wallabies is persisted with.

Ryan Louwrens and Michael Ruru are also reminiscent of the New Zealand scrum half mould – good energy, good speed, good kicking and good intuition.

(Gabriel Rossi/Getty Images)

The 15
Ben Smith, Jordie Barret, Damien MacKenzie and David Havili are in the waiting. As much as the public raves about Beauden Barrett, it is from here that the attack is informed – true rugby instincts reside here.

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These guys stand back and see the play and gaps unfold in front of them and have the ‘rugby knowledge’ to take advantage of it. They are constantly roaming with perfect positioning because of their understanding of the game. Roam, identify, call and attack unselfishly is the modus operandi here.

Do we have fullbacks to rival them? Think Israel Folau’s persistent selection with Kurtley Beale as a recent back-up. Folau is physically gifted with talent to burn almost anyone one-on-one but he is no ‘rugby brain’. His positional play is not up to scratch and he cannot for the life of him put someone through a gap, create that gap or see a gap develop.

In my mind he’s an out-and-out left wing cross-field kick option in the mould of Rieko Ioane. Beale is a man on his own mission. He plays on his own, thinks on his own and almost always keeps the ball for that second too long.

He does not possess the unselfish trademarks of the New Zealand fullbacks who accept that their role is to roam, identify, call and attack and in almost all instances give the ball to a teammate to make the break or right after a break is made.

I also personally think Beale is a bit lazy in his positional play. I suspect he is also constricted at fullback due the attacking structure used by the Wallabies – and you have to feel for a bloke who is playing 12 the whole year and then moved to 15.

Tom Banks seems to be the future here, along with Jack Maddocks. Dane Haylett-Petty should just be left at fullback – he is not a wing. Even Reece Hodge can be given a crack here – in my mind, given some freedom, he’s a player in the mould of Jordie Barrett.

It’s also a pity that Jesse Mogg was not given a proper crack; he’s Ben Smith’s twin in terms of playing style if I ever saw one – given the proper attacking structure of course.

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I didn’t mind Luke Morahan either. He’s a very smart, deceptively dynamic and unselfish player. We could’ve called him ‘Luke from accounts’.

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