Towards the end of the Australia A versus Tonga Pacific Nations Cup match at North Sydney Oval, there was the possibility of the home side declaring from their point-a-minute onslaught.
But the attack was maintained right to the end, which is a change for Australian sides that have inclined in the past to run out of ideas and energy towards the end of a match.
With seven members of the Wallabies squad on the field the question arises: Is the Robbie Deans influence starting to have an impact on the pace and skill levels of the top players?
Several aspects of the play impressed me.
First the scrum was solid and won a tight head, something about as unusual for Australian scrums at any level as a straight feed into a rugby league scrum.
So Sekope Kefu, a converted loose forward who learned his rugby in NZ, and Ben Alexander, picked out by Alan Jones in his bid to become the Wallaby coach as a player who should be used, seem to have the right stuff to prop the Wallaby scrum, probably from next year on.
The backs used the double line attack favoured for some years by the Crusaders, with a forward standing flat and the backs lined out behind him. The halfback has the option of hitting the flat standing forward and bashing the ball up, or releasing the backs.
The value of the system for the backs is that they can put the ball through the hands and set up decoys and outside runners without too much instant pressure being applied to them.
A number of players showed their high skills. Stephen Hoiles was outstanding as a loose forward foraging over the field. It’s been a contention of mine that he would make a magnificent open-side flanker. But with George Smith and Phil Waugh ahead of him, we won’t see this for a few years.
Digby Ione was quick, quick-witted and intelligent with his linking play. Timana Tahu was unstoppable with his running and unloading at inside centre.
This was a quality performance from Australia A, and hard to fault in any way.
The opposition did not make much impression or effort, seemingly, on the day. And Australia A were helped by some very accurate refereeing from Paul Honiss.
Killing the ball at the ruck and maul by Tonga, which other referees would tolerate, was punished by Honiss. His management of the ruck and mauls, too, prevented a host of silly penalties being awarded.
The result was that Australia A were able to compete (legally) for the Tongan ball and Tonga’s general illegal competing was prevented or punished.
Australia A has to play NZ Maori, the other stand out team of the tournament.
This match will decide the winner of the Pacific Nations Cup, and just how good many of the star players against Tonga really are.
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