- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
That’s it. The bar is dry, the food’s gone, the cupboard is empty. As a young fan enticed by late-1990s Australian rugby, the 1999 World Cup was a professional epiphany, a veritable feast of accurate, modern rugby.
Harry, Blades, Giffin, Eales, Cockbain, Wilson, Kefu, Gregan, Larkham … Super, super stuff.
From there Australia have slowly declined.
They still made the 2003 World Cup final, but instead of being trendsetters as in 1999, they progressed through that tournament driven by sheer desire and perhaps home nation fear. The general conclusion being that they had got to the final against all odds.
That final was a close affair. But the next World Cup was not so generous and Australia were on the decline.
Against that backdrop, Robbie Deans was brought in.
The anointed one apparently, Deans has an excellent coaching record and he is a pleasant, warm man. I certainly wouldn’t question his pedigree.
However, on Saturday he made some bad, bad mistakes that cost Australia dearly. Whether it will affect the Wallabies in Brisbane is another matter, but what the record capitulation also revealed is something that a lot of fans have known for a long time.
There is no depth in Australian rugby.
Connolly set out to improve the front row. He didn’t, but I don’t blame him. Props mature as they age and Holmes and Shepherdson must still be long-term priorities.
He could only work with what he had, the same as Deans: Dunning and Baxter. Let’s be frank – the pair couldn’t scrummage their way out of a pack of crisps.
Nonetheless, the fans of Deans were applauding their new ‘attitude’, a mongrel anger that was previously missing.
On Saturday, this myth was blown out of the water.
Despite a meaty weight advantage, the Australian pack was once again blasted onto the back foot. In this context, it is logical to assume that the only reason Australia managed to win that particular battle against South Africa in recent weeks is because South Africa were non-committal to the ruck.
It appears that the problem therefore is mental, and I can’t see what Deans can do if the players themselves do not want to do what is required.
The front row is still a massive issue. Deans cannot immediately remove Dunning and Baxter because they are experienced and Dunning has utility value.
Improving the front row must be a long term process, but throwing in Kepu with Robinson would be the stuff of nightmares.
Robinson is showing promise but he will not peak until he hits 30.
Vickermann and Elsom are leaving, and suddenly the Australian pack looks softer than a tub of Lurpak.
All Deans can do is maintain the status quo and persevere until a real contender offers themselves. If Holmes, Shepherdson and company truly wish to improve their game, then they should look at moving to a Guinness Premiership club for a season.
Not only does Australia not have a climate that is accommodating to propping, but there are simply not enough games in the Super 14 for players to test themselves. As much as English players would bemoan their long seasons, I am sure that Rowntree, Woodman, White, Payne and others learnt more playing 40 odd club games a season than they would have with thirteen plus provincial starts a season.
Moving TPN to prop would not be an answer and he is another player who must be persevered with… at hooker, and not at flanker and not at prop.
Throwing in is a confidence issue, and until TPN can maintain a regular starting position his bench position should be under review.
He certainly won’t perfect his trade subbing behind Freier.
At least Moore has proved himself this Tri-Nations with rugged loose performances and largely excellent throwing.
The second-row is an improvement.
Horwill and Vickermann provide an excellent combination of grunt and intelligence. The problem lies in Vickermann’s sabbatical.
McMeniman is clearly a good player, but like TPN he must be a regular starter. And he also must decide on a position. What other countries have a flanker cum lock who can dominate international games?
To that extent, he cannot be considered an automatic replacement for Vickermann. The same applies to Mumm. There is no chance of Williams, Thorn, Matfield or Botha having the occasional game at six.
One or the other: five or six.
The departure of Elsom may make that decision for him, but Australia needs a true blue second row. And urgently.
The back row, often a position of Australian strength, is now under threat of becoming maligned. After Saturday it is irrefutable that Smith is the starter and Waugh is the impact sub, unless of course Deans decides to fast track the more physical Pocock onto the bench.
Elsom will be missing this Autumn and Palu has a habit of disappearing. Who is the back up no. 8? Who plays 6? McMeniman, Mumm? But then who plays second row?
Undoubtedly there are potential greats in the Super 14, but it is one thing losing with veterans and another with young, untested players.
The 4 and 6 are the most physical elements of the pack and that loss will hurt Australia badly. Chisholm, Hoiles, or Sharpe will not remedy that.
The back division pick themselves, but as with the second and back row, there is an issue with utility players.
Starting from the back: AAC is not an international fullback. Where does he play?
It is also questionable whether Shepherd is up to the task. Latham would have excelled on the weekend.
The wings pick themselves despite Tuqiri’s sloppy skill set and lack of midfield involvement. Hynes has been perhaps the Australian find of the Tri-Nations, but again he is another young gun.
Mortlock, although receiving criticism post-South Africa, is physically the glue holding the back division together.
Cross has looked very good when called upon, but he will have to be content with a bench position.
Which leaves the 12 slot.
Barnes is unequivocally the starter, but there is always the theory that he would be better at 10 and Giteau would be better at 12. If there is more broken play under the ELVs, then surely it pays to have your more electric players further afield?
Tyrone Smith had an excellent season and I am convinced that he has a future. Tahu too.
However, it was negligent of Deans to play Tahu in an fifteen of that composition and with so little experience under his belt. When Mortlock retires, which may be sooner than later, Australia will be short of some key experiences.
If the going gets tough, Mortlock can take the ball up if need be. But how good would it be for Australia to have an alternative kicking no 12!
Barnes got injured and look what happened? No plan B.
Even Giteau is not yet a consistent international 10.
Despite that, he is Australia’s key performer. Take him and Mortlock out of the equation and there are players with a host of question marks in need of answering. And also a host of players who need to play regularly in one position: Burgess, Mitchell, Tahu, AAC, Sheperd, Turner, Ioane, Gerrard, and so on.
Burgess has abundant talent but Cordingley is departing soon and Sheehan is barely Super 14 standard.
I am convinced that Deans has taken on a much bigger job than initially expected, and until Australia recognizes that rugby union is a game of specialists, the Wallabies will always be found out when it matters most.
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.