New Wallabies signings James O’Connor, Quade Cooper, coach Robbie Deans, David Pocock and Sekope Kepu at ARU headquaters, Sydney. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
The reality is that both the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cups are gone for another year. The Springboks have been dominant in the Super 14 and the international season.
This is unlikely to change without some clever tactical and selection rethinks.
These re-thinks will also re-energise the players to believe that they have other options with which to crack the Springboks game plan and dominance.
The possession of the ball needs to become the first priority. Consider it as “Mother.” (With thanks to coach Mal Fraser of Hunters Hill for this tag!)
The playing tactics need to change subtlely.
1. Attack the breakdown with newfound ferocity all game. Bully the bully boys. They need some of their own medicine.
2. Keep the penalties to a minimum, and allow the Boks to have the slower ball from phase play. They will kick to the Wallabies anyway.
3. Reduce the amount of kicking. It has not worked and we are not good enough often enough. Also, our best out-of-hand kicker, Barnes, is out injured. Kick when in in your own 22.
4. Prepare to counter-attack from the Boks kicks. This requires more back row and back three support for the catcher.
5. Run the ball more and move it wide with plenty of dummy runners and support play. By moving the point of attack, the bigger Boks forwards will eventually tire, physically and mentally. Keep it in hand and move it progressively wider as you advance down the field.
6. There needs to be changes to the current 22. Some, such as Baxter and Sharpe, have already had their last chance and not taken it. Others need the chance to prove whether they can play at this level. My assumptions on availabilty are: O’Connor, Sharpe, Elsom and Barnes not available.
So 12 of the 22 are first choice, five are development selections.
My team:
1. Robinson (1st Choice)
2. Moore (1st Choice)
3. Alexander (1st Choice)
4. Horwill (1st Choice, when in form but not yet)
5. Mumm (Time to stand up)
6. Pocock (A chance to prove himself)
7. Smith (1st Choice)
8. Brown (no silly mistakes)
9. Burgess (1st Choice, but must keep improving)
10. Cooper (Development time, Giteau experiment has not worked, must find other solutions if and when Barnes is not around in the future)
11. Turner (1st Choice, but needs to get more involved)
12. Giteau (1st Choice, reflects the decision that he is not a 10)
13. AAC (1st Choice)
14. Hynes (1st Choice, in form and showing other wingers up)
15. Mitchell (Time to make 15 his own, if he can)
16. Fitzpatrick (development selection, but can throw straight)
17. Kepu (development, playing the house down at Randwick)
18. Chisholm (his experience gets him another chance, would have preferred Kimlin or Caldwell or Hockings)
19. Waugh (1st Choice) (or Hodgson: much of a muchness)
20. Genia (1st Choice) (Development more game time than last week’s 5 minutes)
21. Cross (safe utility for 11, 12, 13 14)
22. Beale (development and time to taste the big time, could do something special)
The bench also needs to stand up.
All players need to be ready to contribute positively to the Wallabies performance, rather than make up the numbers. At the same time, Fitzpatrick, Kepu, Genia and Beale need at least 20 minutes on the field, no matter the situation in the game, to give them a chance to show what they have at this level.
I don’t expect that Deans will make these decisions, but he should for both the immediate and longer term future.
AndyS
Guest
Hilgendorf got no encouragement from the ARU, the Force brought in Giteau, he looked at his prospects and went off to Japan. I heard a rumour that he went there with the clear intent of doing his time and playing for Japan in 2011. Shame, as I always rated him and wondered what he might have offered at 12. Shepherd won't be playing until S14 next year.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
LAS and OJ - This could be well worth an article on the stupidity that the concentration on defence and almost total neglect of attack has brought us to.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
OJ, maybe the concentration on defence is killing the attack because they are so exhausted. Who in their right mind gives the ball to the opposition.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
and a change of tactics. my son and I go through the ABC summary of grade rugby (in the intro to each ABC Shute shield game) to learn how to attack. the subtleties..... lots of tries, lots of intent..........great rugby. I recommend the same for teh wallabies coaches and players.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
The way he plays is a good indication. Despite all the obvious reminders, he still fails to get up for a game of footy. Robbie agreed and dropped him. Bingo. when he got his chance, he came back bigger and better, but it should not be necessary.........
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Unfortunately, I'm going to miss the game. It's a non-All Blacks weekend, so I can't say no to the wife's demands to go out. My only prediction is that it's going to be ugly one way or the other.
westy
Guest
Rakeef if we are to become what football once was only important and competitve when the World Cup comes around god help us.
westy
Guest
Its all Okay we will soon be able to pick the local melbourne rugby players to fill the holes.
Rakeef
Guest
I say get rid of JONeil and you might get running rugby... The wallabies are young but lets look at the bigger picture we're building for the next world cup so cut them some slack.
Dave
Guest
A very uninspiring side... Sure Barnes is injured, but why not use the ready made combination of Gits - O'connor- Cross??? AAC will be solid at 12, but we have no chance of shifting the ball now to counter attack from SA's kicks.
Maybe
Guest
Guys - Remember James Hilgendorf? I remember in the Western Force (in their inaugural season), he really came on his own during the second half of the competition when moved from fullback to flyhalf. There was even talks that he might do a Larkham but now he has totally vanished. What happened to him? LAS - I would have Cam Shepherd in there instead of Turner if he is available. Shepherd while not as fast as Turner is very skillful and has a handy accurate boot. Besides, the way this comp is going, speed is hardly vital.
CraigB
Roar Guru
he brings cheapshots and thuggery and I in no way appreciate that
Sheldon
Roar Rookie
Sluggy your right, he does not. He hardly plays for his province here.
Sheldon
Roar Rookie
Horwill and Mumm vs Matfield and Botha. Why don't you just asked Moore to pass the ball straight to Du Preez? You can save some time. They will not be able to stand up at the breakdown. They will get dominated and put the entire pack on the backfoot. At the risk of sounding like a typical South African, Australia needs an "enforcer" . Although all the fans supporting a side playing against Botha hate him. I don't think there is a rugby fan that does not appreciate what he brings to a side.
Knives Out
Guest
Don't trust match stats, Tommy. Mumm does not look like a starting test second row. There's some big boys out there, and then there is the issue of which side both locks prefer to scrummage given the inexperience of Alexander at 3.
Knives Out
Guest
You have this bloody obsession with money, LAS? Do you need to talk to somebody about it?! How do you know that Sharpe is not motivated? Anyway, back on topic. Exuberance is fine but let's recall England during the Autumn/Spring series. Johnson picked possibly the least inexperienced England team ever (for a major test series): Delon Armitage, Monye, Flutey, Cipriani, Care, Croft, Rees, Palmer and Payne. He told the team to play what was in front of them. Against NZ and SA they were shown up.. badly. When the 6N had come around Johnson introduced senior players like Cueto, Tindall, Ellis, Worsley and Shaw, and the results were astonishing. An aimless looking team had a direction and guile forced upon it by senior pros.Suddenly England's laissez faire policy looked concise, accurate and dangerous. I was initially for giving the young guns a go but I now realise that emphatically it does not work. There has to be a balance.
Ben J
Guest
That looks like a hell of a backline if sevens type rugby is your game, if the Wallabies want to win they need to get the ball to those guys, the Boks midfield are not as fleetfooted and can be dummied all night if the passes can stick.
Ben J
Guest
LAS, the Wallabies have a wealth of youthful exuberance...but so do the Boks, also a young team in a few positions, Spies, Steyn(s), Beast, Brussow etc but yes this is a Wallaby team that can and should go out and go great guns because noone expects them to. I expect a cracker.
Dave
Guest
Certainly correct, but thats why I advocate a return to the brumbies tactics of old. It was ironic that the All Blacks played like the vintage era brumbies - while we played like the old Crusaders sides! . NZ's passing and skills were ordinary, but they just kept attacking waiting for us to tire - while we kept defending with the hope of a quick turnover and penalty within kicking distance in a rare visit to their half. In fact, I almost expected to see Andrew Mehrtens step up to kick for us! You simply cant defend for that long and not be exhausted. Thats why I indicated earlier my preference for the ball in hand tactic. Make the opposition tackle, make them tired, and wait for the inevitable breakthrough. How many games in the past did we see the brumbies and wallabies win in the final 5 minutes. That was because the pressure was being applied all through the 2nd half. The crack would almost always come. Brendo is correct though that we cant win our own ball at the breakdown at the best of times at present! Sadly, I have no answer to that:(
reds fan
Guest
On QC. I have been a vocal detractor. However! If Deans is selecting him in the squad, he thinks he can bring something to Test rugby. The only way he is going to learn is by playing in Tests. He has been in the squad for two years. Either start using him and testing him, or drop him and get someone in who will be given a chance to play. And a test like this, when we haven't much to play for is a perfect opportunity for him to show what he's got. And Brett I'm with you on Tyrone. Love to see him get higher honours.