It would be easy for a Wallaby supporter to get carried away after the impressive victory over the Boks at Suncorp Stadium. After suffering four successive losses, a victory was the only answer to the Wallabies fans and critics.
And with that victory came the inevitable suggestions of a return to prominence for the Wallabies. This response is clearly premature but the signs are positive.
There were definitely aspects of Saturday’s performance that do give Rugby fans the right to feel slightly optimistic about the years to come.
The side that ran out onto Suncorp was one of the more inexperienced sides to face up to the might of the Springboks for some years. However, this proved to be one of the Wallabies biggest assets.
Three of the most impressive performers came in the form of three newcomers to the starting line-up. Will Genia, David Pocock and Tatafu Polota-Nau all shone for the men in gold.
In an article last week, I discussed the likely injection of enthusiasm these players would provide, and this was clearly evident. However, I admit to underestimating the impact they would have on the result of the game.
Tatafu Polota-Nau also deserves a fair amount of credit for the end result in Brisbane. Right from the start of the match he provided intimidation and physicality that had been lacking from the forward pack, with the exception of Rocky Elsom.
One could sense at the ground that the inspirational tackles that Polota-Nau was producing acted as a catalyst for the rest of the side and players such as James Horwill, Mark Chisholm and Ben Robinson responded by producing arguably their best games of the year. The scrum was also again powerful and this too can be attributed to Polota-Nau. Even his replacement Stephen Moore appeared to put in an improved performance.
This aggression was also evident at the breakdown. In this instance David Pocock led the way as he was a constant threat to the Boks at ruck-time. Pocock was outstanding over the ball. He seemed to have the upper hand in his battle with counterpart Heinrich Brussow as he earnt the Wallabies penalties and turned the ball over on a number of occasions. Pocock’s presence at the breakdown supplied plenty of much needed support for Rocky Elsom and was a critical component to the Wallabies success.
Will Genia’s influence was possibly the most obvious of the three players. His crisp service gave the Wallabies’ playmakers more time to direct play and he also contributed to the direction of the side through precise decision-making. On top of this, Genia also proved a threat around the fringes and was unlucky not to be rewarded with a try for his efforts. His strong performance was obviously recognised by Robbie Deans, as he had no hesitation in leaving the rookie on the track for the full 80 minutes in his run-on debut.
So while there was no denying that the Wallabies produced a far more complete team performance, three of the most inexperienced players contributed significantly towards the victory. In doing so they have also sent a clear message to the selectors that they want to be in the starting side on a more regular basis.
As a result of this, some of the older squad members must be wondering if their days are numbered in the gold jersey. Even captain Stirling Mortlock would be slightly anxious after seeing the slick performance of the current midfield combination.
Further to this, it is also interesting to hear that those experienced players were not involved in the Wallabies camp in Brisbane once Saturday’s team had been announced.
Perhaps the writing is on the wall.
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.
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