If the Wallabies are to achieve a greater level of success they need to straighten up. For too long they have moved laterally to try and gain some sort of competitive advantage and it’s not working.
I am not just talking about on the field, but also off it.
On the field, they tend to drift sideways on attack, making it easier for the defenders to capitalise. Passing to their right is not their greatest skill set and combined with too much lateral running they are easy to pick off.
They need to straighten up on attack, run the angles and improve their basic passing skills.
Off the field, they have been guilty of too much sideways movement also. Many may disagree but I think the recruiting of league players in the past seven years has in fact lowered the standard of the Wallabies.
Individually, some of these players have been successful and even stood out but it comes back to that old adage ‘a champion team will always beat a team of champions’ and this hasn’t been the policy of late. The most successful teams in the past have been those built from within.
I appreciate these players draw crowds but surely in an ideal world this money would be better spent on developing grass roots rugby or rewarding those that have come through the grades?
It could yet prove a master stroke, but moving laterally to recruit a coach from overseas is more of the same. Understandable if there is no one better but surely that says more about the coaching structure from within.
A house built on sand will always be vulnerable no matter how good the finishing touches look.
cookie
Guest
I'm more worried about the front and back row.... Straighten up the backs all you like won't be any use if the forwards are fodder...
Nathan
Roar Pro
Thanks Rugbywits. Horne definately has the potential and is worth persisting with. He's still young and will improve over time. Just needs to get some regular game time and stay injury free to realise his potential.
Ben J
Guest
I agree, the only Aus no 8 that worries the Boks is Palu.
Rugbywits
Guest
Gettimg over the advantage line is crucial. And I think you wrote a good article mate. Its a good thing to point out. I wrote on it and just posted it as part of some of the things I rekon the Wallabies can improve on this year in my blog at www.rugbywits.com . To be honest with you I believe Rob Horne being chosen as the starting number 13 is a reward for his mind set. He just goes straight and hard. Its a perfect set up for the backline Deans wants to run with ball runners at 10 and 12 the number 13 MUST be able to go straight and be willing to take hits as he tries to get to the advantage line as fast as possible. Do others rate Horne in that way as I do?
Justin
Guest
Genia is out for a couple of weeks. Why re-invent the wheel? Gits pass is NOT god enough to be a 9.
jiggles
Guest
I'snt Jim Williams the forwards coach?
Even looser
Guest
I wonder who is the Wallaby's forwards coach? This maybe from 'left field' but after his efforts with the Qld Reds, I wouldn't mind seeing Ewen McKenzie given a chance to work with the forwards. Imagine what he could do with this lot and I'd be surprised if any of the forwards wouldn't be excited at the prospect too. And there's a succession plan in place, if you follow my drift.
Nashi
Guest
I always 13 was the straightener, 12 had the options to play what was in front of them, if you want to straighten between 10 and 12 the winger should come in on the inside ball from 12. With AAC, Digby or Horne at 13 we should see more straightening of the attack similar to the Morty days of old. Still I would not have been disappointed to see Gits at 9 (remember the zip he added against Wales a few years back) with Faingaa at 12. However I would think Robbie wants to test a few things: 1. Can Cooper play with another half (namely Burgess) where others (Giteau) have failed. 2. Can Giteau rediscover his spark outside a dynamic ball running 10 (like Larkham). 3. Who will be Wallaby 13 and who will be his backup. I reckon AAC will play 15 all season and fair enough. He needs to develop some skills around a stable position. 4. Diggers and Mitchell have shown some inclination to come into the midfield looking for ball, that should be encouraged. 5. Who is going to be the line bender from the forwards and take over from Cliffy, will it be Rocky, what other choices are there?
Lemon
Guest
The way Robbie coaches seems less about creating space by straight running at 12 than it is finding one on one's...what? Well having watched them train a couple of times the activities they do are all about developing the ability to beat a man one on one or sometimes 2 on 2 in unstructured settings(very NZ!) but time after time they blow easy overlaps. Mind you they are probably better broken field runners than ever before but just not when the easiest option is to use the subtleties of draw and pass or understanding how your change of angle might provide space elsewhere. Maybe RD will prove a genius & they will develop it over the next season in the run up to the world cup. Hoping so!!
Go_the_Wannabe's
Guest
So what did he do then? Only pass to his left? C'mon, Gregan had to be able to pass more or less equally to left or right. How could he get away with that for all the tests he played? I think you jest my friend.
Go_the_Wannabe's
Guest
All I'm saying is that I don't know that the Wannabe's have the size to go forward and get over the advantage line. If you're smaller than your opponents, then it's going to be hard work and will come down to the size of their ticker. Should be interesting to see if our forwards have enough mongrel in them to get over the advantage line - this will be crucial.
Damo
Guest
I like the idea of Giteau at 9. Let's see him pass. If he could serve Cooper or Barnes at 10 then we could get another playmaker on the field. And it could be argued that 9 has more Giteau friendly 'space' than 10. Worth a try. Burgess is very strong around the field but as far as halfbacks go daylight is on the bench when Genia is fit.
Honeybadger
Guest
I don't know about Robbie Deans, but I am deeply concerned re the South Africans getting good lineout and scrum ball and crossing the advantage line regularly thus setting up their huge centres close to thr try line. We lack size not skill, but they have both and, to a lesser extent, so do the Kiwiws. When we have to rely on Nathan Sharp for our size and crossing the advantage line we are in real trouble.
Jameswm
Guest
GTW - Gregan became a legend at half back without being able to pass to his right.
Nathan
Roar Pro
Getting over the advantage line must be a priority before attempting to go wide...the Bulls showed how effective this was against the best defensive team in the competition on the weekend. They drove forward in pods (it doesn't necessarily matter how you do it) but at least they had the Stormers backpeddling before going wide.
Go_the_Wannabe's
Guest
You would hope in the professional era that passing to the left or right would not be an issue. Do teams crab sideways because they want to play that way or are forced to? I would have thought that teams with the more intimidating defence deny the opposition time and space and would be the real reason for lateral movement. This will again be the issue for the Wannabe's. If they straighten the attack against the Saffa's then they'll probably get monstered and look to move laterally again. They might be able to straighten the attack against the Enzedder's a lot easier than against those giant Boer's. I think the Red's showed the way against the Bull's......and I think the Tah's showed how not to play against the Stormer's. So there is hope (but hope is not a plan).....play smarter.....and harder......and faster than the opposition. Sounds easy doesn't it? Should be fascinating to watch it all unfold (or unravel). Deans has to get the upper hand this year to have any hope in 2011.
el gamba
Guest
Gits can probably pass as well as any Australian halfback outside of Genia. That isn't saying much though...and is a problem...!
Nathan
Roar Pro
Yup, agree. If anything, he at least keeps the defence 2nd guessing which is what you want. Gits better at 12 because he likes the extra space and just looks more comfortable there.
Justin
Guest
Gits at 9? If he could pass maybe... AF I agree with at 12 for true hard running and defence.
formeropenside
Guest
Deans does not agree. Giteau will be at 12: if straightening was the plan, Faingaa would be the choice. I would be tempted for the Fiji test to run Gits at 9, with Cooper at 10, Faingaa and AAC in the centres, Digby and Mitchell on the wings, and Hynes at fullback. A bench of Burgess, Barnes and Beale gives all the bench needed, since there is a fair degree of cover in the outside backs among themself. But hell, we can run Hoiles at 8 against Fiji and win the game. Against the AB's or Boks that would be a major problem.