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In the wake of another loss against New Zealand, the initial impression I got from reading articles from various outlets, blogs and community chat sites is that Australian fans were quite happy that we staved off another embarrassment.
They pretty much expected to lose, but were happy that we didn’t lose by 20 plus points. That early sentiment is starting to turn.
In recent browsing, I have picked up a number of prevailing thoughts: people believe Robbie Deans isn’t doing a particularly good job – with selections and substitutions – at the moment. And there is an idea that some players that just aren’t up to international standard.
Also, that we probably can beat New Zealand soon, but we actually want to have a sustained level of competition with the best.
I’ve been thinking a fair bit about the general points that seem to be coming up all the time and have tried to understand what the problems really are.
One that I can start with is Robbie Deans.
Some people suggest he should be booted before the World Cup. Some think he’s up against a tough culture in the Wallabies camp and things are slowly changing.
Everyone seems to agree that some selections are sometimes strange and that substitutions are rewarding the lesser players.
I would put forward the argument that Robbie Deans has definitely done some things that appear strange to us on the outside and probably aren’t correct. On the other hand, he has been dealt a harsh hand.
In other words, we need to see what is in his control and what isn’t.
Lets analyse a few of the selection conundrums.
Here is the list of players that turned out for Australia last week: Benn Robinson, Saia Faingaa, Salesi Ma’afu, Dean Mumm, Nathan Sharpe, Rocky Elsom, David Pocock, Richard Brown, Will Genia, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Anthony Faingaa, Adam Ashley-Cooper, James O’Connor, Kurtley Beale.
RES: Stephen Moore, James Slipper, Rob Simmons, Matt Hodgson, Luke Burgess, Berrick Barnes, Cameron Shepherd.
There has been criticism that Giteau has been put back into the 10 jersey. We all thought that experiment ended on the Spring Tour and last Tri Nations. Deans probably should have left Giteau in 12, where his skills are a perfect match to the position, and not constantly move him, even with injury to the first pick.
However, the problem isn’t just the selection of the position – it is Giteau himself.
Giteau believes he needs to carry the team and overplays his hand. If he could settle into the number 12 role (in more space) and let someone like Cooper or Barnes play chief playmaker (less space to use) in the way they are suited, then the Wallabies would benefit.
Deans can’t help the suspension or Giteau’s mindset but he can select a team without Giteau, if that’s what it takes to change the game. Cooper – Faingaa – Ashley-Cooper?
James O’Connor is another selection query many have.
He is a player that has immense potential, but is being selected, honestly, before he has realised enough of it. He definitely fits the Wallabies package (and Test rugby) better on the wing. But in the same breath, you’d admit it’s not the solution we really need.
The problem is that Deans knows Ioane and Hynes are injured.
O’Connor probably IS the third choice for the position, ahead of Shepherd, even with the weight disadvantage. The other side of the coin is that it’s been so long since Shepherd played Test rugby that we don’t really know if he is the answer or not.
Deans can’t control the injuries, but he could select another player to see if he is the missing part we are staring in the face.
In the forwards we have a few similar problems.
Most glaringly is the problem at the back of the scrum – Richard Brown – and the front row – Salesi Ma’afu.
Brown clearly is not the line-breaking runner or tackling machine we all expect from our explosive number 8. He also isn’t the great link man, agile ruckman we expect in our workhorse number 8.
So why is he playing Test rugby, we all ask?
Well, from Robbie Deans point of view he can’t control the fact that Wycliffe Palu and Stephen Hoiles are both out of the side through injury. But if that is the case, who is the number four best choice option brought into the squad to challenge Brown?
He has been on a free ride at the moment and Deans can control that. Bring someone else in, at least for the competition.
Ma’afu is another problem.
He quite clearly has been outperformed in the scrum by his opposite a few times now. I think Deans believes he is a player that can be developed into a stayer for the Wallabies.
However, at the expense of his learning the scrum, someone forgot to tell him to stay in shape. Seriously, he only marginally looks more like a professional athlete than I do.
James Slipper is a younger player but he needs to be rushed into the side. We cannot let BOTH the scrums and mobile play of one of our props be mopped up by other forwards.
Deans knows he has rotated props a lot this year due to injury and that is something he can’t control. But he can control what he expects to be the contribution of the person he picks.
It may not be to win in the rucks AND the scrum. But he needs to choose one of them – thereby choosing Slipper or Laurie Weeks.
So I think it becomes clear when we look at a few of the individual dilemmas facing Deans that we don’t need to blame him for EVERYTHING that has gone wrong with the Wallabies.
He has been unable to control some of the problems. But he has contributed a few.
If the circumstances were different then a few of his mistakes would not be analysed like this. That being said, we are in a tough spot and cannot afford to make mistakes with the margin for error we have in our squad at the moment.
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.