With the international rugby season having started in less than ideal fashion with Sunday’s 32-23 loss to Samoa, the Wallabies and we cautiously faithful in gold are officially on the road to the Rugby World Cup.
With a bit of luck, planets suitably aligned, and a well-performing Australian team, the journey won’t end until ‘Bill’ is launched toward the dark Auckland sky on October 23.
But we’re a long way from that just yet. A soberingly long way, we’ve now found out.
Samoa showed the Wallabies that there will be no such thing as an easy game in 2011, and their historic win came on the back of a brutal lesson in breakdown physicality and all-round enthusiasm.
Though their discipline at times earned the wrath of referee Marius Jonker, the Samoans were never punished on the scoreboard by a generous Wallaby outfit. A runaway try from mountainous winger Alesana Tuilagi and a clever charge-down try to fullback Paul Williams had the Samoans racing away to an early lead midway through the first half.
And from that point, all they really had to do was hang on for a thoroughly deserving and well-celebrated win. I expect a new MasterCard ad this week in celebration.
Hindsight’s a wonderful thing of course, and Robbie Deans’ decision to field an experimental side fired debate among Wallaby supporters within minutes of fulltime.
And so redemption must start this Saturday, with the second Sydney leg doubling as the first match of the 2011 Tri-Nations. Like plenty of others, this trophy hasn’t called Australia home in many a year, though that didn’t stop Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill declaring the Wallabies are chasing the treble: the Tri-Nations, Bill, and Lord Bledisloe.
I guess you have to have goals, but I wonder if they might be kept on ice for a few weeks now.
Always-entertaining Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has evidently stumbled across Jake White’s 2007 Rugby World Cup playbook and named an initial touring party minus 21 of the Republic’s best.
What’s more, he couldn’t care less how much noise Australia makes about the seriousness of injuries, declaring, “Whatever anyone says out there about being unhappy, I don’t have a problem.”
But those wily South Africans are playing with us again. Just as we in Australia finished celebrating the Reds’ Super Rugby triumph and absorbed the news of the Wallabies five million dollar Rugby World Cup pot late last week, the ‘Boks quietly added some reinforcements to their rookie squad for the journey east.
Prop CJ van der Linde was added initially, but then so too were lock Johan Muller and Waratah-destroying flanker Heinrich Brüssow. If they keep adding quality players at this rate, Fourie du Preez and Victor Matfield should arrive at the ground just before kick-off.
That all said, this Springbok squad definitely can’t be taken lightly. It’s easy for us to talk about them being a second or third XV, but the fact remains that South Africa are resting or “injury managing” their stars because they can. Oh, for the day Australia can leave 21 first choice players at home like the ‘Boks have.
South Africa names their side later today, and though youthful and lacking international experience, their squad still oozes talent that will push the Wallabies all the way.
Just in the halves, the experienced pairing of Ruan Pienaar and Morne Steyn will be ably deputised by exciting Sharks scrumhalf Charl McLeod and young punk flyhalves Patrick Lambie and Elton Jantjies.
Out wide, even without the Habanas and Pietersens of the world, there’s still plenty of speed to burn with Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, and Odwa Ndungane vying for back three spots with Lwazi Mvovo and Bulls flyer Bjorn Basson.
In the forwards, there’s still plenty to worry about too. Ryan Kankowski is up there with the very best running no. 8s in the game, and Brüssow certainly needs no introduction to Sydney crowds.
Van der Linde and Chiliboy Ralepelle will be a tough prospect in the front row, and perhaps the only variable might be whether skipper John Smit – playing in Australia for the last time with the Springboks – packs down at hooker or tighthead.
Of course, when a South African side still contains prodigious superboot Morne Steyn and quality locks in Muller and Danie Rossouw, it’s not difficult to imagine a likely game plan. But then knowing it is one thing, stopping or adjusting to it is entirely something else again.
And if we’re honest, any crying over spilt milk and injured tourists quickly stopped the moment Sunday’s experimental Wallabies lost to Samoa. It’s fair to expect that the First XV, or as close as can be assembled to it, will be trotted out today.
Certainly, the big attacking guns, Genia, Cooper, O’Connor, and Beale will be back in some shape or form. David Pocock surely won’t be running the water again, and Scott Higginbotham could well have done enough to earn a run in the starting pack somewhere. James Horwill has to come back in for his first Test in 18 months or more.
Some big Samoan shoulders, and Matt Giteau’s preference to track east-west rather than north-south hindered Pat McCabe, but for mine he showed enough of his straight running to think he might be worth persevering with. That said, with Adam Ashley-Cooper continuing his off year form-wise, McCabe might need to shuffle one spot wider to hold his place.
Generally speaking, the Wallabies will need a massive dose of enthusiasm, commitment, and respect for their opposition.
The Tri-Nations is always a special time in the rugby year, and even with the Rugby World Cup looming on the horizon, this year’s edition will still provide plenty of motivation for the three proud nations.
Of course, it’s nice to hold the Mandela Plate currently, and a win this weekend would ensure it stays put in the St. Leonards trophy cabinet. But the Tri-Nations trophy spot has been gathering dust since 2001, and it’s a situation that’s long needed rectifying.
2011 is as good a time as any, and it must start this Saturday night.
Bokblood
Guest
As a fanatical Bok supporter, my few cents... Calling us a "B side" and expecting to win by 30 points plus, as some of the posts suggest, typical Aus arrogance... Look what happened last Sunday. What if the Boks bring that same determination, enthusiasm and will to win on Saturday? Just asking. In SA, rugby is like religion, the same as with the All Blacks. In Aus, correct me if Im wrong, it's the 6th most popular sport, even swimming beats rugby. I have to pause here and insert a huge WTF???? That said, for a country as such to lift Bill twice, is simply astonishing!!!!!!!!!!!!! Without a doubt there is no team on earth more clever than Aus, including NZ and it is simply a frightening thought to think what will happen to the rest of the rugby playing nations if you guys have a scrum like say Argentina, or England and the ferocity and aggressiveness of yes you guessed it Samoa. It simply is the stuff of nightmares and I'm thanking the good Lord everyday that that's not the case! That being said, don't underestimate our "B side" come Saturday, show us the respect we deserve, as we do you. A lot can happen in 80 minutes. The boks to take it by 9. I thank you. Cheers, gotta check in on our "injured players" LOL!
cinematic
Guest
Only because Henry stopped coaching S15. When Henry did pop up for a season as the Blues D coach the Blues won the comp (beating the Saders in the final if my memory serves me well).
sheek
Guest
OJ, I'll agree with you on this - Deans should not be coaching the Wallabies beyond 2011. Not because I think he's a failure, but because, with the 4 year cycle of world cups, someone else (McKenzie?) should be the coach for 2012-15. I also believe, irrespective of how good a coach he might be, there is a use-by date when the players, perhaps through over-familiarity, stop listening to the messages. This happened with all the recent coaches - Alan Jones, Bob Dwyer, Rod Macqueen & Eddie Jones. Yes, even MacQueen. He quit in 2001 when he realised some of the senior players were no longer listening to him. You know, I was thinking about Bob Templeton, one of Australian rugby's most revered figures. Like Deans, he was an excellent provincial coach, being pivotal to the rise of Queensland rugby in the 1970s. But his test coaching record was abysmal, coinciding with some of the darkest days of Australian test rugby. Templeton coached the Wallabies on-off 29 times throughout the 70s, for just 13 wins, 15 losses & a draw. That's a win ratio of just 44.83%. Of those 13 wins, 5 were against Fiji & one against Tonga. So his record against the other "big 8" was abysmal. But even on the 1972 tour of NZ, when the national team was dubbed the "Woeful Wallabies", it was rightly the players, & not Tempo, who bore the brunt of the press's fury. Tempo was never subjected to the same vicious attacks we've seen on Deans. Yes, he was accused of favouring Queenslanders on the 1981/82 tour of Britain & Ireland. However, subsequent events have shown that such accusations were unfounded. I still maintain that the Wallabies are largely an ordinary team. Their no.2 world ranking also reflects the poor depth of international rugby overall. This is my humble opinion on the matter.....
ohtani's jacket
Guest
And does he have absolutely nothing to do with the Wallabies' appalling record since he took over? It must go both ways, no?
ohtani's jacket
Guest
If McKenzie had the same coaching record as Deans he would've lasted about as long as Greg Smith. I can understand O'Neill trying to save face over the dud of a coach he bought, but how anyone else can have a blindspot over Deans is beyond me.
johnny-boy
Guest
Sheek fancy backline moves is where our strength is - and it does pay to play to your strengths imo rather than trying to emulate others strengths. We do have the cattle, Deans just refuses to play them in the right poistion ... yet ... but I am wistfully hoping that is about to change as he builds two test teams for the WC. Deans also plays the wrong cattle for far too long. Mumm, Maafu, Alexander, Giteau - the list is long. I agree the Wallabies dont yet understand what is required to win consistently at the highest level but Deans' obstinacy has been handicapping them.
sheek
Guest
Justin - I would hope so.....
sheek
Guest
Conceded. However, 5 titles in 9 years - 2000-02-05-06-08, is still very impressive. Better than any other S12-15 coach. Again, did Deans have absolutely nothing to do with this?
sheek
Guest
So McCaw & Carter were never young but talented stars like Cooper & Genia, who had not yet added experience & subtlety to their natural talent??? They just arrived one day, & were instantly the greats of their generation??? See, I reckon Henry had the same problem with the Lions that Deans has had with the Wallabies. I don't reckon the players get it. In either situation. It took the English dominated players of the Lions to lose that 2001 series to appreciate what was required to win the world cup in 2003. Ironically, had the Lions won the 2001 series, I doubt England would have won the 2003 world cup. They needed the loss in 2001 to understand & motivate them for 2003. Deans just hasn't got the cattle, or they simply don't understand what is required to win consistently at the highest level. I differ from most people in that I think too many Australians OVER-RATE the Wallabies. Because we have a couple of fancy-dancing backs, many of us think that's all we need. But we still lack the muscle at the scrum & at the tackle breakdown. Technically, our team has holes in it. Deans has tried to fix these problems I believe, but players resist. Too many of us think it's all about fancy backline moves (it's ingrained in the Aussie psyche).....
sheek
Guest
OJ, So what are you saying here - if McKenzie had the same Wallaby coaching record, with similar cattle, would fans be on his back like they are with Deans, or not.....? Your reply is too brief for me to actually understand what you're saying.....
Capital
Roar Guru
Funk I think you will find that Jiggles got his PhD before electrical tape came into wide spread usage. About the same time that barbed wire was no longer used to hold the socks up on the tight five.
johnny-boy
Guest
You are missing something Sheek. Deans had the luxury of a team of internationals including two of the best of their generation McCaw and Carter. McKenzie on the other hand turned an inexperienced team of largely unheard of young guys in to a dynamic team of champions. Big, big difference. Graeme Henry for example has had the same benefit and the added bonus that the Wallabies have had a coach way out of his element and the Springboks have had, well PDV. But winners are often the luckiest. Henry was rubbish with the Lions and Wales and cocked it up bigger than anybody when he decided he wanted to show the world how to really coach, which ended up hilariously when looking at it from the light side.
Justin
Guest
I imagine there would be quite a few players upset with that sort of rubbish statement Sheek.
Funk
Guest
So in your expert opinion Jiggles what is the best boot lace material for a no.8 (and does it differ from club/franchise to internationals)? Also did your PhD include the addition of electrical tape?
Riaan
Guest
I heard Australia is an exotic country with rich and rare creatures and stuff....but I guesse they grow the Bong-Pipe Sacred Green Leave quite huge down under. And I think you abused your legal dailly limit of smoking it Joseph.
Capital
Guest
And luckily OJ, we both have opinions we are willing to express on an opinion site :) Looking forward to both the 3N and RWC. And yes, I feel quite good this year about our chances.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
Maybe they will, but that still won't make the Wallabies any better than what they really are.
Capital
Guest
If we are only interested in records OJ - what makes you think the ABx aren't going to repeat their RWC legacy?
Joseph
Guest
Hey OJ, this is what you will read on every thread tomorrow. QLD is a great example of coming from the bottom of the table, to end up winning it. Why can't the Wallabies do it? My answer is, you bet they can!! Is Carter so much better than Cooper. Is McCaw so much better than Pocock. Is Dagg so much better than Beale. My answer is BULL$&@&!!!!!! We have the talent and I can't wait for them to show it!! I want the Wallabies to take out all 4 trophies. Super Rugby, Bledisloe, Tri-Nations and that god dam WORLD CUP!!! I don't care what bloody kiwi's says on this site, their scared and full of CRAP! GO THE WALLABIES!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO HEAR FROM EVERY AUSTRALIAN ON THIS STINKING SPORTS SITE!!!!! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
How presumptuous of you. South Africa have a far better record against us than your lot. What makes you think the Wallabies have any more chance than France or England?