Not since Frank Bainimarama’s coup of Fiji has Australia been unprepared and shocked by a Pacific Island nation. Samoa’s victory in rugby has bewildered the rugby establishment of this nation.
However, could the loss to Samoa be the beginning of a World Cup win for Australia?
Hear me out before laughing into your morning coffee.
Since the middle of the Super 14 season, when the Queensland Reds were stupendous, fans and the media have been licking their fingers at the prospect of a successful year of rugby for this nation.
As the Reds and Waratahs made and played finals and the Reds won the title, all that people could talk about was how good the Wallabies would be this season.
People were fawning over the skills of Genia and Cooper, the talent of Kurtley Beale and the improvement of the Wallabies’ forward pack.
This toadying, however, came before a ball had been kicked in anger to start the international rugby season.
This was coupled with the alarm bells sounding out of the media in New Zealand about the Wallabies’ chances of raining on their parade.
The New Zealand rugby establishment has become concerned that an All Blacks world cup win may not happen, based on the performances in the Super Rugby season gone.
So how does this affect the outcome last Sunday? From watching Robbie Deans in the media, he would have tried to hose down all the media attention on the Wallabies.
However, I feel that the players, especially the fringe ones (many of whom played on Sunday), got caught up in all the media’s predictions and jubilation that 10 years of frustration might be over.
So essentially, the loss to Samoa, was a kick up the pants and a reminder that anything that happened in the 2011 Super Rugby season counts for nothing in international rugby.
Fringe players will learn and train harder, while the top stars that missed the match will get a shock to their system.
What you should expect against South Africa next week is a strong performance by the Wallabies, that will continue through to the World Cup.
Losing to Samoa, reminds the team that you cannot just turn up against the minnow sides (Wallabies have US, Russia and Italy in their rugby world cup group) who will be inspired to cause an upset.
While the Samoa loss was disappointing, it is a blessing in disguise for the rugby fraternity of Australia. Being reminded that they have yet to do anything, can only inspire the Wallabies to work harder over the Tri Nations.
Perhaps the first step to a Wallabies’ World Cup win needed to be a trip and a fall to remind them to walk with purpose.
Cattledog
Guest
Good to see you playing nicely again, wixsy :)
wixsy
Guest
nothing at all cattledog, just suggesting some wines for you that are a very suitable alternative to NZ sauvy B's which are the cheap priced scurge of the Australian white wine landscape.
Cattledog
Guest
What are you attempting to insinuate here, wixsy?
johnno42
Guest
hey sorry wixsy, i only read all of your post when i saw my answer in the column...i got the first bit " NZ Sauv. Blancs are insipid lady bogan drinks" in my email, as the whole article...
johnno42
Guest
thats a typical okker... try and turn a humiliating defeat into a KIWI BASHING exercise... real sporting wixsy
wixsy
Guest
NZ Sauv. Blancs are insipid lady bogan drinks. If you like lady drinks Cattledog, try a Crouchen Riesling from Milawa or a Pinot Gris from the Adelaide Hills. A loss to Samoa is a loss that should not happen to a team that has reportedly inproved on past seasons. Rocky is a dead man walking. Wallabies out in the Quaters.
johnno42
Guest
I think that to say "could the loss to Samoa be the beginning of a World Cup win for Australia?” is naive at best and most likely ‘positive thinking in the extreme’. If one was to seriously examine Deans’ Wallaby record, they would be less than impressed. I think that he will be quickly removed after a dismal world cup performance.
Cattledog
Guest
I am now starting to get the feeling Deans may not be as sharp as I have been led to believe. Certainly, if you listen to many of the Kiwi posters on this sight, they are sniggering in their NZ Sav Blancs, which I should add are superb, at Deans' performance to date. Whilst I don't see the loss as the great train wreck some may, it has certainly put a massive speed bump in the Wallabies preparations. Chanel 9 may be regretting taking on this task. Here they were with their first game in the 'new' era of FTA TV and they get dished up the crap of last Saturday. Here was an opportunity to showpiece just what we have, when there would have been a lot of leaguies having a look until the league started, to see the dismal display by players well and truly out of their depth. You could have been excused to think you were watching the Brumbies in a new strip. No vision, no plan, no commitment, no support, no nothing. Granted, it was by no means our top team. Of the starting 15, I would go as far to say 3 may be retained. Unfortunately, Elsom will still be there due to some damning photos he must have of JON, Deans or both. Last Saturday was certainly an opportunity lost and unfortunately uncovered the lack of depth within Australian Rugby. The abyss between our 1st XV, 2nd XV and 3rd XV is extensive and I harp back to the need for a level above premier, but below Super rugby. A win in the RWC will see this remain a pipe dream. Perhaps there's another loss we need to have so as rugby in Australia can take stock, develop some further structure and grow.
Jamesb
Guest
It's nothing short of an embarrassement. How can a loss to a minnow be a blessing in disguise?
Ralph
Guest
"could the loss to Samoa be the beginning of a World Cup win for Australia?" Anything is possible, but it equally be the rot setting in. Couple of injuries and this is your lot for the year. "The New Zealand rugby establishment has become concerned that an All Blacks world cup win may not happen, based on the performances in the Super Rugby season gone." You are putting words in someone else's mouth. Where is your evidence for whoever the rugby establishment may or may not be has or has not said? Also, history suggests super rugby has no bearing on who wins a RWC. You played poorly. Samoa won for the first time ever. All the spin in the world won't change that.