What a difference a week can make in sport. The Wallabies played a fast and expansive sytle of rugby on Saturday night that the Springboks had absolutely no answers for and the scoreline flattered them with a try on full time.
Some observations from the game:
1. The Second Row:
Horwill and Simmmons combined very well and their tight, industrious play was evident at Scrum time and also at the break down where the Wallabies had accuracy (an area I noted last week that they could and would easily fix).
Their body height was excellent and they protected the ball very well. The Wallabies will take four locks to the Rugby World Cup.
Howrwill and Sharpe are certainties and Simmons has moved ahead of Mumm. That leaves the final locking position to either Vickerman or Timani.
Timani has a bright future in the Green and Gold but it will be hard for him to go past Vickerman’s experience and quality in a rugby World Cup year.
I also commented that I thought the All Blacks/England and South Africa will play tight and narrow in the tougher games. Horwill and Simmons play a very direct game and I think their style of play allows Elsom to range in the slightly wider channels where he really causes some damage.
2. Elsom
Elsom was a better player for the 80 minutes last week and is not far off his best. Hopefully, any questions about his leadership and captaincy are put to rest, so that he can simply focus on the job at hand – Growden and co. – take note of this statement!
Your negative press only adds to the problem.
Elsom is at his most dominant, when he is not having to pile into every BD because his tight five are not cutting the mustard. The Wallaby tight five all had very solid games on Saturday night and this allows players like Elsom to play their natural game.
Elsom looked like the player that dominated in Europe a few years back, when he carried the ball in the third and fourth channel and his speed and size is often difficult for outside backs to deal with.
3. Counter attack/Mindset:
Genia, Cooper, O’Connor and Beale – the four amigos as I like to call them – will be causing every coach that has to face them this year, some real concerns.
The Wallaby counter attack finally looks like the Crusaders – it has taken Deans several years, but he has developed the players and mindset.
The Wallabies are lethal from anywhere on the park these days and their superior fitness (more on this below) is allowing them to play a full 80 minutes like this where both forwards and backs are bale to keep an up-tempo going.
The big Springboks forwards could simply not keep pace.
The attacking mindset means that teams will have to be exceptionally accurate with every kick they put in and will also have to ensure that their chase and defensive line is well structured otherwise there will be problems.
These young players thrive on confidence, so big wins like that go a long way in supporting Deans’ style and the way to play the game.
4. Fitness
The Wallaby team looks very fit. Several players are still coming back to their best after some time on the sideline.
A few years, back we looked a yard or two off the pace of the All Blacks and when the game was tight, their superior fitness would play a big hand in being able to pull out the last minute play to secure the win.
I think that gap is now closed and Australia are an 80-minute team.
My final comment was that Quade summed it up perfectly in that seldom is a game perfect.
The Wallabies’ accuracy on a few occasions, let them down on the weekend and they probably left three tries out on the field (which if converted would have made the scoreline 60-20!).
Doing the basics well and not pushing unnecessary passes will go a long way in addressing this issue. Doing the basics well also seemed to address much of the errors around the BD and collision area last week.
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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