Wallabies look to Cup with commitment over class

As I walked out of Suncorp Stadium last night I walked with pride in being Australian, satisifed that the hoo-doo of inconsistency had been broken and that our nemeses from accross the ditch had not only been beaten on the scoreboard but bashed physically and mentally by Horwill’s men.

Of course you hear the XXXX-fuelled “Wallabies you bloody beauty” and the like being yelled out accross the leaving crowd, but generally the Wallaby fans passed each other showing a wry grin and wink that ‘we’ as Wallaby supporters knew somthing special had been achieved.

This was only reinforced by the reactions of the All Black fans I witnessed; grumpy, disappointed. Yep, I know last night hurt the New Zelanders and I don’t give a jot!

Now generally I don’t take enjoyment in others’ defeats. I like New Zealanders. They have given the world much: The All Blacks themselves, Sir Edmund Hillary, the cookie-and-cream cricket uniform, and the tracksuit as a fashion statement.

Yep they have done a lot. However they did not do enough last night and I don’t think they could have done much more and they knew it. They were just plain dusted.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves Australia. We won and deserved to do so by commitment over class. It was evidence from the time the Haka stopped and Australia now famously did not move.

If you looked deeper at McCaw, Afoa and Weepu they did look affronted. This was not to script. Brilliant mental tactics, Australia.

The key to it was mental application of attitude; enter Rocky Elsom, David Pocock, Radike Samo and Ben Alexander, all of whom delivered bone-crunching defence that within twelve minutes.

That saw three uncharacteristic mistakes by the usually unflappable Dan Carter; along with Kieran Read limping off the field; Adam Thompson going for more strapping; and fearless leader Richie McCaw holding his ribs.

The men in black were black and blue themselves and the game had just started.

By now we all know how the game played out. Like the champion team they are, the All Blacks would not lie down. They reverted back to old style route one All Black rugby and threw the kitchen sink at Australia by grinding up the middle and retaining possession, in the natural All Black game.

The grinding, demoralising attrition that has worked so well for them previously was employed with expectation that the same result of victory would ensue, however it was not to be. Australia had had enough.

It has been said by some that this Tri-Nations is devalued and the result of last night’s game would have no bearing come the Rugby World Cup. Rubbish! The only perpetrators of the devaluation were the New Zealanders and South Africans themselves who played ‘B’ teams during the tournament.

It was the Australians who respected the tournament for what it was and deservedly won the cup.

Winning is a habit and breeds confidence. The All Blacks have shown us that for many years. The Wallabies last night showed the rest of the rugby world how to beat New Zealand.

I have no doubt Declan Kidey, Marc Lievremont, Martin Johnson and Peter De Villiers will be studying that tape over and over again. It’s game on, New Zealand, and like the great rugby nation you are, your All Blacks will rise again.

But always in the back of their minds they will know they are not invincible, and their card has been marked. Enter the monkey!