Sure, it still hurts right now.
We were outgunned, outplayed, and with Anthony Mundine’s latest farcical win, the only thing left to console us, it’s no wonder the pain from Sunday still remains.
But as the dust settles on another campaign, take a long view and you might be encouraged not to despair too much.
In 1999, the Wallabies were where the All Blacks are right now. Aging players, carrying the scars of past defeats, who had – over long years of experience – gathered the mental resilience to survive the pressure cooker of World Cup rugby and emerge victorious. This is where the men in black find themselves.
Some of their main men have been around so long you’d think they are in possession of the ring from Lord of the Rings, and their advanced years, while perhaps slowing them a little physically, have given them the experience to keep the collective cool head needed when the pressure is as high as it gets.
When asked the difference between the sides after Sunday’s match, Robbie Deans put it well: “What the AB’s have is a group who has suffered on many occasions.”
They’ll win this World Cup, and good for them. They deserve it. The elder statesmen can then retire safe in the knowledge they once held the greatest prize of all, and fulfilled a nations desperate desire.
In contrast, deep down we knew that we hadn’t earned it they way they have. A RWC win would have been a surprise – a well received win with just a shadow of Stephen Bradbury. Sure, we’ve pulled out some unlikely wins before, but this seemed like a bridge too far – especially after our effort against the Irish.
Don’t worry though, because this is where the good news begins. Our loss in 2011 will become our victory in 2015. Not just our loss, in fact, but the manner of it. The lack of fire, the feeling we left the battlefield without firing our first shots. Its frustrating, and not just for the fans.
As time thankfully distances us from last Sunday, the players have harnessed that frustration and turned an eye to the future, and for some, our defeat has changed the playing field. Digby Ioane, originally set to move to Japan, is rethinking his future to include another crack in England. “That hollow feeling is going to stick with me and it makes me definitely want to play in 2015. I want more of it, another chance.” Great news.
And don’t forget Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale. Six weeks ago the overseas clubs and rival codes were bashing down the door. Our two most electric players were every chance of being lost to the game, and they may well have been, if they had added World Cup success to their resume.
Now, the dynamic has changed. League power brokers have lost interest in Cooper as quick as you’d expect, and the man himself has a point to prove in the 15 man game. Beale, meanwhile, echoed the sentiments we have heard from Cup players every four years – the tournament bonds a team in victory, but especially in defeat. ‘We have all become really good mates which may help down the track in decisions pending on contracts and what you want to do. Its certainly influenced me’.
Australia fielded the tournament’s youngest side, and those yet to hit the quarter century present an impressive list – Cooper, Beale, O’Conner, Pocock, Genia, Horne, McCabe, Simmons, Faingaa (twice), Kepu, Higginbotham. All these names could be on the team list in 2015, and all with four years of experience, of last gasp wins and crushing losses, and of World Cup defeat behind them.
Oh, and there is one other name to add to that list – Deans. Forgetting the sour grapes of Matt Giteau and his overworked Twitter account, there is a push for Deans to stay at the helm for four more years. While having Ewen McKenzie in the fold would also be a boost, Deans has earned the respect of the playing group through a re-building phase. Let the man reap the rewards.
After all, he brought – sorry, he’s bringing – these superstars through.
onor
Guest
one thing i will give deans is he is not afraid to back his young players.. he threw carter into the ab's when he was 19.. that says alot!! once the wallabies get a hard nut forward pack going forward i think they will domintate..
james
Guest
This article is as bad as Deans, "the wallabies will learn from this" the RWC is not a damn experiment!!!!!! you don't get a practice RWC!!! Nobody should be happy with 3rd!!! we would have a team like the ABs if deans did not kick out all the senior players. What a joke. no excuses, this WC was a disgrace and somebody needs to be held responsible.
peterlala
Guest
ibika, thanks for saying that. It's so strange, I was doubting my sanity. Also, with a brilliant back-three, it would be a given that ball-distributors would man the centres.
peterlala
Guest
Agree Tonto and Damo, scrumming needs to be given a media profile and there needs to be a tight-five development program. In recent years, I can't recall seeing a great scrum photo in a newspaper. Even without your pro-scrumming show, insightful explanation would dramatically raise the profile of this fundamental aspect of rugby. At the moment, media people are almost apologetic when they mention the scrum.
Damo
Guest
Yes Tonto, a tight five competition. Put the opposed scrum training into an arena and televise it. It's time for some Aussie innovation It's our weak link so let's bolster up our tight five play with a real comp to develop and celebrate scrum and ruck play. A bit like a ten man wrestling match . This may form part of the 2nd tier that Australian rugby desperately needs to develop depth. Get serious about what we need and make some radical investment in developing and advertising the players who do the dirty work.
Damo
Guest
Or the Tight Five competition?
ibika
Guest
with all due respect.. the selections of robbie deans seem to be getting stranger all the time. players who are out of form are persisted with for weeks and weeks ; elsom, cooper injured players are rushed back and then get injured or in some cases dont perform...beale, palu, mitchell fringe selections who dont perform to world class standard are persisted with time and time again..faainga twins, McCabe, Mccallum, Maafu good players with fine records are disgarded : sharpe promising players are ignored. ; higginbotham players are selected out of position- McCabe, Mccalam players are constantly moved around ..AAC its all too bizarre..
Bob
Guest
Forgot to mention. By next RWC half of NZ 20-40 yo's will be living in Oz anyway.
Bob
Guest
NZ win just about every junior world cup going. They thrashed everybody at the last one. The biggest threat to the AB's is the collapsing NZ economy. They won't have any sponsors for their s15 and NPC teams and their crowds to non-AB games are appaling. The NZRU is in big financial trouble. If the NZ dollar drops- I don't they will be able to afford to keep the Cruden's, Dagg's, Luke Braids etc in NZ. They certainly won't be able to afford any top class coaches.
Justin
Guest
Correctamundo HOL
Justin
Guest
Believe that if you want with those guys Kuruki bu they are sensational athletes and would have made it in any country...
Harry
Guest
I agree with McCloy.. I see the 2015 WC in our hands As I speak
Geoff Brisbane now California
Guest
Guys whilst this current wallaby talent will mature over next 4 years you are delusional if you think the rest of the rugby world won't also improve duh. The All Blacks, Boks, Irish, Welsh, English, Samoan etc etc will undoubtedly produce new and talented players to the international arena why would the wallabies be the only team with 'potential". There is more needed to improve the overall structure in Australia its a matter of how this can be done economically and efficiently. Suggestions for a lower tier etc and lack of revenue to fund it has merit, my question is why does it have to be an Australian based comp why not include other teams from lower tiers from other countries. Just a thought.
Jason
Guest
No point going on about Wallabies being a young side and will win 2015 cup, the All Blacks have stacks of young talent always coming through. The Irish loss will be the one players are kicking themselves for, win that and the Waalabies wouldhave been finalists this weekend and piling pressure on the All Blacks. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
sheek
Guest
The Wallabies will not become a consistent world rugby power until we take over NZ north island & NZ south island as our 7th & 8th states of Australia. Then the Balck Wallabies will be unassailable.....
Kuruki
Roar Guru
They could have been average Super 15 players like many others had they not been taken on tour with the Wallabies and been given a taste and built a hunger to go home and develope their games to the next level. Often players who have never tasted international rugby do not even know a next level exists. Only when they have tasted it do they know how much further they need to push themselves physically and mentally. Wyatt Crockett is one perfect example, he was always a good prop, it was not untill he was handed a harsh reality check at international level that he decided he needed to go alcohol free to enable himself to lift to that next level. He did that this year and was one of the standout props of the Super competition and was very unlucky not to be in this World cup. You are not destined to be anything, you work hard for it when you are given the opportunity you have to take it.
Nat
Guest
Good points Johnson. Can I add: 4. Robbie - why didn't you tell Quade to at the kickoffs to either kick shallow so that we could compete for the ball, or deep for territory. This constant kicking into no-man's-land (too deep for our chasers to pressure & too shallow to gain territory) just kept giving them the ball in good field position & under no pressure. 5. Robbie - why not select some in-form props on the same side of the scrum that they showed form. Kepu on the other side and Greg Holmes come to mind. 6. Robbie - why did you replace the assistant coaches who were making good progress with the scrum, with yes-men. While it might be pleasant having nice guys as assistant coaches, we could really do with some hard-head, tactically astute technicians. Ewan comes to mind. 7. JON - where is the scrum school?
Steve R
Guest
The Wallabies had some older, experienced players who could have been more involved. Barnes and Sharpe were left on the bench, and Waugh was never brought over. And I'm not so sure the Wallabies have learned so much. Also, don't think for a minute that the ABs will struggle the way the Wallabies have. Their domestic rugby system constantly turns out good players. In addition, the ABs have some very good young players - Cruden, Dagg, the Franks brothers are all world class. Whitelock, Guildford and Slade are also still young and Read turns 26 next week. SBW and Kahui will be 30 at the next world cup and will probably be the first-string NZ centre pairing by then. Where they might struggle is at hooker (all 3 are now over 30) and halfback (Weepu is now 28 and has a poor record of maintaining fitness, while Cowan and Ellis are mediocre). but NZ and Oz are miles apart in terms of developing talent and the biggest difference is proably the quality of the domestic competitions.
JohnB
Guest
Cooper in 2008 was not a superb Super rugby player. He was always capable of doing some brilliant things but he didn't have the ability to direct a side and he made too many bad errors. In 2009 he got better, then came on further in 2010 to the point where he was starting to be rated a really good, rather than just erratically brilliant, player. And this year of course he went on from there. Why is it that we think there may not be the same sort of learning/development period required to adapt to test football? Why when up until this tournament he had actually done pretty well at test leve, would you not hold off on the knee-jerk reaction to dump him after 2 or 3 ordinary games instead of seeing if he can learn from those setbacks how to play better at that level (as he did in Super rugby)?
Will McCloy
Guest
All good points Rabbitz, and problems they need to tackle of they are to bolt together any kind of consistent offering. There is no doubt we have the talent, but seemingly not the experience to show their best for two games in a row, or even for a whole game. At the moment its simply flashes of brilliance, making the long periods of poor play even more difficult to watch. Perhaps keeping the nucleus of this team together, after a failure like we have seen this past month, will help band the boys together and develop the same kind of cohesiveness and collective calm that typifies the AB's - they learnt it in 2003 and 2007 - and perhaps we have learnt it now. Wholesale changes and coaching witch hunts only serve to further disrupt the team.