For some time now, I’ve had the idea that when the occasion warranted it, I would submit the shortest Wallabies column in the history of The Roar.
It would go something like this:
The Wallabies…
Discuss.
And I’d leave the rest to the learned minds and acute observers that frequent these pages.
That occasion was very nearly today.
Because what can you say about the Wallabies at the moment, really, that hasn’t been said before? Pointing out the obvious flaws in technique and individuals and game plan is becoming tediously monotonous, and again, we’ve been through it all before.
I’ve done masochism; I’ve done clutching at the smallest signs of hope.
The first twenty minutes at Newlands in the early hours of Sunday were about as bad as I can remember. Because I took a bit longer to wake up, and therefore didn’t get the kettle on until after kickoff, I actually missed Adriaan Strauss’ try.
And I don’t even care.
Even seeing just the token replay at halftime, I quickly worked out what happened: the Wallabies didn’t put their bodies on the line, and Strauss strolled through. In the twelfth bloody minute of the game.
I’d barely sat down when Zane Kirchner went over from long range two minutes later, a movement that started with a decent pass made to look brilliant by a loss of footing, which in itself looked like something designed to mask what was a horrible mis-read in defence.
In fact, Joe Tomane had a bit of a habit of rushing in off his wing, and young Chris Feauai-Sautia was caught out of position late in the game, too, which allowed Fourie du Preez to put Willie ‘Spiders’ le Roux over.
Are Australian wingers allergic to sideline paint? Why the hell are blokes not trusting their mate inside them and rushing in from their wings all the time? And why isn’t the defensive coach addressing this ongoing problem?
Speaking of ongoing problems, the scrum issues were immediate and well familiar.
Yet again, Ben Alexander was either on roller stakes, or flat on his stomach, and yet again, there was little or no shove coming from the locks. This is now beyond frustrating; it’s bashing-your-head-into-the-desk territory.
If it’s perfectly clear to me – a non-tackling scrumhalf who never packed into a rugby scrum in my life – that the locks are packing too high, and therefore providing no power to the front row, then again I’ll ask why isn’t the scrummaging coach addressing this ongoing problem?
Between now and Christmas, the Wallabies face Argentina, New Zealand, England, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
All of them on their home turf, and all of them likely to present a massive challenge in both set pieces, but particularly in the scrum.
Some, if not all of them will be thinking Santa has come early.
If the Wallabies don’t address the scrum issues quickly, I can see a return to the dark old days of 2005 and 2010 in Europe, and that’s a simultaneously distressing and sobering thought.
In a few different articles over the last little bit I’ve rhetorically asked the question, ‘How long will Ewen McKenzie’s honeymoon last?’, and I think we can safely say that the period where McKenzie escapes scrutiny is rapidly coming to an end.
To be clear, that’s not me thinking he’s been a failure, either, but rather that the time is hastily approaching where some serious questions will need to be answered.
How many of the current side would make the first XV if everyone were fit?
Why do the basic skill levels appear to be going backwards?
Why, when several Super Rugby sides were so hard at the ball this season, do the Wallabies have next to no breakdown presence?
Why can’t simple things like defensive communication, or back five scrum engagement height be addressed from game to game?
Of course, because there are so many issues to address within the Wallabies game at the moment, we’re also getting further and further away from seeing this supposed “Australian way” of playing rugby, and which McKenzie was employed to provide.
Come to think of it, the much-maligned South African style of rugby looked pretty bloody good, based on what the Springboks showed us in the first 20 minutes in Cape Town.
The real worry, sitting through that rather uncomfortable Newlands display, was that things might yet get worse before some proper actual signs of improvement emerge.
And if that’s the case, point me in the direction of rock bottom now. I’m thinking I might get there early and wait it out.
Dr Bob
Guest
I seem to recall Fardy gaining a penalty for his fetching work. I read in an earlier posting that Fardy should be considered at Number 7. I fully support that idea. Mowen is a Number 6 and is playing out of position at present. I smell disgruntled Waratahs here.
Zero Gain
Guest
Ha, ha! Very good, hadn't thought of that. If we lost to Greece I think I would just be happy for them.
Red Kev
Guest
Rock Bottom has been found! Buddy Franklin has follwed Kurtley Beale to Sydney thereby ending the Swans "no d*heads" policy and destroying any chance Kurtley has of kicking his alcohol and behavioural issues.
Buk
Guest
Hooper is a gutsy flanker who puts his body on the line and gives it his all. QC stepped up and tackled, & he also seems to have matured in his attitude. The effort was made to get Israel Folau more involved with ball in hand, and he did the odd magical bit (offload); just having him on the field is beneficial, as the opposition are always eyeing up where he is and what he is up to, which means space can open up for others. CLL kicked straight and true. The forward pack won a decent amount of ball. There were extended periods were the Springboks did not score. They have every chance of building a successful team on the end of year tour. They might even beat the All Blacks in Dunedin. Whatever happens, sooner or later, Australian rugby will rise to either take the RWC or be a leading contender.
joeb
Guest
"He DID ditch Cooper. That was a plus." Who would you have in his place?
joeb
Guest
Yep, my error, :( We were caught napping... Let's hope we're fully alert & concentrated come Sunday morning our time. Have a good one, :)
Buk
Guest
Bang One Wal. Some are just after sensationalism to sell their radio or TV programme. Having those sort of guys to hand out jerseys or have some input would be a farce. They think nothing of slagging some aspect of the WB's or one of the personnel, whereas the unwritten "code" in a proper team is the exact opposite - encourage your mate if he makes a mistake, help him up to overcome the opposition.
joeb
Guest
"I just read Scott Allen’s analysis of this move, Quade actually got shafted by his team-mates who failed to move off the line." True, I just read it too, though on the video it looked he'd gone for the ball. We wait with bated breath for Kafe's inimitable take Thursday night on Rugby HQ, ;) But yes, poor defence it appears now with no one moving across to protect the vacated space.
Buk
Guest
Shame on you Mania for giving us false hope.
Ken
Guest
But wasn't link a ex international prop ,didn't he have the plan to beat the all blacks?,and here we stand our scrums are getting monstered ,there's no way in hell we will beat the all blacks unless food poisoning is involved,I get that Deans had had his time but can some one explain to me why we sacked him again and replaced him with this media tart?,he won a super 15 you say ? Didn't Deans win more than one of those ,he's gonna coach the " Australian way " you say ,what you mean lose 4 out of 5 games and barely scraping that win against a team tanked 11 in the world and changing his running game after realising it doesn't work in this day and age back to a kicking game which Deans had used and was ridiculed for being one dimensional and boring by your Greg Martins? Hey let's give him a few years ,fair enough but these so called experts look a little stupid at the moment don't you think?.
Magic Sponge
Guest
No more reds they have been atrocious. Gill is not the answer and Mowen should either go in the 2nd row or get the bench.
Gunser
Guest
Watch the video, the screenshots are very clever and tell one story, the video tells much more. It was poor Wallaby defence all-round, not only Coopers fault but certainly not a good piece of defence or communication from Cooper and others.
In Brief
Guest
forget the scrum, they can't even tackle or hit the line.
Justin3
Guest
I agree with most of your post but the issue begins by sending AAC and kuridrwni as kick off chasers to a deep kick. Hence we have forwards out to the left. No point having Kuridrani chase anything but a shallow kick off. It just opens space...
Zero Gain
Guest
Former, don't you dare critcise Hooper, for he is the greatest loose forward ever to play the game. Our complete domination in the loose proves it! Seriously though, this is really where many of our major problems start, the complete lack of effectiveness of our loose forwards, They are just so crucial to success for any team, especially one that is struggling. Of course, an impotent scrum is also a massive problem. Previously, with a competitive loose 3, with the likes of Pocock, Higginbotham and Palu we were at least in the game. Now with an almost completely ineffective loose 3, we are dog meat! Much of the Reds past success is also built on the effectiveness of their loose forwards, Gill, Schatz, Quirk, Robinson and Higginbotham, who at Super rugby level are very, very good and importantly, very balanced. Mowen is no lock and Hooper, great guy and honest toiler no doubt is, is ineffective in his primary role.
Aussie in London
Guest
I recall in the game, just before half-time, there was a maul that formed - part of the group broke of and the ball carrier (SA) was left with 2 support players and there was NO ONE there from the Wallabies... and all this was in our 22!
Muss
Guest
I was on a flight recently and re watched the first test against the Lions ... If you want to get really depressed watch this and realize just how far backwards we have gone since then...
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Garth, Even with International rules, no-one loses & no-one wins. Because International rules is neither one (Australian football) nor the other (Gaelic football). It's a hybrid, so everyone gets an "out" card. Perhaps the Wallabies might consider playing lacrosse against everyone else. If they lose, their excuse can be, "you can't really say you're better than us, because this wasn't rugby." ;-)
sheek
Roar Guru
Allanthus, You're right! Anyone who has been bogged will understand this analogy. The more you rev your engine to get out, the more your tyres spin & the deeper your tyres sink into the mire & then the harder the job will be to extricate yourself. Relating this to the Wallabies, the harder they try, often only the worse it becomes for them. There are massive, massive, massive, massive problems inside & out of Australian rugby. Anyone hoping for a quick fix will be bitterly disappointed..........
Garth
Guest
Have they stopped playing those "international rules" series against the Irish then?