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Experience and combination are the special ingredients – on top of all the other essential ingredients, like talent – that win Test rugby.
In the final Bledisloe Cup contest for 2013, the Wallabies were fielding a team that had round 520 Test caps versus the All Blacks with around 600.
If the All Blacks had Carter, Smith and McCaw playing, you could have added another 300 Test caps to their side.
So what is the ideal number of Test caps a side should have to perform at their best?
At least 600. That’s what the All Blacks had yesterday for their run-on side, provided you had included Brodie Retallick in as starting lock.
The All Blacks have that smooth understanding of a well-oiled machine. They have an excellent short and long passing game, and the confidence they will win which comes from the experience and combination of playing together.
The Wallabies, with their 520 caps, are still a bit clunky. They’re still guilty of a few misfires and are just missing that little bit of experience and combination to be able to take it to the All Blacks, but they are getting better.
I am not a fan of James Slipper or Ben Alexander, but I was impressed how they split open the All Blacks’ pack. You could see the All Blacks’ coaches examining the replay with a perplexed look on their faces when that penalty was awarded.
I am also not a fan of Rob Simmons, but based on his performance I am changing my mind about him too.
The Wallabies now have approximately 538 Test caps if you bring Tomane back onto the wing. It could be 580 if you had included James O’Connor, but that is a debate for another time.
By the time the five Tests in the Europe are over, the starting 15 will be over what I feel is the magic number of 600 Test caps.
We should really start to see the Wallabies’ combinations click into action in Europe, especially in the last two Tests.
If the squad can be held together until the next World Cup in 2015, the number of Test caps for the run-on side should be well over 750.
The combinations of the Wallabies should really be fine-tuned by this stage, making them another credible contender for the 2015 World Cup.
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.