When yet another Will Genia box kick went pear-shaped, and Quade Cooper missed a very kickable penalty, the Italians led 10-zip in Turin last night in as many minutes.
“Bloody hell, this could be worse than the Samoa-Scotland humiliations,” I said out loud.
But who can ever gauge what this Wallaby team can do? If they were thoroughbreds, they would be up before the stewards every race.
I didn’t have to wait long as skipper Ben Mowen dotted down for his first Test try in the 13th minute, Tevita Kuridrani scored next, then Nick Cummins the first of his two five-pointers, and the Wallabies led 19-10 at oranges.
At the final hooter it was Wallabies 50-20, seven tries to three, Cummins man-of-the-match.
Cummins played very very well, but Cooper and Israel Folau were even better.
Cooper was at his razzle-dazzle best, setting up three of the five tries scored while he was on the park for an hour, Folau set up two others and scored one himself.
Great to see Cooper calling the shots, and back to his confident best. But as I predicted last week, there’s even more to come from Folau, who has consistently become the Wallaby capable of winning games that count.
Winning last night was imperative, but don’t take the cricket score as the Wallabies being back in business.
They beat a non-tackling ordinary international side, but it was only a warm-up for nest weekend’s clash with Ireland at Dublin.
The difference? Ireland can play.
The other plusses from last night – Rob Simmons was a standout in his new role at six, Michael Hooper was more value playing his selected seven role, than his self-appointed 7-12 stints. Genia was more consistent and as a result the backs scored six of the seven tries, and Mowen showed more leadership.
This was a vastly different Wallaby side on performance than the one that tanked it at Twickenham last weekend, even though name-wise it was the same minus the concussed Scott Fardy.
Enough said on Turin because there are three other worries in the Wallaby camp.
Firstly, David Pocock’s future which is vital to the futuire of the men in gold.
My mail is his knees are worse than Michael Clarke’s dicky back, and that’s serious. In fact so serious it may well be career-ending and that would be a tragedy.
Pocock is the only current Wallaby who can rate with the greats of yesteryear that I named yesterday.
My second worry is my long-standing colleague Spiro Zavos, who like me stood firm by Robbie Deans throughout his tenure, has been making anti-Ewen McKenzie noises explaining the knives are out.
Spiro is a high-quality rugby writer, and for him to take that stance, could mean where there’s smoke there’s fire.
And thirdly, Mowen and former Wallaby coach John Connolly, talking up the Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup chances in 2015.
Enough to make you throw up.
The Rugby World Cup is some 20-plus Tests away. The only Test the Wallabies should be concentrating on is the very next one, in this case Ireland.
When that’s done and dusted, the only Test to be mentioned – Scotland at Murrayfield – and so on.
At least the plane flight today from Turin to Dublin will be a lot more pleasant than the flight from Heathrow last weekend.
But just remember what happened in Turin, the way the Wallabies can play.
Or it begs the question, why are we supporting a side that can’t click every week?
Rugby’s not hard, it’s only the players who make it so.
Phil
Guest
Kane,I think you will find IRB Junior Player of the Year and player of the Junior RWC are 2 different awards.He is a bloody good player no matter what.
Clint Eastwood
Guest
Wallabies world champions elect, eh, Lordy?
Seb Vettel
Guest
poached by the nz school system... that is where is stopped reading. You obviously have no clue about NZ or its school system or tonga and its people.
Mike
Guest
Wozza, I don't know either, but the comments you heard ring true - its the sort of thing the ARU would do. We have a tendency to devalue our tried and true players once they have played 40-80 tests and the next great young hope comes along. Yet its often just as a workhorse is reaching his final couple of years that they really mature, and their experience and steadiness becomes invaluable to the younger players. Nathan Sharpe is a case in point. He was never the world's best lock, and probably played his best in that last 18 months, but we really needed him and he delivered, in spades. I think ABs are handling it very well at present, bringing in new players but keeping their oldies going into their late 20s or even early thirties. We need to learn from that.
Wozza
Guest
Mike, The word going round the top balcony at Manly oval was that the reduced playing time coupled the vastly reduced contract, I don't know how much it was and maybe one of the experts might know more, but obviously it was in an order that left George feeling that he was being phased out or at the very least, kept on with a retainer for a rainy day and being paid accordingly. He'd earnt over 100 caps and was still producing the goods so yeah, he wasn't happy. I'm pretty sure he wanted to stay on til the world cup but as we know, these guys have a limited shelf life and he left to make the most of his earning potential. I'm certain he didn't leave on his terms but, as I said, maybe one of the experts knows the complete story and I'd love to hear it. @hoqni, I think thats a great idea
Red Kev
Guest
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the only people more useless than sports scientists are HR departments.
soapit
Roar Guru
disagree, not all halfbacks box kick and all teams have limits to their game, good teams just limit their impacts. if its so necessary how come we've been survivng without him being able to execute one properly?
soapit
Roar Guru
or hang out with you and make replies that have nothing to do with the original comment
upfromdown
Guest
Good call Tane. Unless the rule has changed in the last few months you need to have one arm fully bound (up to the shoulder) to remain part of the maul and for it to continue. The 2003 England squad specialised in doing this and wrongfully got away with it. This is not a criticism of England by the way! I appreciate the scrum calls & coming in from the side/through the gate can be hard at times with all sorts of stuff happening and bodies flying about - but this was very obvious and should it have been called that the maul was over or penalty to Wales for springbok obstruction.
Westie
Guest
Saw Pocock in full flight running hard in training on Facebook
Westie
Guest
Then find someone who can kick
Mike
Guest
Wozza, when did Deans pick Pocock over Smith? It only happened twice that I can think of. Smith announced his retirement as an international in February 2010, so his last two series were the 2009 tri-nations and the 2009 end of year tour. When Mortlock was injured early in the 2009 3N, Deans made Smith the Wallaby captain, and kept him there until the end of the series - that doesn't really indicate that Smith was "not in Deans' plans". He replaced him with Rocky Elsom for the end of year tour, which I don't think was seen as a slur on Smith. Pocock played off the bench behind Smith in the 2009 3N, until the last two matches, when Deans played Smith at 8 and Pocock at 7. In the end of year tour, sometimes Pocock played 7 and Smith sat on the bench, sometimes it was the other way around, and I think there was one match where they both started. That's not unusual for the EOYT which (at least up until this year) was seen as a time to try new combinations, give some players a rest, and blood new players. I can't comment on Smith's ARU contract.
RobC
Guest
In the past, ARU attention to forwards is as good as the All Blacks attention to the Haka few decades ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBCpPGNDr1U. The WBs are starting to address it. But still not good enough.
Mike
Guest
"if he is the carrier he just has to be attached no hands is fine" Felix, I really don't understand that. If he is the ball carrier (or any player for that matter) he has to "bind" i.e. grip another player with his whole arm. There is no truck and trailer allowed. I haven't seen that incident, but if its the case that he was only holding onto another player in the maul with one hand, and he then released to strike away another person's hand, .the maul is over. He can't then re-start it because a ball carrier cannot start a maul. It requires a defender to grab him, then another player of his own team to bind on.
Squirrel
Guest
I have to apologise for bagging Simmonds and Link. Well played I have a bit more faith in the wallabies. The backs are going nicely and QC is playing well, apart from goal kicking, but still some work to do in the forwards,but hopefully improvements will continue.
In Brief
Guest
Let's not forget that Australia's come off the rugby championship and last week's match,whereas that was Italy's first hit up. They also had some new players and new combinations. In the past Italy have worked hard at spoiling the opposition and doggedly staying in the match. They didn't succeed in that regard, but at least they showed some positive intent at times with ball in hand. I would give them a couple of games before writing them off completely.
felix
Guest
Tane Strauss was bound & please note if he is the carrier he just has to be attached no hands is fine,illegal attempts at blocking the mall made him push the Welsh hand away,now who started the wrong?. P S : The ref kept warning the props for something that wasnt their fault & promised if it happened again he would send both of them off,it happened again & he did send them of,in my & many opinion he went about the whole process wrongly.
RobC
Guest
Saw earlier an Brumbie announcement that he's good to go Q1 2014. Not sure how he will fare, as none of the 2011/12 injured have returned to full form and with full fitness. Saw an ABC sports show today. Glenn McGrath commented re cricket and fitness: that sports scientists is getting something wrong, because there are more injuries now. Could be same in Rugby.
dane
Guest
Last I heard he would have have been ok for thus tour but is getting a proper preseason in to try and avoid a difficult come back year. Cooper, genia and horwill all had indifferent returns after missing a full preseason.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Geeez that is disappointing re Pocock if on the money. We have missed him desperately this season, there aren't many better over the ball. Lordy I hope your mail is off the mark. I did see a snippet today re the Wallabies World Cup hopes with Mowen quoted. Firslty why on earth was this piece published. Secondly Mowen has to remain somewhat positive I guess. I don't think any Wallas fan even the most ardent supporter thinks we can win it. Heck we have our hands full getting out of the group. Any scuttle any talk of the World Cup, one game at a time for this group. The more I see Izzy the more I'd love to see the Tahs try him at 12 next season with a view to pairing up with Kudriani in the Wallabies. Toomua is doing a nice job however Izzy and Kudriani would be beast mode. Yes yes we have to get the forwards right I know.