Hard-edged Northern Hemisphere critics have gone into raptures over the Wallabies’ skilful play after Australia clawed back creditability with their 32-15 thumping of Ireland.
Local newspapers lavished praise on Ewen McKenzie’s rebuilding team, with most plaudits going to mercurial playmaker Quade Cooper, as they dished out a four-tries-to-nil attacking lesson to the Irish at a packed Aviva Stadium on Sunday (AEDT).
Former Ireland and British Lions lock Neil Francis, an award-winning columnist for the Sunday Independent, argued this year’s Lions series result would have been reversed if McKenzie had been in charge.
“Under Robbie Deans, Australia’s tactical and spiritual dipstick was about two drops short of bone dry,” 36-cap forward Francis wrote.
“You could see yesterday that if this Australian side played against the Lions the whole series (2-1 to Lions) would have been dramatically different … the quality and execution of their passing was sublime.
“It must have been a very gratifying and reassuring performance for the Australians.
“They were clinical and nonchalantly professional and way too good for an Irish side hopelessly out of their depth and a couple of leagues below in skill levels.”
Sunday Times writer Denis Walsh described Cooper as a joy to watch “in everything he did: game management, inventiveness, kicking”.
“With Cooper you can never be sure of anything, least of all what will happen next,” Walsh wrote. “Very few coaches would welcome such uncertainty or indulge it; Ewen McKenzie has embraced it.”
While satisfied with a breakthrough back-to-back victory, McKenzie was quick to keep a lid on the emotions and wasn’t about to get carried away.
He felt they would continue to be judged by the benchmark of the All Blacks, who kept their unbeaten 2013 record intact with a 30-22 win over England in a top-shelf encounter.
“I think there’s people out there you never please. Someone will say ‘You haven’t beaten the All Blacks’. We can’t do that until August next year,” McKenzie said.
“In the meantime we can beat whoever is in front of us.
“The thing that is incredible to me is that we’re playing these games in their backyards, and there’s got to be some credibility in that somewhere.”
The four tries against Ireland, capped off with a 10-man driving maul, gives Australia 22 from the past five Tests, while their scrum was an area of strength in Dublin.
“Getting over the tryline was an issue for the team in the past. Hopefully the fans are getting excited about the fact that if they turn on the TV they might see some interesting stuff,” McKenzie said.
“We nearly got a pushover try, people weren’t expecting us to do that.
“Everyone lambastes our scrum, I’ve been reading about it all week. Our guys have got a bit of character.”
Australia are set to fight to keep red-carded centre Tevita Kuridrani, sent off for a tip tackle on Peter O’Mahony, on tour by attending a judicial hearing scheduled for Tuesday night in London.
Wozza
Guest
Farmer, I'm loving Toomua at 12, he's big and strong and still has great pssing skills, not to mention that boot. Be interesting to see what happens when Godwin is fit again. Dru CL should play 10 and MT 12. Toomua seems to have really found his position. I didn't think he was as good as he's proved to be and have been very impressed by him, and CL is a much better 10 than 12. He's a great passer and I love the way he attacks the line with the ball in 2 hands. If the Brums don't play them that way there's something wrong with them. They are going to have one damned impressive back line next year
JimmyB
Guest
Funnily enough Nick, my comment on Spiros' article was removed as well. It seems that the Roar has it's very own Stasi. Beware, they're watching you, for signs that you may be a NH sympathiser.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Totally inaccurate. The England pack isn't massive. How many times until you actually do your homework?
Ben.S
Roar Guru
Another? Why would the NH media be anti-Robbie Deans?
Skills & Techniques
Guest
Wozza, Beale is fastest over 40 metres in the squad every time he is fit. Lots of torque.
Farmer
Guest
I'm becoming a big Toomua fan. I always thought we needed a big 12 and a crafty 13 but I like the combo we have now. We lacked a big centre in the lions series. Toomua should be able to transition between 10 and 12 cause he plays as a second 10 for the wallabies at the moment. I like the way he can quickly shift the ball to the big men outside and isn't selfish or when he needs to can go into contact and recycle quickly
AWCMONREF
Guest
:) Way to go IRELAND
Billy Bob
Guest
Harry, Who would be the most 'polite' rugby crowd in the world, if not the Irish? I'll never forget Landsdowne Rd in '91 when the wallabies stole the game from Ireland in the dying seconds. You couldn't tell watching on TV what was going on, because the Irish fans just went silent. No screaming, no booing, no whingeing - just stoic, sad, polite, silence. They never fail to win friends every time they play the most Irish country outside of Ireland. Thanks for the game fellas. And for your grace in the aftermath.
Dru
Guest
Mogg is faster. Should not be written off. I wonder what happens at the Brumbies when Llea and Toomua return. If Toomua ends up fly half I wonder how quickly he will adjust each time he is in the WBs. Good chance for someone to displace if they are good enough. I'm not convinced about our reserve backs either.
Wozza
Guest
Beale can easily slot in on the wing. He's played there before and like Campo isn't afraid to go looking for work. Our back 3 could be very good
Hopperdoggy
Guest
Not to mention that Folau has needed at least a half dozen gigs under his belt to start to get all facets of him game up to speed - especially his positional play, which was near spot on v Ireland. Cooper also really needed the same game time to get back to his best, though I suspect Link's ethos and coaching style has something to do with that. Having said that, it's becoming more apparent that Dingo generally just had the wrong folks in the wrong places way too often.
richard
Guest
Didn't see the game,but did predict the result.And I see no reason why the WB's won't beat Scotland and Wales by similar margins.
Farmer
Guest
But where to play Beale? Izzy is a bit wasted on the wing if Beale plays fullback and Coopers form would keep Beale out of 10.
Wozza
Guest
Beale is faster than Cummins, he's possibly the quickest back (when) in the team. If Beale can settle and find the form that saw him nominated for International player of the year, he has to be in the team. If only we had the depth in the forwards we have in the backs
Harry
Guest
Not so sure about Speight ... lets see how he goes next season. I am hoping Beale and JOC can make successful returns but lets see what SuperRugby throws up next year. In the forwards we need Higginbotham and more depth at tighthead and second row - young forwards who could add to depth next year IMO are Pyle, the much hyped Skelton, Luke Jones and Curtis Browning in the back 5, and at tighthead Alo-Emile and Ruan Smith. The Rebs have grabbed a kiwi loosehead called TOby SMith who is also a good prospect.
Farmer
Guest
Agreed. I wouldn't want to try and tackle Cummins. Liked his left foot step to score..I think the two Irish defenders thought he would try to run over them.
Nigel Imrie
Guest
Watching the game Sunday am you couldn't help but marvel at the enterprise displayed by the Wallabies, it even prompted my wife to say that the clever thinking play by the Wallabies is back!!!! There will be room for JOC and KB when they come back, they will come of the bench for the last twenty and hopefully blast the opposition of the field.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Agreed Harry, and looking over your shoulders does not tell you where you are heading, only where you have been. Of the next two matches, the one that might be defining is the one against the Welsh. I am looking forward to it.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
PeterK, I think the Wallabies biggest issue is depth to cover injuries etc. Regardless of who was coaching the team against the Lions, there were just not too many players putting up their arms screaming "pick me pick me" so the coaches/selectors did not have a lot of choice at their disposal.
Qldfan
Roar Rookie
IMO Farmer, Cummins is faster than Beale, and knows when to pass the ball, also works just as hard if not harder.