In the days following last weekend’s narrow Wallabies win over a committed French outfit, you could be forgiven for thinking we’d lost.
There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth. To be fair, it was more of a game for the purists than the week prior.
In the days following a loss of any team I follow I always find myself going over the revolving door moments in the match that made a difference. And I do think it’s the smallest things that don’t seem significant at the time that can influence the whole course of a match.
We see the same things in our non-sporting lives. For example, ‘if I hadn’t taken that job, I wouldn’t have met my wife’. The things that can change the whole course of your life.
On the sporting field it’s sometimes the big tackle that lifts teammates and makes the opposition think twice from that point onwards. But sometimes it’s much more innocuous.
The first backline move doesn’t work out and the flyhalf kicks more from then on. Or a box kick almost works out and the scrumhalf then tries too hard to replicate that result ad nauseam. The fullback kicks his first one well, figures it’s coming off the boot well and gets kick happy from then on.
So what were the sliding door moments last weekend? What made this game so much different from the one before?
It’s tempting to think it was Ewen McKenzie’s game plan but I think that’s only part of the story. Also contributing was the opposition themselves – both their quality and their tactics. But, again, that only tells part of the story.
I’m going to nominate a couple of moments, using Diggercane’s commentary from The Roar‘s live blog.
1. Wallabies’ multi-phase opening
The initial few minutes of the match saw the Wallabies attempt some ball-in-hand rugby.
At about the three minute mark, Roarer RobC posted:
“15 phases. Only forward movement via Folau and Cummins. Kuridrani lost the ball on the right side. Almost a try by the French.”
And then Diggercane responded:
“3′ Poor ball control from the Wallabies sees France hoof it down field, it’s all the way to the Wallaby in goal but Foley just wins the race to touch down. 22”
Innocuous enough, but I wonder if this initial attempt at ball-in-hand rugby all leading to nothing didn’t dent the confidence in such ploys from then on.
There was also the comment that France were “strolling over the adline” around this time and one wonders whether the Wallabies figured they would rather see them doing that further away from their try line.
2. Disallowed Wallaby try
At the 20 minute mark there was this from Diggercane:
“20′ Wallaby scrum, won, Foley kicks through, ordinary, taken by Dulin on the full, recycles, Tales clears downfield, Holey returns, Tales returns, repeat, repeat, Folau now decides to run, up to halfway, recycled, White kicks into the French 22, Dulin returns and fielded by Folau, ball in hand, up to the 22, sneaky kick through from Toomua, wicked bounce for the French there and it’s a try!!”
This comment shows firstly that, although at this stage there was already a lot of kicking, twice in this sequence Israel Folau did attempt to run it back.
I can’t help but feel the non-awarding of this try was a pivotal moment in the match. I thought it was a try and all of the players seemed to as well. Was confidence dented? Did the thought that this wasn’t their night not creep in a little?
3. France knock-on after a chargedown
Just before halftime there was this from Diggercane:
“37′ Foley restarts play with a 22, goes long, France put up a bomb, claimed by the Wallabies, halfbreak from Hooper, but thrown to ground, recycled back to Toomua, CHARGEDOWN!! Ohhhhh, French player Nyange knocks-on trying to pick the ball up with the line open!!”
Firstly, the halfbreak comment. There were maybe a few halfbreaks in the match from the Wallabies but ESPN scrum tells me that the Wallabies (through Folau) only made one clean break all match.
Looking at the stats there were 15 clean breaks the weekend before. A massive difference. More discouragement for ball-in-hand rugby?
And what would be the feeling after narrowly avoiding a try scored against you from a chargedown like this? Again, I think the reaction was the Wallabies wanted to play safer and play down the French end more and kick from a little deeper to avoid chargedowns.
The above three incidents set the tone for the match. The halftime reaction from Link and the messages passed during the second half from him were not that the Wallabies needed to run it more. I feel if anything Ewen encouraged continuing the ‘game of chicken’ as he called it.
The week before was a different story. Plays were attempted, they worked and that encouraged a more enterprising mindset.
I feel the Wallabies will win and win well next weekend. The shackles will be off and the French will be mentally down.
However, while I admire a team that has the ability to play different styles and win ugly, I feel there are a few mental tweaks the Wallabies need to make in order to challenge a mentally strong team like the All Blacks.
Daz
Guest
WNM I think they are called the little one percenters or as you say the sliding door moments. Personally I would break that down into sliding door instants, when a match turns, when heads and hearts drop and a small pin prick deflates morale and intent. Like kicking out on the full at the start of a test match.
scottmit
Roar Rookie
And I suspect Link was happy to allow the game to develop so the team had some practice with that type of game, plus Hooper will be better for the experience.
scottmit
Roar Rookie
It was more that AB players were NOT yellow carded in similar circumstances. How the ABs didn"t lose someone in the 5 minutes before Yarde was binned is beyond me.
bennalong
Guest
As a Tahs fan I have to say the Wallabies still lack the impact that is provided by the big men like Skelton, Douglas, Potgeiter and Palu . They also failed in the last game to drive forward in two's and even three's, and attack the second channel hard, which seemed like it would have been part of the game plan given that the French had failed to attack the breakdown in the first test and were expected to change. Cheika has increased the power of the hits substantially, and the lack of faith of the Wallabies in their ability to smash over the gain line contrasts with the intention shown by the Tahs. There were not many big hits either. We'll know more after Saturday!
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks for the article WNM. I believe these instances could have made a serious difference to the match results mainly because it was a close game. Whilst I found the game interesting, except the kickfest in late 1st half, I thought significant improvement is needed: - The France defence adopted was identical to Stormers, a team that Australia is v familiar with. For the entire 80 minutes, no one applied the familiar tactics used by Australian SR teams to overcome them. Once they realised their Plan A attack didn't work, WBs lost the plot against what should be a familiar defence ploy. - Moreover, the French pack isn't particularly heavy. So pushing through was a problem. The halves displayed the same impatient behaviour that plagued the Reds this year - France didn't respect possession and deservedly lost the pill, including opportunities in the dying minutes of the game Both teams failed in attack, which Im guessing will be fixed for the next game.
expathack
Guest
Not sure about this one. I'm not a referee but in my naive view you could probably call it either way based on this description of the obstruction laws?? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/rules_and_equipment/4204726.stm "You cannot charge or push an opponent when running for the ball, except if the contact is shoulder-to-shoulder." "Standing in a position which stops an opponent from playing the ball is also considered to be obstruction."
RobC
Roar Guru
Yes DC. Kicking issues may be compounded by lacking lineout jumpers, though unsure by how much. Suspect France will retain ball and cause more defence in strife.
riddler
Guest
Agree with u 100% still miss it. . Can't help be thinking what sort of commentary we would seeing on the roar if that was another coach's team! ;)
Chan Wee
Guest
its the football season ma8 ;) happens all the time...
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
Great point about inexperience. We mustn't forget the fact that White, Foley and Toomua are almost complete newbies to the team - and completely new as a combination. It was amazing to see how well they worked together the week before but last weekend is probably more what we should have expected. I am 100% with you that we need to give these guys time to adjust to internationals, build combinations, handle the pressure, etc.
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
Not sure that's true Phil. "French player Nyange knocks-on trying to pick the ball up with the line open!!”" was definitely a time France looked like scoring. I remember hearing a stat from a commentator well into the first half that the Wallabies had spent something like 6 seconds in the French 22 and in comparison they had spent a few minutes in ours. Aside from the disallowed try, I can't recall any instance when we truly looked like scoring. The single line break we made in the game kinda backs that up.
formeropenside
Guest
Actually, we beat the AB's in 2011 at Suncorp, and in 2010 in HK. QC at 10 on both occasions. In fact, he's the only current Australian 10 to win a test v NZ. Possibly v SA as well, although I could be wrong about that.
decs
Guest
I have a slightly different take on the sliding door in that we didn't have enough experience to push it all the way open to squeeze through the correct door. We need to put a bit of perspective on the Wallaby performance and in particular the backline. With AAC the most experienced, every other player has <20 caps. So the knowledge of how to structure a game plan and make changes on the run is something that will build over time. Credit to France for pressuring the Wallabies, but White, Foley and Toomua, need to be able to build a combo that trusts what the others are doing when the pressure is applied. Look at the Tahs 9-10-12, against the Sharks and the Brumbies they struggled with the pressure, but as the combos built, I would say they learnt how to adapt to the Bulls, Canes and Chiefs. Nutting out a tight victory is a long way come since the tight losses to the Scots and Samoa.
Phil
Guest
For all the criticism of our performance,the French never really looked like scoring a try whereas we did quite a few times.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I dont' think either team really took the game by the scruff enough to lose it... It seemed more meek than that.
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
Bugger! Just typed a big long post and lost it! In short, I agree: (i) Our back 3 are there for their strengths which I think is running. (ii) The French had the game there for the winning but blew it. We were plucky but also very lucky. Not a game plan you'd want to try 2 weeks in row I think.
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
I have to give a big thanks to the Editors on this one. I haven't actually seen the movie and mistakenly called them "revolving door moments" in my submission! Thankfully they corrected me and saved me the embarassment... until I just admitted it here. Then again sometimes as a Wallabies supporter revolving door seems more appropriate - we go around, and around, and...
rugbyboy
Guest
Great article WNM. Agree with stillmissit possibly for different reasons tho. Ewen wants to win a RWC. IMHO he is learning that our players don't have the ball skills of the AB's, particularly in the forwards, or the line bending power of the Boks or Poms and so has decided, like Deans funnily enuf, to play Jake-Ball when things get tight. Most teams, even the mighty Blacks, are reduced to this strategy in RWC's when ball is wet. and the pressure is on. The closest we've got to beating AB's was 2012 draw with a sweaty slippery ball and good goal kicking. IMO we won't be anywhere near the best team going into RWC 2015, but if we learn to play Jake-ball well, and with the help of our only outstandingly good player, Izzy, we could just fluke it!
Hoy
Roar Guru
I love sliding door moments in sport... the movie should never be witnessed by man. Having said that, the Wallabies over the years have had so many moments that they should have grabbed, and haven't. It is an absolute truth that this team misses grand moments, and they desperately need to learn to take these moments, if they are going to win anything of substance. Having said that, I can't help but think that last week, Link was sticking to the game plan to see if his team could do it or not. I think he just wanted to see if they had it in them to play a different game plan. They knew the French would be better. Everyone did except the stunned bloke from Channel 10 apparently. Watching the game, I was interested when they kept phases early on, but then once that turnover happend, and France nudged through, they just went to kicking first and foremost. I think they could have just bashed it up a bit more. Slipper doesn't throw a loose ball back in field (when he never should have been passed the all anyway) and France don't kick downfield and race after it... It isn't like we were exhausting all avenues, we were just playing phase ball... Keep it going early on, and see what happens. But still, I think it was a plan. As John says above, Ashley Cooper dives on the ball and actualy holds it, rather than overshoot it... Beale's pass was terrible... Some of the kicking when hands would have seen a potential break happen. How many times do you see three All Blacks blind side in 5 metres of space, and they use their hands to get the ball outside the defence and have a run? I think we are learning. We are not smart enough, but I am hopeful we are getting smarter.
Digby
Roar Guru
Nice write up Melon. One mention I will make is I am not sure this Wallabies team quite have the tools to play a kicking game. It was certainly my impression that the Wallabies would invariably come off second best when engaging the French in kicking duels and I do believe that the French really didnt help themselves with a high number of handling errors. All speculation of course but I felt France had the winning of that game and really blew it. I have only watched the game the once so could be well off the reservation. Thoughts?