Attitude can be an intangible that can often be overlooked when dissecting a recent sporting match.
We are often concerned about the result, tactics, skill and dubious officiating during our Monday morning appraisals, as opposed to how the sides approached and finished the game.
It was the attitude of both the All Blacks and Wallabies, especially the latter, that caught my attention more than any shuddering Jerome Kano tackle or Wyatt Crockett penalty when considering the opening match of this season’s Bledisloe battle.
Before Jaco Peyper put mouth to whistle the world champion All Blacks delivered their challenge to the revamped Wallabies with the ‘Kapa o Pango’. Although it wasn’t the most ferocious performance I’ve seen of this Haka, make no mistake that 23 All Blacks and an entire nation were challenging the men in gold with every fore arm slap, poked tongue and steeled eye.
However, the Wallabies’ retort was a simple stare back and a ‘let’s get into it’. Pretty simple and hardly the French Arrow, the Welsh Wall or the theatrics of Willie Anderson and his fellow Irishmen at Lansdowne Road in 1989.
Instead, the Wallabies would let their rugby, not theatrics, define their renewed attitude. An attitude that I would argue was recently more concerned about gaining the All Blacka respect than about winning.
Getting close to the All Blacks was once nearly a pass mark that could be notched up to experience. Yet these Wallabies appeared more concerned about victory than respect, knowing the latter will come if you take care of the former.
Although the Wallabies were chasing an eighth win in a row, the stage really was set for another coronation of the world champion All Blacks to smite the brave but clueless Wallabies on their home turf. King Richie and company were ready to ride off into the sunset set with a world record eighteen consecutive wins and right the wrongs of 2012, when the Wallabies stopped another ceremony.
In 2012 the Wallabies were playing for pride, the Bledisloe was lost and the Wallabies held pointless in Auckland. Australian rugby was spluttering along. To their credit the Wallabies came out blazing, but as great sides do the All Blacks found a way to get back into the game and came within a whisker of winning.
Yet in 2014 the script was different in many ways, this was an opening Test match of the season. The All Blacks dominated the first 25 to 30 minutes of the match and looked like they would cross the line. However the pendulum swung, as it was the Wallabies who stole the momentum and finished the game more dominantly than their nemesis.
While referee Jaco Peyper’s performance has caught the ire of many New Zealander, Australian fans were similarly scathing. Let’s just say the man is not an international standard referee and leave it at that. However, you don’t become world champions by not being able to play on despite poor refereeing and poor match conditions, as the All Blacks have proved in the past.
They have a side that has won everywhere and against everyone on the planet, but they did not appear to be those All Blacks last Saturday night. While their defence was very good, and a testament to their grit and pride, the dominant All Blacks machine was not there. They did not fire an all cylinders, and the Wallabies are still trying to figure out how their engine works.
I will not say the All Blacks are in demise, but in golfing terms they are in the rough. For the first time in a long time I will say that Richie McCaw was the second best open side on the park. Although criticised for his captaincy, Michael Hooper was far more dominant with the ball in hand and did not cost his side three penalties like McCaw. To McCaw’s credit he tackled as fearlessly as ever and still played very well, but for me Hooper got the points.
For Australia to win at Eden Park on Saturday Nick Phipps and Bernard Foley must come into the starting side for Nic White and Kurtley Beale. I enjoyed aspects of both White and Beale’s games, however White simply offers little to no threat from the base of the scrum or breakdown.
I think Phipps has a running game and is always looking to move forward to question the defensive line, and this attribute could suit the Wallabies, who will need to take the game to the All Blacks on Saturday.
As for Beale, he had some wonderful touches but at times he was too square and failed to take the ball to the line and draw defenders in, leaving his back line a touch lateral at times and denying his outside backs some width. This is an area that Foley could fix with his more direct approach to the defensive line. Foley of 2014 could yet be the Tony Melrose of 1978, or Michael Lynagh of 1986 and be the young Wallabies 10 who leads the side to a famous win at Eden Park.
Yet whoever takes the park for the Wallabies on Saturday, one thing is for sure. The attitude to win appears to be there.
While the All Blacks started last Saturday night chanting “And it’s my time! It’s my moment!”, I still have visions of two-Test veteran Sam Carter yelling to his front row in the 75th minute words to the effect of “Come on boys lets effing get into them.”
That shows to me that perhaps it is the Wallabies’ time and the Wallabies’ moment.
linz22
Guest
Foley is a plodder? Wow that is one of the most ridiculus statements I have seen posted on this site. Foley has a good step and is very quick off the mark. He looks so much more likely to break the line than Beale. Beale in only ever able to slice up defenders in broken play, but generally gets held up or turned over every other time he takes it into contact. With the backs Australia will soon be boasting, they won't need an X factor 10, they will need a calm general who provides space and gets players over the advantage line.
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks for the article UA. I think Eden Park is going to be another Ali vs Fraser epic. This time ABs is going head on, and will look to dish out the tough stuff. Looking forward again to set piece and the loose scrum. Backs? As long as they don't fumble, miss kicks, run into each other, throw wayward passes, or drop kicks they will be ok. A general comment re Beale vs Foley: - Foley is a more accurate kicker. - Foley is a good 10 when the opponent is front footed. - Beale like Genia, QC, Phipps and JOC is a deadly force when the defence is flat footed or back pedalling. - Foley is also v good in this scenario, but hasnt expressed his confidence. He showed this is 2013. But Beale plays the game breaker / finishing role this year I don't think ABs will back pedal in Auckland. So, I believe Beale is still a gamble at best. And a potential liability for next game. Unless the WB packs wins the toe 2 toe vs the ABs, which is their intent. Bring it on.
What? Are you overrating the Boks?
Bobbo7
Guest
Good call. The best refing I have seen in years was the ABs v South Africa last year in the 'final'. Was a classic game, it flowed, was even and was simply a great specticle. The weather did not help the other night but it seemed there could not be a moments play without the whistle going. I think most fans would rather see a few things go unpenalised both ways than a stop-fest.
Jerry
Guest
It was actually very marginal as to whether it was still in the tackle. Folau tried to offload with the result being the ball spilled backwards and to the side where Barrett kicked it. The ball was about 1m away from the tackle when Barrett kicked it. If Folau had been holding onto it when Barrett kicks it, sure it's clear cut cynical. On the other hand if it rolled another 1/2 metre before he kicks it, no penalty for sure. It's one of those things that looks wrong, but is actually pretty marginal, IMO.
stillmatic1
Guest
exactly firstxv. there seems to be a lot of talk about how great the wallabies were to draw a test against a team who was down to 14 men for 20 minutes. seems strange how they claim that we pump the abs up to mythical status, and yet this week wallaby fans have been doing the same to try to explain away the draw. if a number 3 team in the world, a team on the rise etc etc cant dust off a win against a team ravaged by the ref, when can they win? the talk this week should have been about bitter disappointment in not beating a side who had so much going against them. belief comes from winning and performing not just looking good whilst losing (or drawing). the carry on about the cards has also shown how much kearns has brainwashed them into believing (despite evidence) that the abs are the most cynical team of all time. most barely recall the events leading up to the cards, the nature of the infringements themselves or anything that disproves their bias. they also seem to think that 2 sin bins don't have an effect on the game either!! we must remember this when it happens to them and the cries are heard for years. a certain early break from mccaw comes to mind, or a stuart berry even. and here I thought theroar was filled with some of the best rugby minds around!? people that were trying to learn more instead of holding onto their long held beliefs and biases. if the wallabies perform well and win without the assistance of some dubious refereeing, then good on them, but just because this happens to be an Australian website doesn't mean that objectivity should be thrown out the door (leave that for game day and the game blog!!).
stillmatic1
Guest
you gain nothing from getting paid professionals to use common sense, jereme? because unfortunately certain refs have a habit of pulling cards out at the smallest thing and often erroneously, and it happens too often to all teams. when players are getting sent to the bin over a whim or the appearance of a cynical offence, this changes the fabric of the game and simply must stop. we have the technology to sort this out and should not have games ruined by over zealous officials. our game is built on the contest for possession but this is being eroded by inept refereeing. teams might as well not bother competing at the breakdown because the fear is too great that errors will be seen as more than they are and teams have players sent off. it is not rugby league!! when wallaby fans keep harping on about penalties the ab concede should be sin bins, it gets a bit laughable really. especially when in the cold light of day these penalties are shown to be 50/50 calls - now why should a team and its fans have to put up with that?
Jereme Lane
Roar Guru
I thought Barrett kicked it twice. Either way the ref has pinged him for not going through the gate. He went through in between two wallabies running towards his own try line. To be honest I thought that was very clear cut. The wallabies started the move just inside the ABs half and Barrett got pinged on the 22m. As the ref said, he deliberately spoiled very good ball. I don't see how you can get any more cynical than that. Both the ref and the touchie were straight onto it and both were perfectly positioned.
DC-NZ
Guest
my sources within the IRB and the Richie camp inform me that Eden Park has been decided and it will be a comfortable win for the number one brand in World Rugby.
DC-NZ
Guest
The ABs are in decline after drawing one match and losing one of its past 32 tests. yep really bang on there mate!
Jerry
Guest
The ball was already out of the tackle when Barrett kicked it.
Mike
Guest
Who's crowing?
Mike
Guest
Deans did pretty well, even so. He was an above average Wallaby coach. I agree that its too early to judge for Ewen.
Mike
Guest
No, those are not top teams Jiggles, except in your weird world. Top teams like the All Blacks, the Springboks and England. Heard of them?
Jereme Lane
Roar Guru
Sorry. Out of the tackle. You don't see that as cynical? I thought that was a no brainer
44bottles
Roar Guru
Well, they've had plenty of good halves. Just they're spread out over multiple games. 20 minutes here, 40 there, the rare 45 and so on. IIRC, the last good full game they had was the Ellis Park test.
Jerry
Guest
The words 'out' and 'ruck' are incorrect, which changes things considerably.
Jereme Lane
Roar Guru
Sheek, come on mate are you seriously comparing rugby to all that other stuff? What do you want? The masses to rise up against the evil referee dictatorship. It's got nothing to do with apathy or timidity it's the fact that you gain nothing from it. Way over the top...
Jereme Lane
Roar Guru
Kicking the ball out of the ruck from an offside position when the wallabies had good ascendancy
Dave
Guest
What was 'cynical' about Barret's play exactly?