Every year we hear the same thing: ‘The Wallabies are getting closer to the All Blacks…’ ‘This year will be the year….’ ‘On paper, we’re just as good, if not better…’ ‘Our new coach will be the turning point for us…’
But every year it’s always the same. Always has been. Even in the days where the Wallabies could win a few, it was only ever just, and it was never for very long.
Yes, people can argue that the best potential rugby players in New Zealand play rugby, while the best potential rugby players in Australia are often lost to other football codes. And yes, people can argue that the new National Rugby Championship will eventually create the depth that the Wallabies need to be the best.
But I reckon there is still something missing – something deep inside the Wallaby psyche that needs addressing.
The Wallabies have always been a confidence team. Their confidence levels have to be just right for them to fire and play at their best. Usually when they’re backs are against the wall and they’re under pressure, or when they’ve been written off by every one, they’ll play at their best.
But so often when their confidence gets too high, it’s like they relax and make the most basic errors. How many games have the Wallabies played against nations they should have beaten by a long way, only to just win, or even lose?
How many times have you seen the Wallabies take their foot of the pedal when they’re ahead? How many times have you seen them only put their foot to the pedal when they’re behind? How often do you see the All Blacks play a consistent ruthless tempo from start to finish?
Why aren’t the Wallabies ever able to play at their consistent best, week after week, for the full 80 minutes? Is it the subconscious mentality of supporting the underdog, even when it’s the opposition?
Rugby is New Zealand’s game. Always has been. It’s what puts them on the map. They have something worth protecting, something they fear losing. It’s a culture.
The All Blacks are very much like the Queensland rugby league team in this regard. There is so much more at stake if they lose.
And this is the motive that brings the best out of them, and allows them to play at their consistent best. It’s not confidence. It’s fear. Fear of losing.
This is what the Wallabies have to capture and develop to be the same.
The Haka is not a confidence-creating war cry. It’s a cry of fear. Think of an animal that gets extremely aggressive and ‘flares up’ in order to protect itself when it’s threatened. The reason it does this is to intimidate its enemy.
The All Blacks are prepared to put everything on the line. They must crush their opposition in every way. They must assume dominance. They must not give any hope to their enemy. The threat must be completely suppressed and wiped out. Everything is at stake if they don’t. And this is what drives them.
The Wallabies mistaken response to the Haka is to try and look confident. They mock it with wry smiles. But this is a mistake. Not only does it feed the All Blacks, it makes the Wallabies over-confident and vulnerable.
The Wallabies have to move away from their reliance on ‘feeling confident’. It might work for the Americans, but it works against Australians. It’s not more confidence they need. It’s fear.
What stops the Wallabies responding to the Haka with their own war-cry? It’s because they are not really ready to put everything on the line. They are not really prepared to crush their opposition in every way. They are not ready to assume dominance.
They don’t want to disrupt their feeling of confidence by looking silly. In short, they don’t fear losing enough. They need to fear losing so much that they’re prepared to do anything to protect themselves and crush the enemy. There can be no mercy – not even for the ‘underdog’.
Until they are ready to set the stakes higher, and have so much more to lose, it will be the same old, same old.
I’m actually expecting the Wallabies to play better against the All Blacks next time they meet. I wouldn’t even be surprised if the Wallabies won. But it won’t mean they are on the improve. It won’t mean they will play to their potential the next time after that.
This is just the Wallabies usual cycle when their backs are against the wall, when it finally sinks in that they are the underdog. But that feeling won’t be enough to carry them over to the next game after that. In fact, it will probably make them over-confident again, and around and around we go.
Until something changes, nothing changes.
Mike
Guest
Going on about the Haka - for heavens sake! In order to get to number one in the,world we have to work on the substantive issues, not the froth. * moving to five S15 sides was the correct move, but it will take years to filter through - Force finally look competitive, but it will probably take the same amount of time since inception for the rebels to do.the same. * NRC looks very good (particularly in being financially sustainable) but should have been done years ago. It will also take years for the full benefits to filter through. * We still have many people (including at ARU, apparently) who think that "running rugby" means throwing the ball out to the outside backs so they can run a lot. It still hasnt sunk in that All Blacks have been playing running rugby for years, and they recognise that it starts with the forwards. * It is possible that Michael Cheika's revival of what Mark Ella meant by "running rugby" might take hold generally across Australia, which would be fantastic, but I suspect it will be generations before our thinking has evolved that far. * back to the NRC - this has to be part of ARU's goal to get weekly rugby onto free-to-air TV screens in Australia. That is essential in order to secure public support and revenues streams for the Code - in the long run, being 4th is not a viable option. We must expand or fade away.
Reilly
Roar Rookie
Didn't need to go beyond the first paragraph to say what is the point of supporting the Wallabies without this type of positive talk? It's not so fun supporting something without any hope of it being successful.
Dooggy
Guest
Aboriginal culture is very different to Polynesian cultures. (yes Maori come from the same roots, stating the obvious that is not obvious to most ppl)
Dooggy
Guest
For years half the Blues Academy would be poached by the NRL.
Grant
Guest
Mate there is much more to the Haka than a war cry to use your expression. Rather than write a long treatise about the origins and the symbolism because you can Google it very easily - both Ka Mate and Ka Pango for that matter. it is a means by which the performing side prepares for conflict and within that there is an implicit respect for the foe, given that it is ceremonial. Ka Mate was composed in a dugout in the alpine regions of the North Island as it so happens and the composer thought he was going to get his beans in a situation where he would be overcome by superior numbers. I think once you understand the Haka it might occur as a more of a spectacle, i hope so anyway. I take your point about psyche however. I think the Aussie public really give it to the Wallabies when they lose - and sometimes it is not entirely their fault. A rampant AB side last Saturday were playing for personal and team pride because they did not perform the week before. Very little about this was to do with the Wallabies. I don't know how many teams would have mitigated a performance like that. I think AB supporters get behind their team no matter what and maybe that is a difference. I rate the Wallabies as do many thinking Kiwis and i would be surprised if you do not do well against the Sarfies. Ewen MacKenzie has done some great things for the Wallabies team performance. In some ways being a Wallabies supporter is a bit like being a Kiwis supporter in league - when the Kangaroos are in form they are world-beaters - always. Every so often the Kiwis will get one across them but their support is as fickle as what i am criticising here amongst Wallaby supporters. Good luck in Perth!
Common Sense
Guest
I reckon the notion that the Wallabies play better with confidence is rubbish. For the Wallabies confidence equals complacency - against Scotland, Ireland, Samoa, 3rd lions test and the All Blacks the Wallabies all went into these games with a lot of confidence yet played not only below their potential but a lot worse than they would have played with less confidence. The Wallabies, and the All Blacks for that matter, play their best rugby when their backs are up against the wall and have to prove to everyone including themselves that they aren't rubbish and are deserving of respect.
martin english (@martin_english)
Guest
The key thing that most non Kiwi's (and many Kiwis) miss is that the Haka serves multiple purposes; The motivation of "going to war" with fellow warriors is just as important as the intimidation and challenge aspects. And it's not just for the players; I'm thinking of the experience I get as a non playing supporter. The All Blacks are "going to war" on behalf of the nation and any attempt by the Wallabies to replicate the Haka will be ridiculed by all other national level codes and sports. hth
Canetragic
Guest
I was with you until you started to go on about the Haka. Im not sure you understand it. Its a challenge. Its not about fear its about respect, its about Mana. What chant are the Aussies going to respond with? Oi Oi Oi? Yeah that'll get respect. They need to work out someway that they can respond to the Haka that demonstrates their respect for themselves and their own challenge to the ABs. The French managed to do that at the RWC final, and good on them. The Pacific Island nations have their own challenges to use. Maybe the Wallabies should have a look at Aboriginal culture for a solution?
AussiKiwi
Guest
I would nominate one from Wally Palmer too but I am a bit bemused as to where to start. Too many great quotes there. At the very least he should get the Most Promising New Queensland Talent award.
AussiKiwi
Guest
Some good quotes in there. Can we have a quote of the week competition? I nominate as this week's winner Magic Sponge, for his offering in one of Spiro's articles: "This is a weak and vulnerable and slow Ab team....."
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Too me, they need to go back to basics. No need for x-factor at 10, put in Foley, Drop Beale for bench impact, drop McCabe and move AAC to wing, until a specilist wing is available. Bring in KD into 13 again. Simple fixes for the backline. The forwards is an issue that will be more difficult to fix. They just seam to turn off when the going gets tough, they need someone like Hodgson on there to push they guys. IF the force can bring it upfront, then they need more of them boys on there.
Jake
Guest
That argument our best players don't play rugby well our best players don't play rugby league yet we don't bring that up every time we get a hiding from the Kangaroos remember youse have 24m population we have basically the size of Sydney to pick from and now the Aussie league sides have raided NZ rugby scene like no tomorrow so that argument is excuses to me and also now you're AFL teams are over here trying to pilfer talented players who play the 15man game and try and grow that crap game in NZ
Ken Stewart
Guest
Classic comment one of the last ones. I wouldn't be surprised if the wallabies best the All Blacks next time. Denial, what do you base that on nothing.