- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Rugby Championship ended in dramatic fashion this weekend. Heyneke Meyer’s Springboks, in a great advertisement for the game, claimed the coach’s first ever win against the All Blacks, and Argentina claimed their first ever win in the tournament.
There remains one Bledisloe game in Brisbane between the losing sides, which falls outside the Rugby Championship, before the Southern Hemisphere sides head north.
Both the Wallabies and All Blacks will be looking to atone for their defeats but inevitably there will be talk of yet another dead rubber.
The one-off internationals in November ostensibly do not hold much importance other than bragging rights for the winners. However, with no June internationals next year because of you know what, November is not only a last opportunity for southern hemisphere teams to play their northern counterparts before that event, it is the last opportunity to experience similar conditions.
So let us examine the upcoming games and mark out the crucial matches.
1. New Zealand
A draw and a loss might well be a more realistic return than last year’s unprecedented perfect season, but New Zealand will be conscious under Steve Hansen’s reign that they have impressed more down south than up north.
Last year was a particularly shaky year. France, England and especially Ireland all made it difficult for the men in black. The scrum looked shaky and the tactic of flooding the breakdown paid dividends for their northern opponents. New Zealand in dry conditions are usually able at some stage to provide quick service in order to find open spaces to be exploited but have yet to convince in less favourable conditions. They were dominated for large patches in all their games last year.
They face an interesting side-show event first-up, principally designed to showcase their American sponsor in Chicago before travelling to England, Scotland and Wales. There is bound to be rotation and experimentation in between the challenging games of England and Wales.
The USA Eagles, however, showed against the New Zealand Maori that they will be no pushovers and Scotland’s Kiwi coach will no doubt get his men geed up much like his compatriot Joe Schmidt did last year. These games will not have the best players so they must try to maintain standards.
A clean sweep is expected but that is no guarantor of success. Hopefully we will see the return of a few players like Luke Romano and Charles Piutau from injury as they consolidate in positions such as hooker and winger.
England, despite losing 3-0 in June, know that they can be competitive. The bulk of the team they will face won’t have played in Chicago but that will not faze England. They beat Australia first-up last year and New Zealand relied on some Piutau brilliance to scrape them over the line.
Wales will be hoping they can catch New Zealand napping in the last game but that is less likely to happen as it will be drummed into the players to focus on the task at hand.
The South African victory will give hope to their opponents and all of them would love to enjoy the confidence boost that a victory against New Zealand would provide.
On paper, this seems the least challenging of the Tri Nations tours, and while that is probably a blessing, it does not mean it will be easy.
2. South Africa
Last year South Africa made a clean sweep. The attacking mindset that was evident at Ellis Park, however, was notably absent. Meyer was convinced that northern hemisphere conditions required a different game plan.
When you pick Morne Steyn, you know what game plan to expect. The fact that South Africa won all their matches might well make Meyer believe his decision was vindicated.
No one is disputing an adjustment is required. However, hopefully the win last weekend in addition to his more attack minded halves he has at his disposal make Meyer unwilling to swing to such a conservative extreme this time round.
South Africa need to be wary that at home Ireland have enjoyed disproportionate success against the Springboks in comparison to higher-ranked teams like England.
Jean de Villiers made the comment that gone were the days when South Africa could beat teams into submission through their forwards. They have obvious strengths in that region but it is not enough to ensure victory. Meyer should be using their prowess to work South Africa into attacking positions and assessing when is the time to kick and when to keep the ball in hand.
Last weekend showed how South Africa are just as adept at exploiting the open spaces as New Zealand. What is different is how they work themselves into those open spaces. Playing in difficult conditions does not mean that you are prevented from playing in that manner, just that you have to choose your moments more carefully.
Ireland is followed by England. Having played New Zealand first-up, South Africa should have a good idea at where England’s form is at and can probably assume that they will be fatigued. Much depends on results but these are two formidable opponents for South Africa to play in consecutive weeks. Ideal preparation for knockout games next year.
Italy is next and the danger, much like New Zealand against Scotland, is complacency and lack of continuity, as selections are bound to change. Treat this game lightly and Italy at home have experience of making better teams appear foolish.
Wales are the last opponents who will be encouraged by their last display away. South Africa will be desperate to keep that unbeaten run up north, with good odds that their quarter final opponent will be a northern side.
My only hope is that South Africa keep up their progression and not fall back onto their default style that was more apparent in the second half last weekend. I am not advocating all-out attack but, rather, a more balanced approach.
We missed out on a semi final last time. The masochist in me wants to see the number one and two ranked sides meet at some stage, even though in an ideal world that would be the final.
3. Australia
We tend to look back on the amateur era with nostalgia. I greatly lament we are deprived of tours to South Africa or Test sides playing against provincial or club sides who did not contemplate resting their best players.
The Lions series I can get behind, though I sympathise that they do not face the best opposition for their warm-up games.
The Barbarians concept, however, is something about which I feel increasingly less enthused.
On paper, it seems like a great idea. Former big names lining up against old foes. A license to attack at all costs. The only problem is that there seems to be a lack of motivation to win.
I realise promoters are trying to sell tickets but what I would prefer to see is upcoming players or fringe Test players selected for the Barbarians. Have them champing at the bit to impress and retain the attacking mindset of the Barbarians. By that I do not mean all-out attack but, rather, a burning desire to go for the win.
With the way it is now, the Barbarians is like a reunion festival where they get to reminisce about the old times, chuck the ball around and then enjoy themselves afterwards. A gross exaggeration but you catch my drift. Better to have a squad who are motivated to prove their worth rather than players who have nothing left to prove.
In any event, it is ideal preparation for Australia because what follows is a huge ask. It is unquestionably the hardest tour, with no respite. In many ways it is ideal preparation for the ‘pool of death’ but, goodness me, what a challenge.
Wales may well appear to be cursed against the Tri Nations teams but they are certainly not lacking motivation to claim an all-important win against one of the ‘Big Three’. This is one of their main rivals in the pool of death so this is an ideal dress rehearsal for that event.
Neither side is probably willing to reveal new strategies until next year but both sides are certainly not wishing to give the other a psychological boost heading into that crunch match.
It does not matter that Australia made a clean sweep of France in June. Guessing what French team is going to turn up on the day is like guessing the weather in Brittany. You never quite know what to expect.
From there, Australia travel to Ireland and you can bet that they will be looking to atone for their embarrassing capitulation last year.
The cumulative effect of these tough matches will surely show up in their last match. England will have played Samoa the week before, which might well give them renewed confidence if the first two matches against New Zealand and South Africa do not go their way.
As another pool of death opponent, England will be gunning for consecutive victories to put doubt into Wallaby minds before next year. A hugely challenging test and I hope for Australia’s sake that they have players returning from injury like Quade Cooper, Will Genia and Stephen Moore.
They face New Zealand who will be fired up after their loss and it is important that this gruelling tour is set up by a good performance there.
4. Argentina
Whether by coincidence or good forward planning, it is a good thing that Argentina have matches that make victory a realistic goal.
Scotland, Italy and France are by no means a certainty of success but they provide the ideal preparation for next year in which they find themselves yet again coming head-to-head with New Zealand. Win their remaining games and target the quarter final is a very achievable goal.
Therefore, they must use these matches against teams with useful forward packs but limited back lines (or at least teams that do not utilise all that is on offer with their back lines) as a way to showcase what they have learnt with their back line play and offloading game.
I do not know which players will be available to Argentina or the condition they are in, but Argentina no doubt will be heartened by their Mendoza heroics and settle for nothing less than three victories, despite the enormity of that challenge.
Lastly, it should be pointed out that Fiji play both France and Wales, Samoa play England and Ireland plays Georgia. Kudos to all these teams for giving these sides a run and notably Ireland. The top-ranked sides all need to play the tier-two sides more.
These are the autumn fixtures this November. Axl Rose sang ‘Cause nothin’ lasts forever and we both know hearts can change. And it’s hard to hold a candle in the cold November rain.’
Who from the southern hemisphere will feel the November rain the most and what are the crunch matches for you?
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.