Long live the Wallabies, I say. I have read a lot of banter from South Africa and New Zealand supporters suggesting the two nations are each other’s only true foes, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Australia was the first nation to win the Web Ellis trophy twice. New Zealand have only won it on home soil. South Africa’s second win in Paris was so boring that I left with my New Zealand mate to grab a beer at the bar outside the ground with 20 minutes to play.
So, with just 12 months to go to the World Cup, I have seen the Wallabies in the same dire situation before. Presently, New Zealand and South Africa are deserving of their world rankings.
To be honest, I only want to see us win the Bledisloe Cup back. However, to experiment with players as Ewen McKenzie did in the drawn Sydney Test, it defies logic. Months later I am still shaking my head. So much so, that I would prefer to clean out my shed or watch a rugby league replay from a decade ago than sit through that again.
Michael Hooper will be a great captain some day, but right now he does not have the poise to set up to win as he should have done in Sydney with a field goal.
Ewen will be successful in the end. He has the right coaching qualities and now that the Bedisloe has been lost for another year, he can concentrate on the World Cup, starting with the Brisbane Test in two weeks. In this Test, we have a chance to level the Bledisloe at 1-1 for 2014, which is not bad considering we gave ourselves every chance of defeat in Sydney and still managed to pull off a draw.
I have seen some journalists calling for Will Genia and Quade Cooper to come back into the team, like they are going to make a difference. Genia yes, but the only time I have ever seen Cooper play well for the Wallabies was the Spring tour of 2013. He was fantastic. The rest of the time he’s been a liability. So, we need to stop with the call for axing of players and get on with coaching the current crop.
You will see from the win in Perth against South Africa that we have what it takes despite playing badly. Rob Horne’s try to win the match was down to his skill, but McKenzie went on to drop him. How can we expect the players to play cohesively when they are dropped for stupid reasons? I don’t get it.
Yes, we lost to the Pumas, but they are growing in their ability and deserved the win. They showed calm and skill that a top five nation shows to come from behind as they did. The lasers and the referee has been done to death, but while we probably would have won, the loss will serve us well for the World Cup.
Finally, good luck to the Wallabies on the upcoming Spring tour. I trust you will find the cohesion needed and that clever Ewen will appear from nowhere to guide you to success over the next 12 months.
Hoges
Guest
Hilarious - a story about the Wallabies and how they need to get it together and every comment is about the first two paragraphs regarding NZ and Sth Africa.
mactheblack
Guest
Where is rugby concentrated in Australia. How high does it rank in relation to Aussie rules and league? Are the numbers high enough for anyone in their right mind to expect that Australia should after retirements of the likes of John Eales, the Chris Lathams, Stirling Mortlocks, George Gregans, Daniel Vickermans, Nathan Sharpes Stephen Larkhams, George Smiths, Matthew Burkes of this world etc. expect players of their ilk to roll of a production line when they are done and dusted? My reasoning is: let's be practical on how we view the Wallabies ... there is enough talent there to stay positive about. It's clear that Ewen McKenzie is not the man to lead. Dingo Deans was putting the spark back - although very slowly admittedly - back into the Aussie play, but unfortunately, some leading lights reckoned the spark wasn't big enough to evolve into a flame! Deans needed time - by now I'll bet that team would have been far far better under a Deans coaching role. Someone wrote a piece on this forum about "putting the mongrel back into the Wallabies". I saw some of the play against Argentina (re-runs) ... yes there is plenty of fight and skills .. but I agree there is an acute lack of mongrel. For more than 15 minutes they were pinned in their 22m taking on scrum after scrum after scrum - and I started feeling sorry for them actually. The dam wall did wilt eventually due to Argie pressure! And no you don't have to forge Jacques Potgieter's (of Waratahs) papers to help him qualify for Australia, like one cantankerous writer suggested. You can put the mongrel back into the Wallabies through better man-management. Of course the Wallabies is trying to become a winning team in the southern hemisphere. But can we expect them, when the dice is loaded out of their favour as explained above? That can only change with a complete 360-degree turn in terms of management, kicking out misfits in the team for good (as examples) and mapping out a turnaround strategy. It won't happen overnight but for crying out loud .. when will Aussie Rugby start doing that?
I agree with you, the SA and NZ rivalry has been born out of history and tradition when they were clearly the best teams in the world. The AUstralian and New Zealand rivalry was born out of circumstance where they are neighbours and a "sibling" rivalry was born, the Bledisloe being only part of it.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
History shows South Africa and New Zealand the keenest of enemies from the tours of the 50's through 80's and all the apartheid years till professionalism. Ever battling for the so called world badge even back then. Australia had a few good years twice a while ago now and was enough that suddenly they were taken seriously, much more than previously. And of course the Bledisloe lives at home in the cabinet and is noticed when it is missing. The rivalry between Australia and NZ is seen differently as the rivalry between NZ and Australia.
Sir William Webb Ellis
Guest
And good luck on winning back the Bledisloe Adam. It may take some time
Sir William Webb Ellis
Guest
ABs and Boks go back in history. No one can take that history away. Wake up Adam. The British Lions only used to tour SA and NZ, and stopped over in Aus to play a game or two. That only changed in recent times. That tells EVERYONE but YOU Adam the history is history. You can't change history.
Barnes
Guest
Best away record untill it counts is kinda not right feel to it imagine brazil or germany in football never winning a cup away but other games they did people might call them chokers or that the can only win with home field advantage From what ive been told by old buggers before the boks got isolated the nz away record was average indeed so its only a recent thing or perhaps the boks had no good players ever and cheated everytime Also those wins the boks only selected from 10 percent of the population not right in any sence though its true
willy
Guest
Hi, Adam. Like you, I would like to see the Wallabies go well on the Spring tour. However, I would refer you to Luke's article "Wallabies need to learn to travel....and fast" on today's roar. Filled me with misgivings.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Don't worry 44 bottles ... many use it as a defensive 'cast away statement as they have nothing else to contribute. Obviously, away RWC wins must be too easy... as you correctly have pointed out only two countries have managed to win at home ... Boks and AB's. Aussie tried twice (including the shared inaugeral one) and failed twice, England and France tired once each thus far and have come up with blanks.
Dittohead
Guest
"which is not bad considering we gave ourselves every chance of defeat in Sydney and still managed to pull off a draw" I think you're referring to the AB's in that situation. The AB's played awful, yet managed to pull off a draw, whereas the Wobblies played better than I've seen them play against the AB's in some time, and should have won. Maybe if Michael Hooper's eyes were closer together he wouldve seen how close he was to the goal posts and elected for a shot at goal as opposed to trying to break the AB's defence open for a try.
Jackster
Guest
It's true....Boks have always been NZ's greatest foes. This was told to me by my dad as a kid 40 years ago, and is still true today. Bok fans will tell you the same.
alex
Roar Pro
as a kiwi i see the bokk as our true foe and the wobbilies oops i mean wallabies as our whipping boys history backs me up, OZ could be a great team but with your structure or lack of will never be, you guys are too tribal when it comes to teams you have no unity, reds this warratahs that, until this changes you will forever be our whipping boys
Monday's Expert
Guest
One could say "Less banter and more statement of fact, as borne out by history."
44bottles
Roar Guru
I love how the comment about winning on home soil is always used despite only 3/7 times having A home team win (not taking into account all the home teams losing that were co-hosts eg. 87, 91)
abc
Guest
Best away record but have still failed to win an away World Cup.
The Mountain
Guest
true Zer0. But it get's better with "New Zealand have only won it on home soil". Rubbish!! Doesn't even count really. Realistically since they won both World Cups at home it means NZ can't win away from home! Oh wait!! They have the best winning record away from home than any other team..........
zer0
Guest
"I have read a lot of banter from South Africa and New Zealand supporters suggesting the two nations are each other’s only true foes..." Less banter and more statement of fact, as borne out by history.