The Rugby World Cup is now just nine months away. With the Southern Hemisphere’s nations having now completed their Spring tours, now is the perfect time to preview where each of the Wallabies stand heading into the tournament.
Australia are one of the best teams in the world at playing attacking, try-scoring rugby. In the past, they have shown their ability to beat teams of the highest calibre by scoring with limited possession.
Their back line is one of, if not the best attacking back-lines in international rugby, with an abundance of gifted players such as Adam Ashley-Cooper, Henry Speight and Israel Folau. Australia specialises in playmaking five-eighths and inside centres, as these types of players facilitate the attacking axis at first and second receiver. This style of play is hugely popular in the Southern Hemisphere as it gets the most out of hard running outside backs.
Bernard Foley is an excellent playmaking five-eighth, as is Quade Cooper, who can be just as effective at 12. Matt Toomua is a creative playmaker who normally plays at 10 at club level, but has played at 12 in most of his international games. Kurtley Beale, too, is a creative genius who is best suited to 12 although he has previously started at 10 against New Zealand and played fairly well in that position. He has also played a lot of international rugby at fullback.
The problem with these types of players, however, is that although their creativity is valuable, it is counter-productive to have too many of them on the pitch at one time. This was demonstrated in Australia’s most recent game against Ireland, where in the second half Beale was brought on at 13 for the injured Tevita Kuridrani, Cooper was brought on at 10 for Foley and Toomua remained at inside centre.
Although the three in tandem were quite threatening, there were several instances where they had opened up the Irish defence only to butcher the chance by attempting to run different angles off of one another, each trying to create something brilliant.
There is no need to have any more than two of these creative playmakers on the pitch at any one time, as there has to be a balance between the creative genius of Foley and co. and the direct running and finishing ability of players like Ashley-Cooper, Speight and Folau.
Despite their abundance of quality out wide, Australia’s forward play, especially their set-pieces, remains the Wallabies’ biggest weakness. Without Stephen Moore Australia’s set-pieces usually disintegrate, as, apart from Tatafu Polota-Nau, Australia’s hookers are not up to international standard.
Compounding this, the Australian props have traditionally been poor scrummagers compared to their international counterparts. They have shown before, though, their ability to be tactically astute, play the game in the areas which best suit them and to minimise the number of set-pieces per game.
Apart from their front-row problems, Australia have been hit badly by injuries in the back row in recent months. They have not had a world-class blindside flanker since Rocky Elsom’s injury problems began in 2010, although in recent times Ben Mowen and Scott Fardy have proven to be more than competent at Test level.
They have a number of quality players at number eight in Wycliff Palu, Scott Higginbotham and Ben McCalman, but are rarely able to have the three to choose from at any one time due to injury. However, Michael Hooper at openside flanker is one of the most talented, in-form openside flankers in world rugby.
Although they have a much weaker scrum than Wales and England, Australia should qualify from their pool. They have a significant psychological edge over Wales, having won their last ten games against the Welsh.
As for their pool game against England, if they can find a solution to their scrum woes and front up physically, then they have the talent out wide to win that game as well, giving them a great chance of topping their pool.
As for how far they progress beyond the pool stages, a significant factor which will come into play for Australia is weather conditions. As mentioned earlier, they are intelligent enough to play the game in the right areas, but a rainy October day against a team like South Africa or England could very well be their undoing.
Tomorrow I will discuss the coaching dramas that have surrounded the Wallabies over the past three years, you don’t want to miss it.
canadiankiwi
Guest
Can Hunt play prop and scrummage?
Crazy Horse
Guest
The one thing you can count on is that Hooper won't be Captain when the grown ups come back from injury.
canadiankiwi
Guest
Having a lot of players to choose from is NOT the same thing as having DEPTH. Depth is having high quality players who meet or surpass test standard to choose from. Australia has great depth in the backs no question. But backs don't win test matches. If they did Australia would be ranked #1 in the world instead of #5. However, the do not have depth in the forwards. They have a lot of Super Rugby calibre players to chose from but most are not test quality. Would any prop (including Slipper) be selected for England, France, or Argentina? No. Would Simmons, Horwill, Skelton, or Sam Carter start at lock for South Africa or the All Blacks? No. Other than Matt Hooper, would any Aussie back row forward start for Ireland or Wales? No. Australia will not be serious RWC challengers until they have a world class forward pack. They may pull off one, maybe two big wins, but no team will win 7 increasingly difficult, high pressure games getting smashed at set pieces.
Rower who wishes he could play rugby.
Roar Pro
Are you deliberately using an "0" to spell Pocock? Its not clever.
Armand van Zyl
Roar Guru
I'm pretty sure there already is a movie. "Hansie" is its title.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
There is certainly good depth. That is to be expected now that there are five teams to draw on and injuries and coach changes to rotate players into tests. However that has not translated into quality. Many of the Aussie players are too raw or young or just not good enough. The backline as a whole has weak kicking and passing skills and so couldn't possibly be considered best. Too much is made of the so so X factors. Australia has scored less tries than average for many years now. It is how they win when they do but not the weapon to rely on. I doubt Australia have the depth to go further if they get out of the pool next year.
Not Bothered
Guest
Hodgson wont be in the 15 or the 23 and if Poc0ck returns to form then Hodgson wont make the 31 man WC squad. They arnt going to replace the captain with Hodgson and they arnt going to play Hodgson on the blindside, I doubt they will use Hodgson on the bench if Higginbotham and McMahon are fit, McKenzie seemed to do it but it didnt work at all with Gill or Hodgson very well. If Poc0ck returns to form they will have the captain, Poc0ck and McMahon covering openside, they wont take a fourth. The way I see it, its Poc0ck vs Hodgson and the winner goes to the cup unless Hooper gets injured and then they may both go.
ALAN JONES
Guest
I Believe Hunt is that good, ( even though he has never played SUPER RUGBY ) that he easily could play 12 13 and 15. He would be a passenger on the wing as his passing game and offloads would be more useful in the midfield.. possible lineups 9 Genia, 10 Cooper, 11 Folau, 12 O`Connor, 13 Kuridrani , 14 Speight, 15 Karmichael 9 Genia 10 Cooper 11 O`Connor, 12 Karmichael, 13 Kerevi, 14 Kuridrani, 15 Folau 9 Genia 10 Cooper, 11 O`Connor, 12 Karmichael, 13 Kuridrani, 14 Speight, 15 Folau 9 Genia 10 Cooper, 11 Folau, 12 Toomua, 13 Kuridrani, 14 O`Connor, 15 Karmichael 9 Genia 10 Cooper, 11 Folau 12 Toomua, 13 Karmichel, 14 Kuridrani , 15 O`Connor
Jack
Guest
John Cuffe it sounds like you wa,nt more of the same as we had on the recent Spring tour.If that is the case thank heavens you are not a selector.I would like to see a backline include Genia,Cooper,Toomua,Kuridrani,Folau and O'Connor on the wings and Hunt at fullback.I have absolutely no doubt that Hunt will be back where he was as a rugby player before he went to AFL. I saw him play schoolboy rugby and believe he was one of the best ever and that includes the Ellla Brothers,Wally Lewis and Rodger Gould.Yes I saw them all play at that level.I also saw Hunt play on television in France.On that occasion he adapted very quickly and I can see no reason why he will not be one of our best performers in Super rugby in 2015. I can not agree with your assessment of Fiannga,I think he is second to Moore and should certainly be in the squad,in fact if Hooper is running on we need Fiannga to cover for him in the tight but realistically both Hooper and he should be on the bench. Slipper and Simmons are the only other forwards who toured with the Wallabies who should be considered certainties.If the team is built around these players and a captain is appointed who commands respect from the referee ,possibly Moore then we would have an excellent chance to pull off our third World Cup.
Not Bothered
Guest
Is there a movie about H.Cronje? They could call it 'Matchfixtus'.
boomeranga
Guest
I've managed to narrow our WC squad down to just 50. I'll let Cheika finish the easy part of getting it down to 31. Loosehead James Slipper Scott Sio Toby Smith Hooker Nathan Charles Saia Faingaa Stephen Moore Tatafu Polotu-Nau Tighthead Ben Alexander Greg Holmes Laurie Weeks Sekope Kepu Tetera Faulkner Lock Cadeyrn Neville James Horwill Rob Simmons Sam Carter Will Skelton Blindside Angus Cotterill Luke Jones Scott Fardy Scott Higginbotham Openside David Pocock Jarrad Butler Liam Gill Matt Hodgeson Michael Hooper Sean McMahon No.8 Ben McCalman Jake Shatz Wycliff Palu Halfback Nick Phipps Nick White Will Genia Flyhalf Bernard Foley Quade Cooper 12 Christian Lealiifano Kyle Goodwin Matt Toomua 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper Samu Kerevi Tevita Kuridrani Wing Henry Speight James O'Connor Joe Tomane Nick Cummins Rob Horne Fullback Israel Folau Karmichael Hunt Kurtley Beale
MARTO
Guest
My XV for RWC 2015 Slipper Moore Kepu Simmons Horwill Higginbotham Pocock Palu Genia Cooper O`Connor Toomua Kurindrani Folau K.Hunt Polota-Nau Holmes Weeks Fardy Hooper Frisby AAC Beale
poyns
Guest
I think it's prerogative
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Redsfan, Akari, NOS, I think you guys are right and JC and BBK and others have fallen into the myth of thinking Australia has a world class back line. Maybe by comparison to their scrum they look ok. But I saw nothing on a consistent basis this year to support that theory. They have no counter attacking flair or fluidity, have a halfback who is industrious and defends well but is an average passer at best, and don't have any power finishers on the wings. Sure Kuridrani showed good progress this year, Speight is potentially a class test player, in fact individually there is a lot of talent there, which perhaps can develop into something greater than the sum of its parts. But I think the type of praise being thrown around for this back line is somehow clouded by misty eyes and dreams of the Ella brothers.
Karl K
Guest
We'll have agree to disagree Rower, a Hodgson, Hooper combo would have been best on the spring tour when we didn't have Higgers. However when everyone is fit, id go with Higgers and Hooper. Both players offer athletisism and mongrel. Hooper would have to be told to play tight too.
Play the Game
Guest
The weather conditions will play a big part in the RWC and a good precise kicking game will be a big weapon, along with set pieces. RWC will be pretty dour stuff at the knock out stage,whoever can keep their forward pack intact will probably win it.
The Sheriff
Guest
What about a bit of editing of the basic English? Start with agreement of subject and verb.......eg. Australia has(not have) etc, etc.
The Sheriff
Guest
What about a bit of editing of the basic English? Start with agreement of subject of subject and verb.......eg. Australia has(not have) etc, etc.
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks. I thought the WBs had a balanced team when EM was coach, and leveraged the SR teams well enough. The problem lay in the lack of depth up front. Cheika is going through a change in game style, where the rebalance is being re-established. I wouldnt look too much into the congestion in the back lanes, as he was playing with the hand he had / trying a few things. The scrum on the other hand, is a mess. The Tahs set piece will be telling.
MARTO
Guest
Karmichael is a shoe in for a test spot, the bloke is a natural...