That rugby is an 80-minute game is one of rugby’s oldest clichés, illustrated, for the second week running, by the spoils going to the sides playing their best rugby in the final minutes.
There was plenty to like about this Wallabies performance, a potential banana skin match at a tricky venue, against a Pumas side who seemingly kept something in reserve from last week.
What impressed most was the speed and efficiency of the Wallabies breakdown recycling, and while some of the play was a little too lateral, predictable and non-penetrating, this has the look of an improving side stepping nicely into their work.
Pressure on the Pumas was easily released, however, courtesy of slack discipline; Israel Folau and Will Skelton offering up cheap reversed penalties which allowed Argentina to clear their lines free of charge.
The Pumas worked hard in attack, creating numerous half-break opportunites, fullback Santiago Cordero proving particularly elusive. But while the Wallabies defence stretched on a number of occasions, it was never broken.
To be fair they were aided by referee Jaco Peyper who again impressed with his calm demeanour and clear decision making, but who let himself down by treating the offside line as some rubbery concept, not a hard and fast means of keeping the sides apart.
The Pumas’ late meltdown immediately after Quade Cooper stupidly gifted them an invitation to get back into the match was as surprising as it was spectacular. Instead of sensing a kill and switching up a gear they instead seemed to forget that there was still more than ten minutes to play.
Entering an attacking five-metre lineout with expectations of a lineout maul try, they instead conspired to throw directly to Rob Simmons, step into touch while fielding the clearing kick, and give away a soft obstruction penalty to allow Bernard Foley to take the game out of reach.
After which their scrum and defensive intensity clocked off completely and the Wallabies cashed in with two soft tries to Tevita Kuridrani and Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Michael Cheika looked rightfully delighted, although he will no doubt reflect on Matt Toomua’s early concussion and hope that there are no long-term implications arising.
He is also no closer to solving his “Pooper” dilemma, David Pocock taking full advantage of his starting spot with a commanding performance, but Michael Hooper also offering plenty as a replacement – a mirror image of their contributions last week.
Meanwhile, in Johannesburg the All Blacks won the key moments and with it, the match against a Springbok team which continues to excite and frustrate their supporters in equal measure.
For the second week running the Boks delivered a first 40 minutes full of high-speed, skilful, inventive endeavoyr. Their breakdown work was again of the highest quality, Heinrich Brussow making a mockery of his four-year absence from Test rugby.
The glass half-full view is that rugby of this quality is too rich for most sides to match, and that coach Heyneke Meyer can move forward to the Rugby World Cup with great confidence.
The converse however, is that for the second successive week, the Springboks have thrown their best shots but still come up short. Not by much to be sure, but this is Test rugby and margins are fine.
This was a thrilling match, where both sides played with absolute positive intent, diminished in the end only by a set of circumstances which rendered the Boks a prop short, which gave referee Jerome Garces no choice but to demand non-contested scrums.
The match eventually swung on three aspects. Instead of heading to halftime seven points down, an All Black turnover from a contestable Aaron Smith kick led to a midfield bust by Lima Sopoaga and a finish by Ben Smith, squaring the ledger and nullifying all of the Springbok’s good work.
Then, with the intensity ramping up in the second half, and the All Blacks down to 14 men, the Boks succumbed to white line fever, ignoring their impressive backline at precisely the time Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende might have finished the All Blacks off.
Minutes earlier, Lood de Jager had just failed to find the blade of grass Kuridrani found in Brisbane, and then with the Boks pressing hard, replacement prop Vincent Koch spilled a short pass over the goal-line. In doing so he collected an accidental hand from Richie McCaw, opening up a cut, which in turn allowed Smith to clear far more easily than he might otherwise had, from an uncontested 7 v 8 scrum.
The final stanza however was vintage All Blacks, McCaw turning down a kickable penalty to draw the match in favour of going for the win from an attacking lineout.
The All Blacks faked a long throw to Keiran Read, allowing McCaw, positioned at halfback, to step into the space, take the short throw and smash over for the winning score.
Credit here to Codie Taylor, a novice hooker stepping into rugby’s toughest environment, but showing off a strong running game and a cool head to deliver the crucial throw.
Not that his senior hooker suffered by comparison. Dane Coles’ tackling was a highlight of the first half, and his second half try surely as an impressive a finishing effort ever seen from a hooker in Test rugby.
All Blacks supporters have for a while now been concerned about a weakness and lack of depth at hooker. On this evidence they may be worrying about nothing.
Coles was only pipped for man of the match by left-winger Charles Piatau, who was all skill and class in both defence and attack. If there were any doubts about him making the final World Cup squad, none exist now.
The All Blacks two debutants experienced contrasting nights. Lock James Broadhurst will have learnt that Test rugby allows no leeway for poor body height, while flyhalf Sopoaga showed that he does indeed have the temperament to handle this level – with the TV broadcast stats sheet even crediting him with two line-out takes for good measure!
Anyone with an eye to the World Cup, who anticipated a lack-lustre Rugby Championships as a result, now knows their folly. Argentina has disappointed to be sure, but the big three have kept nothing in reserve. As a result, all of the coaches have had some tough questions answered, and fans have been provided with a treat.
More goodies await in a fortnight. The Wallabies will face the All Blacks in Sydney with notably more confidence than what seemed possible six months ago.
But this All Blacks side is clearly not interested in whatever psychological benefits might accrue from dropping a game now to ease pressure on them later at the World Cup. That just isn’t the way they think.
kezablonde
Guest
my two bobs: I never felt threatened (outcomewise); the opposite was the case last year with the Pumas, ie. I always felt threatened. As for SB v AB - and it might be psychological (something we all know is paramount to prob >90% success rate anyway) but I never felt the kiwis would go down even with that strong African start. Perhaps the Springboks weren't quite believable given all we know about 2015. Which raises another thought - the greater mystery in old World Cups when one had less knowledge about opponents - that was always gonna be an Aussie advantage.
Will Lawton
Guest
Graham Gughes, in my opinion, is the only competent TMO in the world.
Will Lawton
Guest
Yo judge a farward pass on tv is a fool's errand because of parallax error.
2211
Guest
Thanks for the reply Allanthus and the point I may have missed about the luxury that Meyer and Hansen have compared to Chieka is time. As you mention above, Cheika has been busy with the Warratahs while the other two have been plotting their RWC campaigns. Also keep up the good work on the weekend wraps. Always enjoyable and interesting :)
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Can't argue with the players you mention mate and the principle, but I really just think it comes down to lack of time and too few test matches between Cheika coming in and the start of the RWC. I don't think he is a conservative coach, he clearly has ideas about how he wants to play and who the right personnel are for that. And I'm sure he'll blood plenty of new talent along the way.
marto
Guest
I just dont get soccer..I really dont ..It maybe the most popular game on the planet, but that doesn`t mean it`s anygood or i have to like it..I personnally reckon it`s boring as Bat$#it...
bazza
Guest
HOOPER 12 ....POCOCK 2..... GILL 7 ..Problem solved..
2211
Guest
Allanthus, there could be an argument made that Cheika doesn't have the same luxury with regard to depth of talent that Meyer or Hanson has which makes it more important to see if there are other newcomers who might add some spark to the experienced mob he has selected. I certainly understand that he has a very limited time frame to work with players he has selected for the first time but there doesn't appear to be significant differences between who he has selected this year compared to who he inherited last year. I think there would have been value looking at Lopeti Timani as a ball running No8 who can also be active in the lineouts (a back row of Pocock, Hooper and Timani could be interesting...). If Cheika can get Will Skelton up to fitness then surely he can do the same with Timani? Rory Arnold seemed worth a look to see if he is able to make the step up to test match rugby and Samu Kerevi could have added a more direct style at 2nd five more akin to Mat Toomua than Mat Giteau (Giteau has also been worthy of a look and I guess is somewhat illustrative of my point, that he was picked to see how he would go more than any certainty of his performance). Stirzaker also seemed worth a punt given the fairly ordinary standard that White and Genia have produced this season. As you have alluded to, it is a trade off between building combinations and improving the performance of incumbents or throwing some new comers in who may sink and have wasted development time or swim and offer genuine options for the big dance later in the year. It just seems like a wasted opportunity to me :)
Chivas
Guest
And Allanthus, I was teasing a little with comments about Australia... just because I couldn't resist. Never know whether things get read with the intent in which they are typed :-). And thanks Allanthus for the wrap. It was one of the better ones on here. Cheers mate.
sheek
Roar Guru
Thanks Bazza, That's one serious team. I'm assuming you meant the halfback was Brett Johnstone. I actually know all those names & can count 10 Wallabies in the starting XV, while all the others represented the state at one time or another.
bazza
Guest
South Magpies club side of 1992 would have given the best Randwick side a run for there money Allanthus and Sheek.. 1992 premiers 1 ADRIAN " MOOSE" SKEGGS 2 TOM LAWTON 3 DAN CROWLEY 4 GARRICK MORGAN 5 TROY COKER 6 BRETT ROBINSON 7 FRASER PERRIN (C) 8 SAM-SCOTT -YOUNG 9 BRETT ROBINSON 10 DAMON EMTAGE 11 DAMIEN SMITH 12 TIM HORAN 13 JASON LITTLE 14 BARRY LEA 15 TYRON MUNDRUSIAK 16 MICHAEL FOLEY 17 MARK CONNORS
stainlesssteve
Guest
to watch a game of soccer, you only have to glance up every five minutes
Taylorman
Guest
I suppose you can't tell the difference between soft and smart huh? One day you will, maybe...
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Thanks Sheek, I knew you'd have all the good oil. That's one serious line-up for a club side. When clubs were actually clubs by the way. I get a bit bemused when people describe super rugby franchises as clubs….
Chivaa
Guest
Allanthus, not worried about his age. In fact I never mentioned it. I said he was green at this level. I am sure he would get thrown in were he an Australian, but he's not. And the reason is that there's sufficient depth and experience in his position ithere is not a need to. With comments like that I guess you might think Damien McKenzie should be thrown in the mix too. There are times players get thrown in like Michael Jones, Christian Cullen etc. and there are times they are allowed to mature and brought on through things like EOYT's. In my humble view NMS is still a bit fresh to warrant risking. Your point is valid Digger and you could argue there is sufficient experience around him that Hansen and co. could give him a run. I just think the men at the top may not fully trust his defence against the top sides in must win situations at this point in his career and I wouldn't be throwing caution to the wind needlessly leading into a RWC as Allinthus suggests. The wallabies on the other hand are running around fifth and have no silverware, so they can do whatever they like without much chance of it backfiring too badly. Of course I could be wrong and I have been before and he is darn close and I suspect will have been told as much :-).
Chivaa
Guest
Oops.. That was a bit of a shocker... Lucky it didn't end up gnati.
sheek
Roar Guru
Yeah Allanthus, That famous midweek arvo game at Coogee oval back in 1988. Although the final scoreline was a comfortable 25-9 (two tries to one) in favour of the ABs, they were sufficiently tested & spooked to insist "never again" would they play a club side. And there was only one Ella (Gary) that day. Mark had retired, although he came back for one more season in 1989, while Glen had defected across the harbour to Manly. Brad Burke, who toured later in 1988 as Farr-Jones understudy, was halfback, but his bullocking younger brother Matt P. Burke had defected to league. So the Randwick backline of 1988, already reasonably strong, could have been even more awesome. The Wicks backline that day was: Knox, Campese, Ella, Carmont, Niuqila, Walker, Burke. Indeed, bar Carmont, they were all Wallabies at one time or another. However, the backline could have been: Glen Ella, Campese, Gary Ella, Walker, Matt Burke, Mark Ella, Brad Burke. Whew! Nothing wrong with the pack either. One Michael Cheika was the other flanker to Poidevin. Link McKenzie, Eddie Jones & Mick Murray (Wallaby dirt-tracker to NZ 1986) made up the front-row. Double Wallaby dirt-tracker to France 1989 & 1993 Tim Kava was lock & captain.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Chivas mate, I reckon Charles is only getting back to his 2013 form but he is wiser now too. Since his comeback from injury he has not disappointed but yes he was great last weekend. I think the brains trust knew they has the tiger by the tail and perhaps that is why they were more than a little upset when he exercised his right to play O'seas. They had invested heavily in him as he was rising. I know for another forum but it will be also interesting to see how they treat the Ioane's brothers, Akira in particular. Raw but how much talent has that guy got?
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Beale on the wing was Brett Harris's opinion in the Australian Allanthus ... I think yours will be more accurate. And Allanthus, I knew you were an expert to recognise the Blues Patrick Tuipolotu will be 'the man for 2016' (he would have imo been up there this year but for injury.
waikato07
Guest