There may not be a more relieved man in the world currently than Wallabies prop James Slipper, whose errant intercepted pass very nearly sent Australia packing from the Rugby World Cup.
>> PUMAS STUN IRELAND
>> WALLABIES SCRAPE PAST SCOTLAND
>> ALL BLACKS CRUSH FRANCE
>> SPRINGBOKS ADVANCE PAST WALES
A 79th-minute Bernard Foley penalty won the quarter-final for the Wallabies, beating a heroic Scotland side 35-34 at Twickenham in London.
So typical of a stuttering Wallabies backline performance in this match, Slipper found himself amid some midfield confusion in the 74th minute, when Scottish outside centre Mark Bennett plucked off his desperate pass.
Skipper Greg Laidlaw kicked his seventh goal for the game to put his side 34-32 up with five minutes to play, before Scotland were ruled to have regained possession from an offside position off the back of a lineout stolen by the Wallabies, as they scrapped to find one last score in the dying minutes.
Foley’s match-winner was his fourth straight goal for the second half, turning around three worrying missed conversions in the first 40.
The Wallabies now play Argentina in the second Rugby World Cup semi-final next weekend, after Los Pumas hammered Ireland 43-20 in the earlier quarter-final on Sunday.
Australia’s win also confirmed an all-southern hemisphere semi-final stage, with South Africa and New Zealand meeting in the other knockout match next weekend. The Rugby Championship has essentially had an extra two weeks added to the shortened 2015 schedule.
Scotland’s performance should do the Wallabies a massive favour.
The Scots exposed poor decision-making, highlighted lazy defending, punished poor skill-execution, and generally gave the Wallabies an 80-minute serving of constant face-slapping and arse-kicking. If the Wallabies learn nothing from this win, then they deserve no further progress.
After two weeks of outstanding attack and defence against England and Wales, respectively, Australia showed nothing of the sort against a Scotland side committed to continually ask serious questions.
Whether it was a case of looking ahead, or perhaps not fully respecting an opposition who have in recent years relished embarrassing the much higher-ranked Wallabies, the inescapable point stands that Scotland proved that Australian dunderheadedness still lurks below the surface.
It should, at least, make Michael Cheika’s job easier this week.
He has an endless supply of uncomfortable moments, poor passes, shanked kicks, and soft defence to bring any semblance of Wallabies over-confidence crashing back to earth.
One thing that is clear is that David Pocock cannot return soon enough. His presence was missed at the breakdown from the first minute of the match, and though the backrow of Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, and Ben McCalman played their natural games reasonably well, it was very clear very early in the piece that Pocock’s over-the-ball pressure ties the Wallabies breakdown together.
Too often, Australian ball-carriers found themselves on their own, with support runners and any potential ruck-cleaners regularly caught too deep. Scotland’s own double team of on-ballers, Blair Cowan and John Hardie, applied their own pressure in and around the ruck, which – even if they didn’t get a play on the ball – was generally enough to slow the Wallabies’ momentum down.
If there’s a silver lining to the disappointing performance, it’s that the Wallabies certainly couldn’t play any worse in this tournament. The slick attack that scythed England was nowhere to be seen, and it would be too simple to single out any one player, because all the backs were guilty of contributing to turnovers.
Whether it was good luck, or a spattering of good management, Australia were able to find tries when they put their mind to it. If they could build phases and maintain possession long enough – no guarantee on either count – there was often space out wide.
Sure, Drew Mitchell’s second try in the left corner was possible because of Craig Joubert and TMO Ben Skeen’s mind-blowingly ridiculous decision that Scottish winger Sean Maitland had deliberately knocked down an Australian pass, but when the Wallabies were able to hold their composure, they found space out wide.
And when the backs invariably lost said composure, the forwards were capable of resetting through the pick-and-drive, or the lineout dive, which though a little loose without Pocock in the driver’s seat, was still reasonably effective.
History will eventually just show a one-point win for the Wallabies, and Cheika has a big week ahead of him to rectify the issues that will similarly consign the Australian World Cup campaign to history if not quickly addressed.
The scrum in general didn’t operate as cohesively as it has, nor was it able to establish the dominance it has enjoyed in recent weeks, and Scottish tighthead WP Nel gave Scott Sio an almighty working over.
The defence around the edge of the ruck was often passive, highlighted no better than Scotland centre Peter Horne’s 18th minute try, where he strolled through to the middle of Sio and Rob Simmons, who were left with nothing but sheepish looks on their faces.
If the England and Wales results took a bigger emotional and even physical toll than we realise, then it’s better to get the sub-par performance out of the way now.
Argentina’s clinical late-game dissection of Ireland shows the Wallabies where they need to get to this week, as does New Zealand’s complete annihilation of France. South Africa played a very limited game to dispose of a brave Welsh side, but at least their very limited game was executed according to plan.
In contrast, it was difficult to see what the Wallabies’ plan was against a committed Scotland.
And yes, it’s great that they were still capable of extracting the win, and that they remain alive in the tournament. But the real challenge for the Wallabies now is to prove that the Scotland performance – and not the England and Wales wins – is their Rugby World Cup 2015 anomaly.
BetterRedThanDead
Roar Rookie
Yes, it was obvious to all, including Joubert, that the gig was up for Sio on the night. Should have been replaced earlier and his injury would have been prevented.
BetterRedThanDead
Roar Rookie
Yeah, that puzzled me also. McMahon seems to be out of favour with MC. McCalman is having a reasonable tournament and playing his full potential, but he is a bit of a journeyman. MacMahon is a real talent and I had hoped he would see more game time. Played really well against Wales and couldn't understand why he was subbed early in the second half.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
'One more game' !
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Apparently that 'hack of a winger' is only ONE try behind Lomu and Habana for tries scored in world cup games....
Birdy
Guest
Frontrow, You write with all the subtlety of an elephant learning the Maori side step , and you wonder why you attract attention. I will make a point of re reading your post for this article with a better insight into your style and see you here same place after the Wallabies put the cleaners through the Pumas. Just have to minimise those mistakes. No doubt the tensions will be a notch higher next week, so as Kasablonde suggests , back to the pie and beers.
Chivas
Guest
Rock, I don't have an issue with the Wallabies getting the cream on this occasion. I just find some of the posts denying the Wallabies got a free get out of jail card somewhat disingenuous. The scottish lost, but mostly the Aussie fanboi response is trying to tell anybody who will listen, that they were the victims of more bad calls. I wish they would just accept they got a gift, shut up and move on... like they expect everyone else to. The Scots weren't good enough, else they wouldn't have been in that position defending such a small lead in the first place from the wrong part of the field. They allowed the ref to dictate the outcome, where if they were good enough they should have removed that option.
Frontrow
Guest
No Albany....Massey have four campuses - actually maybe five now as i think they have a small one in the South Island as well now...but Auckland - Wellington - and West Sydney but Palmy on is the original one for sure- they do a lot of Agricultural degrees there and it is the main Veterinarian School as well - not my field - I'm in Media Studies which Albany is better for
Frontrow
Guest
The Latter of course - and if i started using academic jargon and language on here I would then be accused being a snob.. and then certain people would have a go at me about that as well and I'm sure you would agree I type what have to say fast on here - don't care about typos etc but of course in academia if I referenced wrong -misquoted someone or got my dominant and subordinate clauses ass about face and wrote in a dysfunctional manner with poor argument and unbalanced referencing etc etc then in academia I would be crucified and rightly so...this is after all just a sports blog In fact if you really want to know it is nice to be able to write and not have worry about all that stuff...not that I mind doing it - I would not be doing it if that was the case - in fact I enjoy it - but you need a break from constant research and and reading and writing at that level all the time...and I am a bit of a sports junkie on the side - well the ones I once played before I not longer had the time
kezablonde
Guest
It's good you show some humility. But, I hope you don't write your thesis in that style - or is that the pie 'n beer / footy / mates mode?
Frontrow
Guest
Birdy why don't you go back actually read what I really say...I have praised the Wallbies and individuals several times and i don't attack the wallabies I point out flaws and flaults and give reason why I think they a weak there or could get exposed there. And you know waht Birdy go back a read what i said about the Wallabies prior to the Welsh game I criticized certain players weaknesses and faults in the Wallaby game and every single one of them was exposed in the Welsh game. That is not an attack when it prove to be so my friend. That is two thing one - it tells you that I know this game pretty well and two that the criticism is sometime on the money and that is nothing wrong with that. I made some good calls and kike everyone I get wrong sometime as well. As for my criticism of some - not all Wallaby fans - my god mate look at the attacks kiwi fans get on this site by some people - not you maybe but certainly or do you not register those? I think the Australian media over hypes their players sometimes before it is due - and i am not the only one on this site or in the media who has made that claim but then I guess we must ll be little men huh ...so I try to put some balance in there Sure if someone tries to attack me on here I with fight back as you do as well I have noticed so to hold that against me I think would be a bit rich...trouble is when I fight back - I fight back hard and people don't like that...so try to be a bit more thick skinned mate...it is only words on web site after all and about rugby not some religious relic Oh and I'm sure if SA beats the All Blacks plenty of stick will come kiwi fans way and it won't all be pleasant as I'm sure you would be well aware - I will deal with it so why don't you...and as to my maturity you may want to redirect that back onto yourself and one or two other people on here with some of their completely illogical statements in reply so the odd one of my blogs and naturally I have a right to respond And I do and again people don't like it when I do to them, what they try to do to me - its like hey we will throw stones at you but please don't throw any back we can't handle it...sorry who is immature here Birdy
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Is that Massey University in Palmerston North ?
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Even if - as World Rugby have admitted - was from a wrong call. Scots the moral victors despite the Oz domination of the game , can imagine the sledging from Argies now...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That is correct. So 3 of 82.
Coconut
Guest
As balanced a response as I have ever read.
Birdy
Guest
Big difference between education and maturity my friend. While I agree with your opinion of Cooper as a big match player , your attacks on the Wallabies and Aussies supporting our team really shows off a little man syndrome. But most of us really don't care.
Birdy
Guest
What a shame, he sounds do interesting.
Coconut
Guest
Dude what is your problem... you're not adding anything to the discussion... that is trolling.
Coconut
Guest
George G have a look at your own team mate - the Scotland game is a case in point, They give away cynical penalties at least as much as the ABs and probably more..
taylorman
Roar Guru
They said it when they beat South Africa in SA. That was as comprehensive as it gets.
taylorman
Roar Guru
That was at the end of the season during the AIs. And in that match we also used it as a mechanism to get the wider group involved, to step up. The team we played included James Parsons,borrowed from the baabaas match, Crotty, dominic bird, Pulu. This was not the full string side. In World Cup matches we have averaged 32-11 vs Scotland at 4 tries to one so perhaps if you provide the more accurate picture rather than slant it to paint another?