Amid the fallout of another poor showing by the Wallabies on Saturday night, a significant amount of commentary has focused on the lateral, stagnant back-line.
While I do agree with this, it has overlooked that the Wallabies’ forwards have been smashed in both games.
Clinically, and for two different reasons. The first Test at the breakdown. The second by playing ‘dumb’ football.
This critique of the pack focuses on their failure to adapt to the defensive structure employed by England in the second Test with ball in hand.
England forwards refused to over-commit at the ruck and held their Hadrian’s Wall, and the Wallabies’ forwards were sucked into aimless one-out running at a well-prepared defence.
As a general skill-set three key fundamentals were missing: capability to offload; ability to pick and go; and provide a supporting runner/options for the ball-carrier.
Some of these skills are paramount to succeeding at Test level, and again highlight the Wallabies’ struggle to find a No.8 who can carry and offload, a la Toutai Kefu and Viliami Ofahengaue.
Secondly, Michael Cheika would have wished he could have turned back the clock and recalled ‘Mr Pick and Go’ himself, Jim Williams, a master exponent of a dying art in Australian forward play.
Irrespective of whether the team have capability to perform the two tasks above, it does not excuse the lack of support play – runners don’t have to receive the ball, but can distract the defenders just enough to ensure an advance over the gain line.
Last week, I cheekily suggested George Smith should be recalled, but also had Leroy Houston in as a genuine No.8 alternative.
I would have him in the team this week – we simply do not have any other No.8s and again, Wycliff Palu is not the option to take the team forward.
I would be interested to see how this changes the dynamic of the pack. Dean Mumm would also come in for Rory Arnold.
1. James Slipper
2. Stephen Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Sam Carter
5. Dean Mumm
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. Leroy Houston
In closing on the pack, getting over the advantage line (and not crashing into it) provides front-foot ball, and give backs some space to take a key first step forward and not sideways.
Speaking of lateral movement, Roarers have given significant feedback into the structure of the current Wallabies’ back-line.
A Test standard full-back should have the ability and judiciousness to either counter-attack with ball in hand or play the territory card with the kick.
With Israel Folau at the back, defenders can fairly easily line up a one-dimensional approach to his game. I don’t want to knock Australia’s only world-class player (sans David Pocock with injury), but Folau freakish talents are best employed at No.13, and his lack of kicking game is an absolute killer against well-structured sides.
I appreciate it is a difficult trade-off, as under the high-ball there is no one better, but Australia would have more diverse running patterns with him at outside-centre.
I would also move Kerevi to the wing. I really like his game and he could be anything working in broken play in a bit more space. Managing Folau and Kerevi on one side would be a defender’s nightmare.
Dane Haylett-Petty should be given the chance to have a crack at his preferred position and bring a more traditional No.15 role to the team.
I would also have Christian Lealiifano as the second playmaking option. He hasn’t (a huge hole in Cheika’s gameplan) been given time to form a combination with Bernard Foley. We need a dual playmaker set-up.
Tevita Kuridrani has been a big disappointment this year (including for the Brumbies) and is omitted.
With that in mind, I would have the backs running out like this.
9. Nick Phipps (noting a very poor passing game)
10. Bernard Foley
11. Rob Horne
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Israel Folau
14. Samu Kerevi
15. Dane Haylett-Perry
As a final comment, Michael Hooper (as acting captain) made a very poor decision to not take a guaranteed three points when scores were 13-7 at the 63rd minute.
The Wallabies needed some reward for territorial dominance and in a game with the slippery ball you need to take the bankable on offer.
Simple, smart wet weather football. I admire Hooper as a combative player but his leadership and decision-making can sometimes be rash.
While Cheika deserves the heat for a collective poor playing and coaching performance – he still has my vote as the man to turn things around.
Again, it just shows that our talent is spread too thinly across the playing group at the moment. You can only work with the cattle you have, and when a few guys from last year’s Rugby World Cup are not there (Pocock, Kurtley Beale, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell), we are scraping the bottom of the Meadow-Lea container.
In a striking parallel of timing to the prime minsiter Malcolm Turnbull, the honeymoon is most certainly over for Mr Cheika.
Iain Barclay
Guest
I have no pretensions to coaching expertise but the one center in Australia who has been outstanding - even against Kiwi opposition, wasn't played at that position. There were other options - and not bad ones either, for fullback so that shouldn't be held up as an excuse. We also have a big fast winger who never got a look in - I'd have liked to see the poms stop him with ball in hand! We could have had another such winger but a certain coach wouldn't play him when he was in our competition so now he is a part of the All Blacks! It makes you weep! All that said I think we can still win the last one - maybe .........
ken
Guest
Imagine that 115 kilo, high workrate, tackle busting offloading FIFITA at the back of the wallabies scrum.. DROOL .....He`s on tonight SOO 2
CUW
Guest
yesss he shud have started mccalmann and then put palu for 30. (maybe mccalmann's shoulder would have held up ) and this is the game he shud have gone with the 6/2 bench. the guy who came on for petty did nothing. waste of space on the becnh and got no change....
CUW
Guest
why is that? he has been captaining the saints for a number of years and if my memory is right has been in 3 aviva finals , once famosly sent off :) there has never been any question about his ability to captain. the issue was his disciplinary record , again mostly at club level.
Jock M
Guest
Bloody pom, If it was such a great contest for the ball,why were England avoiding the rucks and how could Australia win twenty phases in a row? The laws have been designed in such a way that the defence has little chance of stealing possession and there is very little incentive for the defensive pack to try and counter the forward momentum of the attacking side at the breakdown. It is plain to see if some of you would only look. The tackled player now goes to ground and places the ball - what chance does that give the defence? There are also ridiculous laws that determine how a player should enter a ruck. Proof of what I write is the fact that tackled players now go to ground because they know that they can play the ball. Remaining standing and setting up a maul rarely happens anymore and why would it?
bloodypom
Guest
@Jock M "lack of contest for the ball and the consequent wall of defenders and repetitive recycling(twenty on Saturday night!)" Did you watch the test beforehand? There was plenty of contesting the ball at ruck time.
Rocko
Roar Guru
Thx Davo - Fardy has been solid for the Brumbies this year but I think he did look very tired on Sat. Maybe not dropping him, but certainly a breather. Mumm or McCalman could fill his role.
Jibba Jabba
Guest
Poor ol Fardy was looking fatigued - maybe time for a short break..but he is still the best option at No 6 and also a lineout option at 2 metres.
Buzzwah
Guest
To quote the 12th man taxi driver...."Dahhhhh, thought so!!" Just wanted the hair flicking minuted!
Davo
Guest
Some interesting points MR and overall I think you're on the money. I wouldn't have immediately thought of Kerevi as a winger, but you've convinced me it's the best option for the team. One small change I would make, which is likely to cause a few forehead veins to pop in Roar comment land, is to drop Fardy and put Mumm at 6. Mumm has been quite effective at 6 for the Tahs in recent times. Fardy has been a great player and loyal servant, but unfortunately seems to be on the decline for both Brumbies and Wallabies. Arnold or Horwill or even Skelton could then come in at 5. Re Hooper's decision to decline the kick, I suspect he may have been acting on instructions to keep the tempo up and moving the poms around no matter what, in the expectation they would crumble due to lack of fitness. (A strategy that turned out to be based on a false assumption).
The Desert Nut
Roar Rookie
Dylan Hartley is an example of how the unlikely candidate can excel with the captaincy.
Markus
Guest
Haylett-Petty earned another chance based on his strength in contact, but he was horrible under the high ball and dropped the ball multiple times and should be nowhere near fullback on the back of last weekend's performance.
Markus
Guest
Fifita was in the Brumbies academy so even has experience in the game. When he had his contract dramas a couple years ago I was hoping they could sign him as the big ball running number 8 type.
Rocko
Roar Guru
OJ - overcoached is another way to describe your accruate comment ?
OJP
Guest
its not just pformagg with the benefit of hindsight who saw this; lots of us noticed it during the game, especially after Burke and Sharpe commented on it several times during the match :) I wonder if the 2-3-3-2 forward alignment in attack actually stymies the pick and go to an extent; if one of the 'middle of the field pods is getting the ball, one is hitting it up and the other two are basically the cleaners / pillars at the ruck (as I understand it). A bit too much 'process' and not enough spontaneity perhaps.... Maybe that was what Deans was on about with his 'play whats in front of you' mantra.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Bit like the Tahs did against the Chiefs perhaps? Something a few of us went on about last week. He selected a side to cover off the set piece work yet end up needing players capable of breaking the gain line and offloading. Palu, Skelton etc should have been there.
Squirrel
Guest
We need Skelton
Rotuma Island
Guest
Klemmer and Fifita would be my choice to make a switch to Locks and #6
DJW
Guest
If you can see this pformagg how on earth can Cheika and his brains trust and none of the wallabies on field leaders realise this. So far Cheika hasn't proved he is a rugby tactician. Happy to be proved wrong.
AlexG
Guest
True, the cupboard seems pretty bare on world class wingers. Sautia is still young. Naiyorovoro went off the boil with Tahs but could be good. O'Connor had a blinder recently for Toulon but seems to prefer the sun and money in France. Great point re second kicker