As the dust settles on another Bledisloe defeat, it’s time to really sit back and take stock of where the Wallabies are.
Although the defeat in Wellington was not as embarrassing as the one they suffered in Sydney, it once again raised some questions that Cheika, his selectors and coaches really have to take a look at.
Where’s the creativity?
Once again, 80 minutes of international rugby has passed and the Australians didn’t look like threatening the All Blacks’ line. It took 70-odd minutes for Quade Cooper to give Israel Folau an inside ball for the fullback to streak clear of the defence.
He was caught close to the line, and unfortunately Nick Phipps lost the ball as he was reaching for the white paint. Where was this thinking and line running in the opening exchanges? Had they done this earlier, maybe New Zealand would’ve had something else to think about, rather than the easy one-out runners that they were facing.
Stephen Larkham has been hailed as one of the great Australian number 10s. He’s made the transition to Brumbies head coach and then into leading the Wallabies attack.
Is this where the problem lies?
If you watched the Brumbies in Super Rugby, they were a forward heavy attacking unit. Stephen Moore scored a very impressive seven tries this season, compared to the top scoring back, Joe Tomane, who picked up six tries in only eight appearances through an injury-ravaged campaign.
The Brumbies aren’t known for their exciting brand of rugby, relying heavily on a strong set piece. Now this style is then being transferred to the Australian side.
Bernard Foley got more ball than Cooper on Saturday and he was playing at 12. It seemed that Cooper only got the ball in near-impossible situations. He showed what he can do with the inside pass to Folau and did incredibly well to get out of trouble when five metres behind his own line, but he can’t do it all.
He’s one of those players that divides opinion. Some say you need a maverick like him against the All Blacks because if he’s ‘on’, then he’s untouchable. Some say he shouldn’t be anywhere near the squad, as you don’t know what player will turn up.
Cooper is a player that, if backed and given confidence, the Wallabies can build a game plan around. Have him at 10, Kerevi (or Reece Hodge) at 12 and Israel Folau at 13, then you will have a backline to frighten a lot of teams.
Now it’s over to the selectors to be brave. Foley is currently living on reputation. His nerveless kicks to win the Super Rugby final in 2014, and the World Cup Quarter Final against Scotland, have given him this aura that he cannot be dropped.
When Cheika first took over, Foley was in great form. Just look at his individual performance against England in the World Cup. Since then he’s been mediocre at best.
If he has to play, it has to be at flyhalf. He isn’t dynamic enough at inside centre. He doesn’t have the burst of pace, he isn’t big enough to power through gaps, it’s a waste.
Hodge has those attributes. He burst onto the scene this season for the Melbourne Rebels and was consistently a potent attacking weapon, but when he was brought on this weekend, he was stuck on the wing, starved of the ball.
Another selection that must come under scrutiny is the captain, Moore. He’s been a magnificent servant to Australian rugby, but it may be time to look to the future.
One of the main arguments against Tatafu Polota-Nau has been his lineout throwing. Sam Whitelock and Brodie Rettalick have just had a field day in the last two Tests against Moore’s throw.
Polota-Nau offers a lot more around the park, and although he isn’t a spring chicken himself, he would aid the transition in playing style that needs to happen.
I like what I saw from Adam Coleman. The yellow card was foolish and naïve but it showed intent. He wasn’t there to be overawed by the occasion and the opposition, he was aggressive and on the front foot.
In Sydney last week, the Wallabies keeled over and got steamrolled. They didn’t front up. This week there was niggle from the first minute. It’s a tactic that, cynical as it is, needs to be used at times when playing against a superior opponent.
Players like Coleman and Sean McMahon are aggressive, get into opponents’ heads, and are players that every team needs to complement players like David Pocock and Coopers. I’m not advocating foul play, but sometimes you need to stand up and put it to the big teams.
With a week off, then an underperforming South African side coming to Brisbane, this is a crucial time for Cheika and his team. Lose this, then I don’t hold out much hope for them.
A win is imperative, but the style of win is also important.
Wayne
Guest
jameswm.. 5 things that will never change 1. Pooper will always be there under Chieka 2. Foley will always be in the starting team under Chieka 3. Mumm will alwys be in the 23 under Chieka 4. Moore will always be in the 23 under Chieka 5. Simmons is the best lock we have , but his career is finished now after being dropped twice under Chieka.. The rest is up for debate..
jameswm
Roar Guru
Pocock is the best in the core no.7 roles. He is also a decent ball runner and link player now, and a very good defender. He is one of those in the right place at the right toime peope. He reads the game. Not entirely sure what you expect from a 7.
Dave H
Roar Rookie
Sorry disagree re Pocock. He is not the best 7 in the world and never will be. He has a couple of skills at which he is world class but does not possess the full package. There is more to a world class 7 than achievements in the ruck area.
Steve Wright
Guest
CT, absolutely marvellous! Right on the button with all.
taylorman
Guest
Nice!
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Rettallick & Whitelock have played in excess of 50 tests each. Their level of experience far outweighs that of Coleman. I thought Coleman went OK for a guys in his first test match against a dominant & very experienced forward pack. He went overboard on the niggle instead of concentrating on his core roles & perhaps that experience will improve his game. Australia is not in a position where they can roll out a Romano or a Tuipolotu as alternatives.
PM
Guest
McMahon needs to be there against SA and his team mate Lopeti also. Unfortunately cant see that happening.
jameswm
Roar Guru
A few things are clear. And it's a worry that two of our better performers on the weekend were novices. Well, maybe that's a good thing. 1. Cooper is our best 10. Foley, Debre etc are well behind. 2. Moore is too slow and past it. Stick with TPN firstly, then bring on Hansen, Latu, Ready etc 3. Pooper doesn't work. Pocock is our best 7, and the best in the world at the top of his game. He plays 7, simple. 4. We need multi skilled forwards, unless we want to play NH rugby. That means locks and no.8s who can run, link, pass, offload, tackle consistently, have some speed, can push, take lineout ball, jackal etc. Remove those lacking physical impact or with no speed (eg Carter, Skelton, Simmons and for now Arnold, and Douglas probably lacks the speed). Coleman for example has speed, physical impact and can jump, but the rough edges need to be rounded off. This should have been done at club and super level, but Cheika will have to manage it. Timani has even more of the package, but is inexplicably ignored for inferior players. Fardy lacks the running, passing, speed and physical impact categories. He IS a good player, but is no long term solution. Of the two good young Tah backrowers, Dempsey has a higher workrate, more speed and more skill. He's a bit of one of those in betweeners, but a highly promising player if you ask me. He could even work in tandem with McMahon (another in betweener) one on each side, as both do some 7 duties, and some 6 duties. 5. If Cooper plays at 10, you can't have a soft defender next to him. Toomua remains our best balanced option at 12, when available. Next, we should try working Kerevi into the role. I remain unconvinced about Godwin, but would be very happy for him to prove me wrong. Hodge is an interesting option, but I haven't seen enough of him yet to work out where he fits best. 6. Work out how Folau fits in. He is our best 13 and 15, but can't play both. Kerevi and Kuridrani are next at 13, and probably Hodge and DHP at 15. DHP's a defence has been a massive problem - poor alignment as much as actual tackling. He's 28, he should know this by now. 7. What do we want from our wingers? Do we want big hard runners who are dangerous but don't kick a lot (like Savea)? Or 2nd fullbacks? Or one of each? We need to get these fundamentals right, then we worry about pick and stick. Ironically front row is one position where there are less question marks. 8, Pick a captain who is respected not only within his team, but for how he acts with refs, opponents etc. Pocock is clearly the man. For his year off, I will have to think long and hard about it.
System of a Downey Jr
Roar Rookie
The Wallabies are suffering Stockholm Syndrome with Cheika's 'tactics'. Coleman was clearly directed to start throwing his weight around in a Mark Geyer-lite performance. And it looked stupid rather than intimidating - It was a laughable aggression. It was actually more impressive when Mumm managed to win two lineouts. There is no 'reigning Cheika in'. The only way Cheika will ever calm down and focus is if his team manage to win a game or two. All the plaudits for Cheika last year was that the Australian team was a rabble when he took over and then he pulled them together and nearly won a world cup. If that is accurate - then he needs to take the blame for their decline. Both are true or neither. Not one or the other.
Deano
Guest
Rob Whitelock and Retallick weren't "dishing out" anything to Coleman. You make it sound like cage fight. The AB second rowers were doing their jobs: running, jumping, passing, and tackling for the full eighty minutes. They would've had to slow down and wait for Coleman to have even noticed him in open play. Coleman's contribution to the set pieces was negligible: the scrum was still poor and the lineout was a shambles. Have expectations in Australia reach a point so low that a lock forward is deemed to have had a good day for getting yellow carded for cheap shot on a back? And you think getting sin binned showed he "wasn't overawed"? Really? All this nonsense about aggression...pure Cheika. If Coleman had half as much "aggression" and twice as much skill he might have a future. At the moment he is a plodding liability.
Rob Seltzer
Roar Guru
Deano, a lot of people a hell of a lot more qualified than myself have all said they were impressed with Coleman. Yes the yellow card was foolish and there is no defending what he did but he wasn't there to overawed. Had he just sat back and taken what Whitelock and Retallick were dishing out he would have crumbled probably never to be seen again but he didn't. If he can channel the aggression then the signs are there he could have a decent international future.
coldturkey
Guest
I think I have finally figured out why Cooper is in the team. Cheika has realised that he is getting offside with officials, referees and the non-thuggish public for his whinging, outbursts and tantrums. Therefore he has brought Cooper into the team to show him how to be enigmatic. In return he has shown Cooper how to grow facial hair. Soon both Cooper and Cheika will be "an enigma wrapped in a mystery and covered in hair." Job done.
Wayne
Guest
Coleman has the same skillset of Douglas Skelton ..No skill..
Deano
Guest
"I like what I saw from Adam Coleman. The yellow card was foolish and naïve but it showed intent. He wasn’t there to be overawed by the occasion and the opposition, he was aggressive and on the front foot." That sentence just about sums up the level of delusion in Australian rugby. Coleman was useless. Faux aggression counts for nothing in the real world. Retallick and Whitelock, his opposites, didn't get carded, grabbed their lineouts, stood their ground without losing their cool, and displayed all the skills needed to play the modern game. That is what good locks do. Coleman is a one dimensional moron (like his coach). He offers nothing in open play, has the work rate of a sloth and has no skills to speak of.
Rob Seltzer
Roar Guru
Hoy, agree totally. Foley did well when he firs came onto the International scene. He has been poor for at least a season both Internationally and in Super Rugby. He certainly isn't a 12. I have made a couple of reasons above as to why I don't think he is a 12 but there are many more. By continually picking him you are preventing potential game breakers such as Kerevi and Hodge gaining experience. The problem with the 10 position is if Cooper goes cold, which we all know will happen, who else is in the wings? The Australian cupboard is fairly bare when it comes to top quality 10s. Look at other top teams who their options are New Zealand - Barrett, Cruden, Sopoage South Africa - Lambie, Pollard, Jantjies England - Ford, Farrell, Cipriani That is to name but 3 teams. The problem is, with nothing really under Super Rugby there isn't a proving ground for players to make the step up. The NRC is trying to fill the void but matches are poorly attended and how many of the players that perform well in that comp actually get a real go at Super Rugby level? Not many, coaches don't trust those players enough yet to throw them in, When that starts happening then Australian Rugby can move forward.
Wayne
Guest
Cheika will still select the same guys who have failed ..He wont bother chainging personnell, unless he drops a NON TAH.. It`s pointless debating it ..It wont change until Chieka is sacked in 2019..
Hoy
Roar Guru
Foley's kick, whilst good against Scotland, was partly his fault in having to do it... he played woefully bad that game, and gifted one try directly and another indirectly through poor play. His kicking and exit from the 22 have been abysmal ALL YEAR, yet he is continually picked. At some stage, he needs to improve it, or be dropped out of the team... Selections keep picking players in positions they shouldn't be in, to accommodate them, or others. Simple as that. Who is the best 10? Cooper of Foley? Judging by the weekend, our exit, and what little attack we did came better from Cooper, so Cooper at 10. Who is a better 12? Foley, or anyone? Well, is Foley a 12? Not really, Kerevi is. Hodge has played a better game there and has traits better suited to 12 than Foley. And so it goes...