Is it just me but does it feel like the mob is circling, with pitchforks at the ready – all pointing at Michael Cheika?
Well, before we pick up our stakes, let’s take a step back for a second. Yes, Australia lost four times to England this year with seemingly little change in strategy, but do we really need to hear the old cliché regarding the definition of insanity all over again?
Let’s take a moment to unpack what Cheika did try and get in place.
Something we all know is that Cheika is a businessmen, a highly successful businessman. And a key to success in any business is knowing your strengths, and just as importantly, knowing your weaknesses. And yes, you can point to the four losses above and ask me where that awareness of weaknesses is evident.
It’s clear that Cheika believes his key strength and aim should be nurturing Australia’s ball-in-hand attacking play. So let’s have a quick look at his back-lines he played during the year.
| Game | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| England | Phipps | Foley | Horne | Kerevi | Kuridrani | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| England | Phipps | Foley | Horne | Kerevi | Kuridrani | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| England | Phipps | Foley | Horne | Toomua | Kuridrani | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| New Zealand | Genia | Foley | Haylett-Petty | Giteau | Kuridrani | Ashley-Cooper | Folau |
| New Zealand | Genia | Cooper | Haylett-Petty | Foley | Kerevi | Ashley-Cooper | Folau |
| Argentina | Genia | Cooper | Hodge | Foley | Kerevi | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| South Africa | Genia | Cooper | Hodge | Foley | Kerevi | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| South Africa | Genia | Cooper | Hodge | Foley | Kerevi | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| Argentina | Genia | Cooper | Hodge | Foley | Kerevi | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| New Zealand | Phipps | Foley | Speight | Hodge | Kerevi | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| Wales | Phipps | Foley | Speight | Hodge | Kuridrani | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| Scotland | Genia | Foley | Speight | Hodge | Kuridrani | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| France | Genia | Cooper | Speight | Godwin | Kuridrani | Naivalu | Morahan |
| Ireland | Genia | Foley | Speight | Hodge | Kuridrani | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
| England | Phipps | Foley | Naivalu | Hodge | Kuridrani | Haylett-Petty | Folau |
All I’ll say is it’s not called the Giteau Law for nothing. What is clear from the above is that in the first two Tests against England, Cheika went away from his favoured position of having a play-maker at 12. Or rather we should say, someone who can be another kicking option. Since those first two Tests, we haven’t seen him go back on that for the rest of the year.
So with quite a few calls for a more New Zealand or South African 12, ala Samu Kerevi, and when considering that Cheika is apparently so focused on all-out attack, why does he keep on going back to wanting a 12 who can kick the ball?
After the brief hard-running Kerevi experiment was put to bed, many questioned the decision to play Foley at 12 as it seemed clear that he wasn’t comfortable in this role. Perhaps he was using this time to blood a certain Reece Hodge, initially at left wing. Cheika quickly listened to the angry mob, and has since been persisting with Hodge at 12 instead. I’d say it’s no coincidence that Mick Byrne has described Hodge as one of the best kicks he’s seen and would like to see him get involved in more field kicking.
Hodge is only 22 and, although you get the feeling Cheika will bring a fit Kurtley Beale back into the mix next year as his play-maker 12, it doesn’t look like Hodge is going to disappear anytime soon.
The next thing you will see is that, besides when Adam Ashley-Cooper was fit or when he was blooding Hodge, he has preferred an out-and-out winger as his left wing. As Nicholas Bishop has previously pointed out, this winger often falls into the defensive channel with the fly half or inside centre then covering the back. You will also see that Cheika has then never been willing to compromise on having a right wing that can kick via Ashley-Cooper or Haylett-Petty. This is a strategy similar to that used by the All-Blacks with having two fullbacks in their back three.
Now, I’ll be the first to say that I am no Nicholas Bishop, but during the 2014 Rugby Championship game in Cape Town, the Springboks utilised Willie Le Roux’s left boot to peg Israel Folau back in his 22, mainly up against Australia’s right-hand touchline.
When returning these kicks, many of these resulted in large territorial gains for the Springboks, owing to the tight angle on the right hand touchline.
Even though this was a month before Cheika’s time as coach, and that it was only Folau’s second season playing union, I believe Cheika would have sat up and taken notice. He’s ensured that he always has a kicker on that side of the park who can either get large distance on an in-field kick or has greater accuracy in getting greater distance on touch finders.
This is also just my opinion, but I feel this may be another reason it is a good idea to keep Folau away from the right wing position at the moment, purely as a defensive kicker.
Additionally, if you watch footage of him on attack, how often doesn’t he absolutely smoke players by rounding them in or around that 13 channel – where 15 gives him the freedom and space to do this. Why not 13 then? Kuridrani hasn’t been too shabby at all lately but I could definitely still see Folau there eventually – in only three seasons of union, as scary as it is, he’s still learning and improving all the time.
Outside of the kicking options above, Will Genia is always a shoe-in when available, adding further depth.
When looking at stats regarding field kicks per match, Australia usually kicks less than their opponents. However, it is clear that Cheika has been focusing on making these options available, it’s just not a quick fix. Since those first two England tests where the weakness was exposed badly, he’s appointed Mick Byrne and now generally tries to have a 9, 10, 12, 14 and 15 who are all capable field kickers and usually tries to have three kickers at the back on defence.
Maybe we just need to accept that it’ll take players like Reece Hodge and Dane Haylett-Petty time to grow into their roles.
So, while we take some time sharpening our stakes maybe we can turn our attention to two different clichés, ‘you can’t buy experience’, and ‘practice makes perfect’.
taylorman
Guest
Howdy pawdna, when lone wolf Quade is back in town you'll be seeing Pancho 'TWAS' Clint covering his back at the Suncorp saloon at sundown... :-)
DJW
Guest
Every time Foley has tried a cross field kick it has been totally inaccurate. Probably the reason this tactic isn't used
Terry
Guest
Johnny Giant, Chieka is sticking with the latter ...How possibly could Phipps and Foley who have 100 tests between them be continually selected after showing absolutely no improvement in their games? Dean Mumms constant selection is a whole story on it`s own..
Doubles
Guest
What! It takes a while for Chieks selections to sink in for you doesn`t it?? Have you not been watching the Wallaby selection fiasco this year?? I`ll bet you a lazy 1000 aussie dollars that Horne Wallaby ( VC ) Beale Foley Phipps and Folau will be first picked in the Wallabies backline for the june series in 2017..
Boz the Younger
Guest
Thanks TF, it is good to know Foley kicked one international drop goal two years ago ;-). I get the reasoning behind the right wing being a kicker, but I don't know that it has to be that way. I would just defend Cooper at fullback with DHP to do the kicking and run Folau on one wing and Naiavalu on the other. Hodge is fine to defend for Cooper at first reciever and he brings enough at first reviever in case of a turnover to get the counter-attack going.
Boz the Younger
Guest
Thanks for getting back Graham. Yes, I agree that Cooper-Folau would be a fearsome combo, as is Cooper-Kerevi and if Cheika ever tries them Cooper-Hodge and Cooper-Naiavalu. You see the common element there, perhaps you could note it in your article which I will look forward to ;-).
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Hi Young Boz, I do know B.Foley has kicked one drop goal as I watched the match. 8th Nov, 2014 EOYT vs Wales, Aus 33 - Wales 28. B.Foley 1 drop goal, 3 pens, 3 conv. Izzy Folau 2, T.Kuridrani 1 tries. I do agree with you that his on-field kicking out of hand is pretty atrocious. Low yardage when out of 22 or kicking for line off penalties, always at least once every match he misses the line off a penalty (criminal) and sprays up-n-unders everywhere usually straight to the fullback or standing-back winger. Many Roar comments of late have begged for a kicking coach and mucho practice for ALL of Australia's designated kickers. I've always found that Foley kicks ok (never great) if his forwards are on top, but if they are being smashed and rush defenders in his face, Foley either sprays rushed kicks or to give himself time he stands back in the next suburb; thus guaranteeing a gain line loss in almost every play. Graham has presented a very nice analysis of M.Cheika's methods and tactics in the kicking game. It suggests why I.Folau will not be played at right wing as that position requires for a back tracker who can catch and kick, ie: as a 2nd fullback. To be sure, with Foley's weaknesses being picked apart by opponents, the WB need a 2nd kicker beside him so he is not targeted as much. Long term R.Hodge or K.Godwin at IC seem the obvious as K.Beale's tackling deficiencies causes problems. A smart operator might think of spending the Summer with improving S.Kerevi's out-of-hand kicking game. I still cannot fathom why the WB have not used the attack up-n-under with coordinated rabid chasers more often. With chasers who can rag-doll a catcher and ruck him off the ball, its another way of gaining good metres and "keeping" the ball or forcing a penalty. Just look at the Highlanders to see how effective it is. Even staid olde England are using it. Rush defences are more wary if they know a well placed ball into empty acres behind them is on the cards. For most of the year I thought it was a tactical decision with M.Cheika espousing the running rugby at all costs rubbish but after seeing the Wales game it could be that B.Foley's kicks are so bad under pressure that no-one has a clue where the ball is going, so bang goes the coordinated chasers idea. All up it only confirms what Brett McKay and Nic Bishop have been saying for most of the year that Australia badly needs a kicking coach, not just place kicking but out-of-hand kicks also. Add to that a good chase and ruck game coordinated with the kicks as an attack weapon. All of this requires tactical vision, pin point kicks and practice, practice and more practice for both kicker and chasers. All we need then is the WB forwards going forward and Bob's your uncle or as Red Kev says Bob was once your auntie. :)
BC
Guest
Good post
Tuc Du Nard
Guest
I so agree that cross field kicking to either Folau or DHP at say 20m out should be an automatic play but the reason why they don't is that Foley isn't a great field kicker. Great place kicker but not that accurate at other kicks. He also misses a few line kicks!!. Mick the kick should sort this out as a priority.
Red Kev
Guest
Is was just you Waratah minions who said we didn't have a hope of getting out of the pool. Setting up your excuse for Cheika if he failed buddy! We haven't lost to Wales for donkeys years buddy!
RobC
Roar Guru
Only one way to find out, Graham
Graham Spalding
Roar Rookie
Have a sneaky feeling the first weekend will feel like the more things change, the more they stay the same for many of the teams
Graham Spalding
Roar Rookie
Hi Boz, sorry for the late reply. Think Cooper and Folau could make a great flyhalf-winger combo along the lines of the Cooper-Ioane (Cooper was my brother-in-laws favourite player back then). Have something in mind for a short Cooper piece to jump ahead of Foley but will need to do a bit of late night reading first ☺ As for Kerevi at 12, I grew up in South Africa so definitely have no issue with a big, hard running 12- but it doesn't seem to be Cheika's preference.
Wee Wally
Guest
Babylonian is such a big target as are most of Australia's problems commence there. The last two PM's and the mother of all helicopter riders all from Babylon. Whenever there is a Babylonian takeover of Australian rugby Queensland is left out in the cold. FNQ
Redderthankevin
Guest
Typical nsw supporters, damn deans cheer leaders.
RobC
Roar Guru
hahaha. tb exact, Im looking forward to 23rd Feb. Kick off day. That weekend - Rebs Blues. Will Tana's men start off the blocks firing? - Reds Sharks. 1st showing of the "LA Lakers for Rugby" (except the coach) - Saders Brums. Bernie's big test - Tahs Force. Result may be a given. But how about the crowd numbers? - Cat fight. Two of the best coaches in SA. - Kings Jags. Will Jags get better this year? - Stormers Bulls. Life's like a box of chocolates. - Landers Chiefs. 60 points affair here, unless Tony Brown fubars in Dunedin - Wolves to be Caned
Machooka
Roar Guru
Give it a coupla weeks mate... and you'll be there :)
Machooka
Roar Guru
MrRobC As Terry, Ken, Wazza, Kev, Red Kev, Redder than Kev, Redder than that other bloody Redder Red Kev would say... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
RobC
Roar Guru
Elephant in the room, Morsie. Are you sure?
Boz the Younger
Guest
The forwards aren't the topic of the article, it is about the kicking game which is what I addressed. If you want to talk about the forwards why don't you write your own article on it?