Despite initially participating in the collective groan on The Roar about Michael Cheika’s selections for the first Bledisloe Cup Test, I thought it would be worthwhile considering what they might actually mean.
In particular the light and short back row plus a midfield that is talented in attack but not defence, are characteristics that has Wallabies fans worried.
This flies in the face of the approach of Home Nation teams who have seriously challenged the All Blacks lately, with their bruiser forwards winning the battle of inches, and defensively and offensively balanced backlines waiting to snatch scoring opportunities.
In contrast, Cheika has never wavered from his objective of playing “Australian running rugby” ethos, rather than giving up and playing a kick and territory based game to compete against the All Blacks. Cheika’s stated is belief is that the Wallabies should stick to running rugby and just learn to “do it better”.
Personally I am sceptical of the approach as it seems to me to be very low percentage, with a forced, flashy attack having many more critical points of failure than a game plan emphasising a simple, well organised defence combined with a good kicking game. However, Cheika is clearly the go hard or don’t go at all type, so I guess the default option for Aussie rugby fans is to enjoy seeing whether or not he can finally get it right. If he doesn’t, I doubt that his position as head coach will be sustainable beyond the end of this year and the Wallabies two years before the 2019 World Cup to change direction under a new coach. From a glass half full perspective, it is win-win for the fans.
Looking at Cheika’s starting backrow selections, it is clear to see how they would support his approach. Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper and Sean McMahon may be on average light and short for an international side back row, but they are all young, fit and fast. This means that they are going to be able to keep pace with a wide, high tempo attack and clean out to secure the ball before the larger All Black forwards arrive, or alternatively to act as a link player.
Given the attacking quality of the Wallabies backs, I find it hard to believe that with sufficient possession, this mix of players won’t score tries.
Of course there is the matter of not letting the All Blacks score tries either, something which is a concern given the average to poor defensive records of the majority of the back line. However, the back row’s line speed and work rate may help compensate for this, by putting significant pressure on the All Blacks inside backs and kick receivers and forcing the All Blacks to kick.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
With this back row the previous season’s wobbly lineout should actually improve compared to when David Pocock was teamed with Hooper, with Hanigan being a primary and McMahon a very credible secondary jumper. The key weakness with this back row is that they are disadvantaged in the battle of the muscle in tight, so it is really up to the tight five to step up there.
To me what these selections point to is that the Wallabies will attempt to play the same sort of high tempo attacking game that they played last season, where they scored early tries and had respectable scorelines in the first 50 to 60 minutes. The problem has been that the pace has proven to be impossible to maintain, with teams getting past them in the final quarter of the game.
However, in this instance Cheika’s bench selections may be instructive. Tatafu-Polota Nau, Rob Simmons, Lopeti Timani, Reece Hodge and Tevita Kuridrani are all very solid defenders, so I suspect Cheika may have selected them as finishers with the intent of holding a lead that the Wallabies might achieve. Could it be a piece in the puzzle to Cheika’s holy grail of successfully playing the game ‘the Australian Way’? We will have to wait and see.
(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Suffice to say success depends on the Wallabies improving on a whole range of other matters over the June Tests, with defensive organisation and all aspects of the kicking game. But if the Wallabies have used their month together wisely, I wouldn’t write Cheika’s approach as producing a competitive game against the All Blacks, even if the gap in class between the two teams is currently too great to expect a win.
A respectable performance, even a narrow loss, would at least give Australian fans something to look forward when the Wallabies play more mortal teams during the remainder of the year. And if the Wallabies can build on the approach to beat those other teams, it Cheika’s international coaching career might be saved from imploding to the tune of the old Frank Sinatra classic, My Way.
Muzzo
Guest
Yep Chook, & if Stephan Moore was the best hooker in Australia, during the past Super Rugby season, mate, then I'll start eating my hat!!!!! Palotu- Nau, was far superior..
Charlie Turner
Guest
You came off the other thread not looking too smart In brief, better leave it alone.
Isupport2teamstheAB'sandanyoneplayingAustralia
Guest
You won the restricted format... it's the only time you do...
adastra32
Guest
Point of fact, the name Ahab was originally a Hebrew biblical one that Melville deliberately checked for Captain Ahab in the novel. In brief, you are pretty wide of the mistaken mark you are trying to make.
Peter
Guest
As one example, Nobody Eales attended a non-GPS Catholic school, as did say Andrew Slack, but whatever suits your world-view I guess.
Peter
Guest
I do wish people would stop sneering at Stephen Bradbury's gold medal win. Do you have one? No? Bradbury did what was required - he was the first across the finish line, upright and on his skates. He did so because his race plan worked - skate slightly off the pace and grab any opportunities that present. It doesn't seem to me that Chieka has a plan half as intelligent as Bradbury's, and doesn't have the team to execute it even if he did. On your terms any last-gasp Wallabies wins - e.g., a match-winning goal by the captain after trailing all match - should be disparagingly called "Bradbury wins" instead of being lauded to the skies. But you don't, you sing Hosannahs. Bullshit.
Frank
Guest
Frank
Guest
Add to that a new Chairman. Twiggy Forrest writes to Clyne requesting a meeting offering financial help to both the Force and potentially ARU. Doesn't get a response... two clowns in the tent
Frank
Guest
Add a new Chairman. Twiggy Forrest writes to Clyne requesting a meeting offering financial help to both the Force and potentially ARU. Doesn't get a response... two clowns in the tent
Boosho
Roar Pro
Have you listened to a Kiwi commentary team lately? Oh and if you're talking about bias it's Kearnsy first - daylight second. Gordy is a neutral in comparison.
Marvie
Guest
We knew in the day what a biased commentator Gordon Bray was , but looking at the Cup pre-games on Foxtel tonight (2002 Bledisloe) , really he was a shocker , commentators without bias , tsk , tsk......
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Honest, optimistic analysis. When the inside backs duck for cover like they are on Omaha beach it will be a very different story. It is going to be a very hard day at the office. for infantry tasked to defend at all costs while the generals sit back sipping hot cocoa..
PiratesRugby
Guest
They were a lost cause from 14.53 in the first. That was when Cheika favourite Dean Mumm came on. Within minutes he'd let in the first try. The success of the Wallabies in 2015, such as it was, came in spite of Cheika not because. He was reluctant to play Pocock at all. Skelton and Paul only missed out due to injury. Cheika is a failure. Let's look at the results of 2016 and 2017 if we're going to go back to RWC15. Unmitigated disaster. The worst is yet to come.
In brief
Guest
Right that explains it! I guess the Arab heritage has nothing to do with it. Riiight..
In brief
Guest
Didn't you read my post. We won the championship in 2015. Don't think that was 15 years ago..maybe you prefer losing??
Dally
Guest
Hard to play wholly running rugby when you don't have the basics down to do so. Further, the ABs kick a heap and don't have people hiding in defence. Neither did the Lions. You just can't have people hiding in defence if you can't tackle and read play, you don't get selected for test rugby. Simple. And you need people who can kick, to relieve pressure, better our field position and get the three pointers that make all the difference in the end. The Cheika approach frankly just looks like dumb rugby. The players aren't instinctively gifted as footballers, so they can't adapt in the games either. As a nation, without the freakish talents being abundant we would do well to play a far more conservative and solid game, doing the basics well and that is it. Start there, get that right first and then get flashy down the track. As they say, earn the right to go wide.
BeastieBoy
Guest
Our results are consistently bad over more than a decade. It ain't Cheika's fault. We have relied upon just a private school GPS pathway and have frozen out the public schools and the bulk of the catholic ones. What do we expect? We need to start at the grassroots of the Juniors. Remove the ARU tax on kids playing our game. It locks out many many families.
Wobblies
Guest
Chieka the living martyr... Australian rugby needs a smart tactician but this fool wants to be remembered as the great messiah, resurrecting the "Australian Way" even if that means losing to smarter less talented sides like Scotland. As an All Blacks fan I can laugh, what a joke this guy is.
Wobblies
Guest
Asustralian way? wake up to yourself, unless you mean getting towelled up for 15 years straight? Losing at home to the likes of Scotland? I hope the Australian way carries on , every Monday I just collect more cartons of beer.
Adrian
Roar Rookie
I don't think a win is out of the question. The tactics must match the selections. Hard and fast shooting defenders on Barrett with the rest sliding. Beale running off rampaging Coleman and linking to Folau. Increased, not decreased pace at 60 when Phipps, TPN, Kepu come on. Yes, a chance