The back-row, or loose forwards, are absolutely key when it comes to both dominating the breakdown – and therefore both securing possession and slowing down the opposition’s possession – and in forward ball-carrying.
Since the 2015 World Cup the Australian back-row has failed to do this, largely because the balance has been thrown out by poor selections from the national coach.
Michael Hooper
Michael Hooper is extremely fast and his excellent ball skills mean that he can seamlessly insert himself with the backs on attack. In defence, Hooper makes a lot of tackles, and, due to his speed, can achieve turnovers before the opposition’s forwards arrive.
Thus, he is more often used out wide playing a looser game where he can attack from quick turnover ball and achieve turnovers when the ball becomes isolated from the opposing forward pack.
Partially due to being on the small side for an international number seven, Hooper struggles to have the same impact in rucks with heavy opposition traffic. He struggles to clean out larger forwards and is at times easily dislodged by bigger opposing forwards.
Because of the lack of impact his six and eight was having at the breakdown, Hooper was forced into attempting turnovers against New Zealand in heavy traffic, was unable to do so, and was penalised accordingly. When forced to play in tight and without strong forward support, Hooper looks like a very average player.
As Hooper is Michael Cheika’s captain, he will be starting every match. Therefore the six and eight need to be selected with this in mind. In order for Hooper to play this lose game effectively he needs an imposing six and eight.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Ned Hanigan
Ned seems like a nice enough guy, but he is not ready for international rugby.
He is a good line out option and a decent defender, but his ball carrying is extremely weak – on the weekend he carried three times for zero metres gained. This is continuing a poor trend for Hanigan, against Scotland he ran eight times for 15m and against Italy he ran three times for 3m.
Additionally, and most importantly, his rucking work is just non-existent. On the weekend Hanigan attempted to clear Brodie Retallick out and failed to dislodge him at all. Thus, the All Blacks won a penalty on their 5m line and were out of trouble.
Ned needs to be sent back to club rugby, Super Rugby and the gym to get stronger before he can be considered being selected for the Wallabies again.
Sean McMahon
Sean McMahon is purely a seven at international level.
He is not a strong line-out option, and his abilities at the breakdown are the poorest element of his game, with his ball-running in the tight being his strongest.
Given that Hooper will be starting at seven, McMahon either starts on the bench or drops out of the team.
Additionally, he has been injured the majority of the year and is going overseas anyway, he should not be considered going forward.
Scott Fardy
After David Pocock, Fardy is Australia’s best forward at the breakdown. He is effective at both stealing and slowing down opposition ball and also at cleaning out in the tight. This is especially important when it is considered that Hooper plays looser and when he plays tight he is not as effective at the ruck as other number 7s.
Fardy is also a strong defensive organiser, has proven abilities at Test level and is a line-out option.
Although he tends to give away a few penalties he provides a net gain. He is Australia’s form number six but was overlooked by Cheika.
If Fardy can be enticed into doing so, he should be flown in to join the Wallaby squad ASAP.
(Pic: Tim Anger).
Scott Higginbotham
Despite perpetual moaning about Scott Higginbotham’s lack of impact at Test level he had performed well against Fiji and decently against Scotland.
Although his natural game is playing looser (like Hooper) he is capable of playing tighter when required, is Australia’s best loose forward in the line-out and no forward is capable of drawing in defenders and offloading like Higginbotham. For that reason he is a strong bench impact player.
Lopeti Timani
Timani does not quite have the impact in attack that one would expect given his size. He plays very tight, however, and is capable of clearing rucks like no other Australian forward. Therefore, he and Hooper compliment one another’s weaknesses.
He puts in big hits in defence and is a secondary line out target.
Ross Haylett-Petty
Ross has mongrel that has not been seen in Australian six since young Rocky Elsom. He is a big and powerful lad capable of making metres in the tight, is very strong defensively and puts in dominant tackles. He is tall and a strong line-out option.
He is, however, very inexperienced and prone to brain snaps and silly penalties. He should have been blooded in the June Tests but was overlooked in favour of Hanigan. Thus, he cannot be started against the All Blacks but can be a bench option for impact late in the game.
Conclusion
I suggest the following two back-rows:
6. Fardy
7. Hooper
8. Timani
20. Higginbotham
Fardy and Timani can do the work in the tight rucks slowing down opposition ball and securing Australia’s ball, allowing Hooper to counter-attack and use his speed to pressure opponents in defence and to create mismatches when attacking.
Or, if Fardy cannot be enticed back for the Rugby Championship squad, I suggest:
6. Higginbotham
7. Hooper
8. Timani
20. Haylett-Petty
Although Higginbotham prefers to play a looser game, he has more international experience than Haylett-Petty, and has proven 2017 form.
Michael Cheika, the back-row must work in tandem to become more than the sum of their parts. Players must be selected who can work with Michael Hooper and who will compliment his skill-set, rather than force him to play an unnatural game for him.
ThugbyFan
Guest
Nicely put MitchO, easly the best option when D.Pocock returns. At the present we still have M.Hooper at starter and the wrong two blokes, light in heart or weight, as back row partners. And one big problem is the blokes who should be starting for the WB in those positions are not even in the squad, giving Cheika an excuse for the 100-nil drubbing.
ThugbyFan
Guest
"IMO Cheika’s ongoing selection of undersized 8’s with attitude overcoming the odds is one of self projection. He was too small for selection for the next level despite performing very well at club level..... ". Lots of sense in your analysis PeterK. Is it true that coach Cheika is sounding out Tyrion Lannister as the Wallaby new Eightman? :)
ThugbyFan
Guest
Nicely said James, and lets all remember that Jack Dempsey was the preferred starting blindside over Ned "Flanders" Hannigan (hereby called Flannigan) at the Tahs until his ankle injury in Round 4 against the Brumbies. I watched all the Tahs games this year and I really cannot remember Ned Flannigan doing anything except when the Los Jaguares player did the "soccer collapse" when Ned lashed out. That's it for the whole season, in Yoda speak "impressed not very, am I".
MitchO
Guest
Pocock is a rich man's Sam Cane and Hooper is a poor man's Ardie Savea. The ABs start Ardie on bench. Our variation would to start Hooper on the bench and when he comes on, then deploy the Pooper. Pocock can cover 6 to 8. Hooper can cover 7 and pinch hit in the backs if you have too many injuries out there. A good option if you want to overload the bench with forwards.
wally
Guest
yes, i'm not soap-boxing to say cooper is necessarily the answer, but surely after 44 tests, it's worth trying someone else other than foley.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The only one anything like David Pocock is Hardwick both in build and technique. It's not surprising since he learnt his trade with Pocock as his mentor.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Don't get me wrong, he is going to be a future great. but he has only had 1 season of SR. His skills are ready but I feel he still has a bit of growing up to do before he faces the cauldron of the Bledesloe. A few games impact off the bench against the Argies would be great experience. There is another Skywalker - Mikey Hardwick is in the spirit squad this year.
Bakkies
Guest
Hardwick isn't too young. Smith was capped at 20
Fionn
Guest
Damn, now I wish I had done that pun, it's brilliant! As a former 7 (before I got to small and switched to 13) I like my 7 to be a jack of all trades, but also to specialise in hitting a lot of rucks and being effective when they get there. For that reason I preferred George Smith to Pocock back in 2009-10 when Deans was getting rid of him in favour of Pocock. I think Pocock is the best player Aus has produced since Smith and I love him to pieces, I would have been playing him at 7 since 2015 rather than the Pooper. I though – and still think – Gill showed the capability to become that George Smith-like 7 and take over from Pocock after the 2019 RWC, but he's gone now. I hope he can be enticed back as I think Gill would have more to offer the Wallabies than any of the other guys if he fills his potential.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Can you breakdown your AB stats into carries only? Squire's bolt down the wing as brilliant as it was doesn't belong in your comparison, No Jackals or ball runners...You are kidding right?
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
With the possible exception of the Sunwolves Hoops probably wouldn't make any other SR side either. The #10 well is pretty dry. I am not a fan of cooper's defense or consistency leaving Jonno Lance, who seems more at home in his old Reds 15 Jersey than his Force number 10. I could warm up to Beale there though. I like Mack Mason for the future, MacIntyre when he comes back with overseas experiene, fully trained up.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
You are probably right. With Gill, Poey, Alcock, MacMahon and Butler all gone, Smith too old, Hardwick too young and Faienga too similar the choice makes itself....now. Do you ever wonder why those guys took their fat contracts and skipped the country?
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Are you lining up an insanity plea for Chieka's trial?
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Fionn, I was going to launch my post raving about how great your article title is, but then I realized that I had misread it. A back-row must be more than the scrum of its parts. An opportunity for a bad pun lost I guess. Your attitude toward Hoops is curios- He's an average player but since he's going to be selected, here are the players that work best. I can't fault your logic but I am concerned that we have reached an odd mental state where we accept the mediocre instead of "fighting the power" and demand the best. The same thing has happened with Foley, Izzy and Beale I am an unabashed Hooper Basher but he clawed back some respect on Saturday. I agree, he was a pretty average 7 but at least he was doing the role for a change. There were more rucks protected, in most cases his mere presence formed or threatened to form a ruck preventing a breakdown pilfer. I didn't miss him in the 12 channel in attack, with Beale back, there is not enough oxygen there anyway. I don't think his ball skills were much to right home about. I know it started with a poor offload but Barrett's steal made him loo amateurish. Gill, Poey, Fards, RHP, MacMahon and Higgers would make a formidable back row squad. It is a pity that most of them left because they were invisible to Chieka's Blue monocle. Add Smiler, Butler and Alcock to the list and it is starting to look pretty grim.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Dempsey played 50 minutes of SR this year. This isn't a blind spot, the Guy is a Ghost, Loved you last year, haven't seen you this year, try again next year when you have proven your fitness.
Charlie Turner
Guest
Mr. Pirate, that was an excellent article. Thx
PapanuiPirate
Roar Pro
As a supplement to this discussion I offer this previous article I wrote regarding backrow balance: http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/11/17/backrow-beauty-balance-brutality/
riddler
Guest
cheers fionn.. good article and complete agreement.. our 6,7&8 is a huge issue, has been for a long time..
MitchO
Guest
Surely there is no way Cheika is ever going to select Higginbotham again. Cheika is really not happy with him. I'd have thought Higgers was good enough to play in this Wallaby 23 even if he is considered to not be a long term test match player. But Cheika doesn't think so. He doesn't seem to give Timani or Higgers a proper chance to settle.
Charlie Turner
Guest
James, you're right he's a similar player but is harder to shift at the ruck and is a better line-out option. I like the look of Hardwick but haven't really seen much of him, same applies to Dempsey. I bet if Hodgo was made 7 and captain for Dunedin he could get more out of the Wallabies than Hooper. I keep reading the sound bites out of the Wallabies that Hooper is well liked. I doubt that's true, there something about him that doesn't project well.