The Wallabies may not have beaten the All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday night, but they went damn close.
Perhaps the most damning element of the loss in Sydney, apart from the general disorgansation defensively, was the apparent lack of effort displayed by the men in gold. In Dunedin there could be no accusations of lack of commitment to the cause.
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The Wallabies may have ultimately fallen short, but the performance was one of such grit and determination – with ball in hand and without – that the result almost felt insignificant in the end. Sure, it would have been wonderful from an Australian perspective to have won the game, but for so long all that Wallabies fans have asked for is for the players to play like it means everything – and they did just that.
Credit in glorious defeat aside, the match was decided by the basics – errant goal kicking from fly-half Bernard Foley, which has been a bugbear for fans for some time now – and the Wallabies’ inability to secure the ball from restarts, none more crucial than the penultimate restart after Kurtley Beale’s try to put the Wallabies in front. Secure that ball and the Wallabies surely win.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
The harsh truth is that until the Wallabies find a decent goal kicker they cannot expect to beat the best teams. You simply cannot afford to leave nine points out on the park in missed kicks and get away with it. Some fans will point to the rotten luck of Foley hitting the upright on three separate occasions, but this is international rugby, and they were playing indoors. You won’t find more kicker-friendly conditions.
But cast aside the disappointment of the result, and Saturday night did feel like a watershed moment for Wallabies fans. Supporters of the national team have been crying out for something – anything! – to get behind. The match in Dunedin gave them plenty.
The Wallabies were adamant that they would not be changing their defensive structure after the debacle in Sydney, however there were some obvious tweaks made to the set up.
Foley and Beale spent a lot more time defending in their ten and 12 channels and did so with great credit. It was that combination, Foley low and Beale high, which inflicted the best tackle of match, on Sonny Bill Williams which resulted in Beale stripping the ball in contact.
The additions of Dane Haylett-Petty and Tevita Kurindrani, who had a monster game in attack, to the backline gave the Wallabies a much tighter feel than the mix-n-match selections of Samu Kerevi and Curtis Rona the previous week.
There were still some scary moments defensively, with Nathan Grey’s tactic of employing screening defenders behind the main defensive line causing headaches for defenders not sure whether to slide and cover the overlap or push in and close the hole on their inside.
On several occasions the Wallabies’ master plan was picked apart by simple draw-and-pass attack from the All Blacks.
But this is the best team in the game, you’re unlikely to shut them down completely, the best outcome is to keep them as quiet as is reasonably possible, so Grey and the Wallabies must be handed credit for doing just that.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
In attack, the Wallabies appeared to finally practice what they preach – keeping the ball in hand. Sean McMahon and the aforementioned Kuridrani in particular ran the ball at the line with a ferocity which has been sorely missed for some time.
The simple desire to get over the gain line, the willingness to hit the ball at full speed and bend the defensive line makes players like McMahon so valued. The fact that he has been allowed to slip through the Super Rugby cracks and sign overseas is a huge blow for the Wallabies based on this performance. The phase play in the build up to Will Genia’s try, in which McMahon handled twice, was some of the best attacking rugby the Wallabies have played in years.
The Wallabies can take heart from the fact that all of this came in the absence of the inspirational Adam Coleman, and it should not be understated how well Michael Hooper handled referee Nigel Owens. Hooper had a relatively quiet game by his lofty standards, but the way in which he lead his team and managed to stay on the good side of the officials – something previous captain Stephen Moore seemed perennially unable to do – bodes well.
Special mention too for the Wallabies’ set piece. The lineout, lead by Rob Simmons, looked solid under the most extreme of examinations, while the scrum just about managed to hold its own once Moore had been replaced by Tatafu Polota-Nau. Moore must surely have started his last game for the Wallabies now.
The Wallabies were clearly exposed as being underdone in the first Bledisloe encounter a week ago but remained steadfast in their belief in their methods under tremendous pressure from the public.
Saturday’s performance will provide some vindication for Cheika and co, while also buying them some time to iron out the remaining kinks in the system ahead of the matches against South Africa and Argentina.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
It's all good fun, Fionn. We all love rugby and teasing each other - makes the world go round. Weather can be a pain, but not always and anyway, you're only a cheap flight and a couple of hours from the beaches of the south of France, so don't rule it out.
Fionn
Guest
FunBus, please don't ever change. You and Carlos the Argie keep this place fresh :) As much as I love beating England if there is a single reason I love the English—and there are honestly many, and I would consider moving were it not for the weather—it is because of their wit, humour and self-deprecating banter. I also feel you guys have dry humour and banter that is closer to the Aussie kind than anywhere else in the world.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Thank heavens you persisted zhenry, or we would all have been denied the chance to bathe in your wit, wisdom, and razor sharp analysis.
JayMac Observations
Guest
For what? Did they win something?
JayMac Observations
Guest
Isn't it telling that everyone's so happy that the Wallabies loss was less hideous than usual? Two teams: one won and one lost. The AB were the winners and the Wallabies were the ?????? Congratulations to the ARU for doing such an appalling job that the Australian rugby community are not just resolved to loss but happy about it.
Hideaway
Guest
One of the best games I have watched it a long time. However all this talk about the Wallabies is going my head in. They LOST , who WON, the ALL Blacks They won even looking bad at times. All Black play for 80mins end of story.
Lara
Guest
Competitive and that was the big plus.Both teams leaked 5 tries and that is a worry for both teams , a big worry. The Wallabies still need to improve their defence and the scrum. The Boks will attack the set pieces and probe the defence. The big test is coming and if the Wallabies win against the Boks then we can talk about a defining moment.
ThugbyFan
Guest
Rugby Statistics are like the old saying about lies and statistics and I certainly wouldn't wave them about like they were set in stone. In the Dunedin test, SBW is listed as missing just one tackle, as is DHP. I haven't seen a replay yet but I can remember both of those blokes missing at least 2-3 tackles. Its a bit like the R.Ioane try in the 1st test where he stood up I.Folau; Folau wasn't credited as missing a tackle in the stats.
taylorman
Guest
Yep, luck of the draw, on occasion you score a try but the right people or things don't see it. Just the way it is. You just have to hope that you're still good enough to score tries that do get seen as well.
ThugbyFan
Guest
Ruka, everyone here congratulates the AB for having the nous, courage to stick to their game plans and quality to win both games. However has it ever entered through the thick smug smog that perhaps the AB weren't playing their 100% game was because the opposition were also playing good footy and putting them under pressure? Or is it that one should never accept the opposition put pressure on your team, huh? I guess the reason why those doyans of greatness played cr^p against the BI Lions is they had a couple of off days also? Strange that there were no "ifs, buts or maybes" great resurgences then, so what's the excuse then? :)
Suu john
Guest
Was the Wallabie resurrection a one off thing or will it continue?
JayMac Observations
Guest
Do you mean we won? No, I don't think so.
zhenry
Guest
Agree Foxy
CJ
Guest
The answer to the general question posed is what are the acceptable benchmarks for success and what is the time line?
zhenry
Guest
This comment I tried to post yesterday, but it was not transferred. I wrote similarity above not realizing this comment was here.
zhenry
Guest
Un Funbus is repitition 'ABs are dirty' it's constant, and the WBs are angels. As evidenced by the game the WBs don't need the gutter media to win on the field, but the 'winning drought' is still upper most according to the gutter media, can't stop them selves. FB is so blatant he must be embarassing to many fair Aust. M Reason is another with a high probability of a directive from Fairfax to tarnish the AB brand, his article today states Owens hastily ruled incorrectly on the Retallick 'on head' incident, not so, play was held up for considerable time as officials went over the incident repeatedly. Last preSydney week was toxic: Aust Daily Mail, Murdoch, Fairfax and their lackey NZ journalist MHinton. Add to that the high probability of a rigged trial re last years AB bug incident; the timing and final trial summary made a mockery of all that went before - desperate frail egos.
Ruka
Guest
The common rule of thumb around here Queen is that only the Wallabies let other teams in because of errors. You see the All Blacks are supposed to be playing their A game 100% of the time. If you ask me peop,e are getting carried away with the Wallabies performance in this match. People have wanted the Wallabies to play well for so long they will overlook how poorly the All Blacks played in the last 40 of the 1st test and first quarter of the second test. When it mattered the All Blacks stood up and punished the Aussies, there was no ifs, buts or maybes. How do you let such a huge lead slip away then to lose the match? The All Blacks never panicked, they were far to lose, like they expected to win and to win with ease. in my humble opinion whilst the score was closer than expected, they still overhauled the Wallbies with ease.
zhenry
Guest
Any preweek AB/AU test media build up is strongly In favour of the WBs regardless of the reality. Different WB players; 'we can beat ABs, articles about ABs age, not peaking, not as strong as last time and so on. There is the odd pro AB article but mostly their is ambiguity (presentation) and outright negative bias. But last week, preSydney test, we saw the most toxic Australian gutter media beat up for a sports event you are ever likely to see; An allout serious attack aimed at sponsors severing their AB connection and calling for sacking of certain key AB players - courtesy of an all Australian Daily Mail, Murdoch, and Fairfax's NZ lackey journalist M Hinton - where does the information come from? Pry, mostly illegally, into players of any sports team into who's having affairs? Unless one lives under a rock; 'affairs' are widespread, but the Aust gutter media pick their targets carefully. Add to that the high probability of a rigged trial re last years AB bugging: The ABs own security man was accused of planting the bug, together with the timing and final summing up at the trial, it was a mockery of all that went before it. Constantly on this site readers are led to believe (either blatantly or inferred) that NZ owns its own media. Probably by mostly corp media journalists who want to deceive readers that what their media say in NZ is not connected to the same media in AU.- Most naeve citizens would be against monopoly ownership of their media let alone being controlled by interests of another country. Again, AU Fairfax and Murdoch (also a convenient US citizen) own essentially all the NZ media - newspapers city and regional, TV and radio stations Including the only sports station 'radio sport'. We won't explore here, the tragically silly conservative govt 'sell off'; it's a NZ, not an AU, issue, however people on here should be aware of it and how it effects media reports, essentially NZ don't have any control to retaliate.
wally
Guest
much improved effort and a great, close spectacle but i'd add the following into the discussion: 1) Wallabies let in >30pts again 2) Two of the wallabies tries were against the run of play - the reverse to last week (perhaps more than 2 kiwi tries were against run of play last week). 3) ABs lost a few players for concussion tests during the game including Barrett, which is disrupting. and lost in the great Ausise focused reporting of the game. 4) more aimless Foley kicks turned over ball too frequently and wallabies were punished i'd say the wallabies had a LOT go right for them (not that persistent vision of chieka in the coaches' box would suggest that) and the kiwis had a LOT go wrong for them (much of it in the shape of SBW). and we still couldn't eek out a win.
664 the neighbour of the beast
Guest
Just pointing out the irony that the person doing the most whining in this thread is Funbus. He even managed to whine about a comment above...edit it..throw in some more words and whine about the same point. Not just whining but obsessing over NZ all over this thread about how "it's not fair, those mean Kiwis get away with everything". We call this the victim wimp whine...and you Funbus are overdosing on it!!!!