The Wrap: The Wallabies and the ARU ‘get out of Dodge’

By Geoff Parkes / Expert

Popularised by the old radio and television western Gunsmoke, the phrase ‘get the hell out of Dodge’ was commonly used by feisty locals as they ran unwanted villains out of Dodge City, Kansas.

While it would be unfair to describe the Wallabies as unwanted, there was still a groundswell of Perth rugby fans prepared to lump them in with the ARU as a target for their anger at the Western Force being ‘discontinued’ from Super Rugby and who either didn’t attend the Test match against South Africa or who did so under sufferance.

What shaped as the ARU’s worst nightmare – a Perth Test match coming after months of bitter wrangling and recriminations and in the week of a court ruling supporting their decision to exclude the Force – in the end turned out to be more like a visit to the dentist, where the anticipation was the most uncomfortable part and the experience, while undeniably far from perfect, wasn’t actually as bad as it could have been.

A crowd of 17,000 won’t do anything to right the ARU’s teetering balance sheet but, in the circumstances, it will feel like a win – as will the demeanour of those who attended wearing blue instead of gold, whose protest was made firmly but respectfully.

In fact, if Saturday night represented a potential low point in the war between WA rugby and the ARU, then it would seem that the path to recovery has already been started down.

Indications are that whatever competition Andrew Forrest is working to construct will be done with the blessing of the ARU, as indeed it must. Any ‘rebel’ competition where players would be ruled ineligible for Australian representation is doomed to failure.

In that respect, anything that brings Forrest and the ARU to the same table improves the likelihood that a final solution can be engineered that will not only satisfy the commitment Forrest has made to WA rugby but will also be to the betterment of all Australian rugby.

If that happens – and there are some important obstacles to overcome yet before it does, such as the state of the relationship between Forrest and ARU chairman Cameron Clyne – then who knows, this whole mess may even have been worth all of the pain.

(Image: AAP Image/Justin Chadwick)

Meanwhile, the fans who did attend were treated to a match that, while it lacked a deal of quality, was highly competitive throughout and provided an extremely tense final few minutes.

On one hand, Australia failing to close the game out after gaining a ten-point lead will be viewed as another missed opportunity, but on the other, taking into account the set-piece dominance which the Springboks enjoyed, the Wallabies should be happy to escape – in other words, ‘get out of Dodge’ – with a draw.

Coach Michael Cheika spoke post-match about his side not yet having the required ‘killer instinct’ to win a tight match from in front, but a more sober analysis will align him more closely with Michael Hooper’s view that more work on scrum and line-out, as well as mental strength, must be the priority.

Oh, and throw in a rethink of the policy to leave the breakdown undermanned, which stymied any attempt to establish an attacking rhythm of quickly recycled ball and made for a very uncomfortable night for halfback Will Genia.

As evidenced in recent matches against Italy and New Zealand, the Wallabies’ scrum was at best barely functional, conceding points at vital times and coming nowhere near to being a consistently strong enough platform from which to leverage attacking play.

Similarly, there was no point in Hooper pointing to the corners to chase tries instead of penalty goals if the Wallabies’ lineout did not have sufficient reliable options to counter the Springbok jumping threat everyone knew was coming. That pressure got pushed back onto the thrower and, even in an era when referees tend to be lenient on what constitutes a straight throw, it was very disappointing to have both hookers blown for crooked feeds.

At least new hooker Jordan Uelese showed enough in other aspects to warrant further opportunities, impressing with the physicality of his contact play with and without the ball in the manner that, say, Ned Hanigan continued to disappoint.

On the balance of play this match was there for the Springboks – finishing far the stronger – to win, so for the Wallabies to defend the final few minutes without resorting to illegal play was a credit to the team and to Hooper’s leadership.

On that count alone, they were worthy of a draw against a side that, beforehand, some were talking up as a renewed force in world rugby.

In truth, the much-vaunted new-style Springbok attacking game never got off the ground, largely due to a first half where ill-discipline fed into too many penalties and an overly conservative game plan. On the plus side, a well thought-out backline defence provided the Wallabies backs with the perception of space, all the while herding runners towards the safety of the sideline.

It wasn’t until the 50th minute, when Adam Coleman caught the Kolisi virus, that the Boks’ game lifted up a few cogs – a smashing hit by the big flanker sparking the visitors into action.

Chances were created (Jan Serfontein was dangerous with the ball all night), but also squandered (Serfontein again), and while the final stanza favoured South Africa, they never quite did enough to justifiably claim victory.

(Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

It was business as usual in New Plymouth with another greasy New Zealand winter pitch and the All Blacks enduring a customary 60-minute arm-wrestle with Argentina before pulling clear to win 39-22.

With the All Blacks scoring three tries to nil in the first 40 minutes, there was a sense of disbelief that the Pumas went into half-time ahead 16-15 after a 41st-minute lineout snafu gifted a try to Nicolas Sanchez.

Proving that tries are not the only measure, the Pumas were rewarded for a superior kicking game by foot and off the tee and for good continuity with the ball.

The All Blacks’ timing issues in attack continued, and while Sonny-Bill Williams tried hard to recover lost ground, he again failed to assert himself in midfield as well as he would have liked.

It was another Beauden Barrett sin-bin and a seven-point deficit that proved to be the catalyst – not for the Pumas, who seemed to telegraph their tactics and bottle it when the game was theirs for the taking, but for the All Blacks, who noticeably went up a gear and completely dominated the match in the final half hour.

The impetus came from two players: Vaea Fifita (benefitting from Dane Coles working hard to charge down a Tomas Cubelli kick), whose 40-metre run and finish was a truly special rugby moment.

The other important player was replacement fly-half Lima Sopoaga, who immediately rectified the All Blacks’ goal-kicking woes and showed a poise and control in his game that no other Test fly-half over the weekend came near matching.

Given his past success against South Africa, coach Steve Hansen must now be thinking long and hard about starting Sopoaga this week and shifting Barrett back to fullback.

For the Pumajaguares, skipper Agustin Creevy enjoyed his customary strong match, sending Israel Dagg for an untimely early shower, while young centre Emiliano Boffeli unloaded with a couple of monster penalty goals that left the crowd gasping in admiration.

What has become clear, however, is that, after what is now 25 Test matches between the countries, this Argentinian side does not have the mentality and self-belief to beat the All Blacks, such as what Ireland showed in Chicago last year, when they broke through for their maiden victory.

(AAP Image/SNPA, Ross Setford)

Earlier in the afternoon, it was another number ten who provided all the excitement in Melbourne – the ridiculously talented Paceli Nacebe sparking the Fijian Drua’s historic first win in the NRC, 45-24 over the Melbourne Rising.

Nacebe, who scored two tries from fullback in Round 1 against Brisbane City, relished the move to playmaker and – even on his own – is enough to justify the inclusion of the Fijians in this year’s competition.

It wasn’t all thrills and spills, however. For a side that has been together only a short time, the Drua impressed at set pieces and with their patience on the ball, not afraid to play up the middle through their big forwards.

Rising were dominated physically, although with a number of young local players taking the field, look for them to improve as the competition proceeds and as they acclimatise to rugby played at a higher level – which, after all, is a large part of what the NRC is all about.

Although there is the matter of a Senate inquiry to work through – which will almost certainly achieve nothing other than meet the political objectives of well-meaning but ultimately self-serving WA politicians – it is to be hoped that the ARU now gains enough clear air to work on connecting local fans with the NRC.

The standard of the rugby and the enthusiasm of the players and coaches deserves far more focus, although it is fair to say that on the evidence of the opening three seasons, even without the challenges faced now in Western Australia, there is little to suggest that the ARU has either the know-how, financial resources, marketing savvy or the political capital to properly connect this worthy competition to rugby people.

In that sense, there isn’t much point in escaping from Dodge with a good horse and a shirt on your back if you don’t find a way to take advantage of your good fortune.

The Crowd Says:

2017-09-12T15:23:04+00:00

Carlos the Argie

Roar Guru


You are both funny dudes!

2017-09-12T11:53:46+00:00

Jock Cornet

Guest


Qld need to start producing players . It should not just be up to the Shute shield. The qld just sent the reds in. So nothing to organised but not much help in developing new talent which the NRC is for. Qld and rebels should start producing talent before you curse nsw

2017-09-12T09:45:14+00:00

cuw

Guest


u will need a lot of footballs then , becoz the rare-air means they will just go into to orbit :D :P

2017-09-12T09:21:41+00:00

ClarkeG

Guest


Yes I'm aware he has had subsequent YCs. I'm not about to engage in discussion as to has he learnt or not but you have answered your own question in part. How many YCs does a player have to receive before he will automatically appear before the Judiciary? - 2 in the same match (Red Card) - 3 in Super Rugby. Do YCs in Super Rugby carry over into TRC? Apparently not. If so, Barrett would have been summoned to the Judiciary following last weekends YC.

2017-09-12T07:48:53+00:00

Loftus

Guest


Some of the Aussie hooker's throw ins in the lineout was too skew to let go. And Jackson did let a couple go

2017-09-12T06:45:22+00:00

Nicholas Bishop

Expert


Many thanks for those Carlos - made me feel quite nostalgic! Good to see Cash and Cubelli looking so well!

2017-09-12T04:52:24+00:00

piru

Roar Rookie


'an oversight' I think they were referring to all of WA mate

2017-09-12T03:05:54+00:00

Barry Crocker

Guest


The Super U20' has run for 2 years & is already being changed (n.b. only 1 home game for WA in 2017). WA' involvement over the previous decade oscillated between nothing, a Round Robin with Vic/SA/NT & the occasional 'tour' east for a quick RR, all dependent upon funding from year to year. I know this because myself & 2 others sought to re-establish the WA U19/20' using a privately & participant funded model in 2009. RWA & the early incarnation of the Future Force (Old Gold) stepped in & restarted it for a year or so at the time. Moving forward, if it is still a Super U19' then it appears that WA will miss out. Haven't heard anything concrete to the contrary. Post Force, any quality young player would be well advised to play in Syd or Bris Club Rugby. The training support, expertise & level of competition just won't exist here anymore. For the locals, no-one was talent scouting Perth Club Rugby b4 the Force, nor during the early years of the Force, it has only been a few coming through the pathways plus expat NZ/SA born players who have family or made their home here. Again, I've been through this b4 when sending 2 top Colts players to Eastwood in 2008/09. Glass houses...don't throw stones TWAS

2017-09-12T02:56:07+00:00

concerned supporter

Guest


Again TWAS, an irrelevent & deceptive statement. Who claimed that losing major sponsors was a wrong doing? Who? You are twisting it to suit your dishonest mind. Who knows,maybe the major sponsors left because the of the embarrassing incompetence of the ARU Board. A large dent in their income, don't you think?

2017-09-12T01:34:29+00:00

Train Without A Station

Roar Guru


It's not so much about encouraging players West. It's about keeping the quality players in the Pindan, versus leaving to go to the Dewar, JID, Shute or Hospitals Cup.

2017-09-12T01:25:17+00:00

Hertryk

Guest


Good to see my banner! It was worth every cent... Who made the decision that the mascots couldn't run onto the field with the Wallabies? The kids had been looking forward to it all week.. God knows there won't be another opportunity for them.. promoting rugby yeh right!! Who made the decision not to have an open training session for the kids to watch their "heroes" and get an autograph or two? Nick McArdle advised it was probably an "oversight" ... really???? I look forward to the new competition and also hope the ARU 9now ERU) stay well away.. they have wrecked Rugby in Australia... the whole board should resign..

2017-09-12T01:24:11+00:00

piru

Roar Rookie


TWAS you must see there's a vast difference between moving to Melbourne or Sydney for NRC to moving to Perth - not only is it 3000kms away from family and friends, there is no WA pathway to Super rugby, they'd need to move back anyway. The absolute best we can hope for is that Super franchises continue to look West (which I don't think is a given) and that players spend a season here before going back. I actually suspect it'll be the opposite, with no Force here, no Super teams will care what's happening in WA and all the best Perth players will want to move East to get noticed.

2017-09-12T01:15:04+00:00

Hertryk

Guest


Good to see my banner is getting good coverage! Worth every penny! I would like to know who made the decision not to allow the kids to run on with the Wallabies..something the wee ones had been looking forward to all week!! The Rugby kids of WA weren't even given the opportunity to attend an open training session and have an opportunity of getting a few autographs from their "heroes"...There will be little or no opportunity again. Nick McArdle offered the "excuse" of probably an oversight... what a load of.. The ARU now ERU disgust me to the core...

2017-09-12T01:11:54+00:00

Train Without A Station

Roar Guru


Losing sponsors on a failing TV product = wrongdoing to be found by a senate inquiry?

2017-09-12T00:51:03+00:00

concerned supporter

Guest


TWAS, The ARU may make you responsible to ensure that a Qantas Sponsorship cheque is picked up and banked before 31 December. Major Partners (Sponsors) , BMW & Lion Nathan gone. Buildcorp gone. How much damage would this make to the Net Profit/Surplus, Bottom Line? I would say AUD $ Millions. What do you say?

2017-09-12T00:03:17+00:00

Bakkies

Guest


'I think they will be more comfortable then ever about this.' Then they are more stupid than they look. This is the same organisation that lost three loyal sponsors in a week.

2017-09-11T23:59:01+00:00

Bakkies

Guest


Exactly Ex FF an utterly deluded question.

2017-09-11T23:58:07+00:00

Bakkies

Guest


They are teenagers and they know the difference between right and wrong.

2017-09-11T23:54:24+00:00

Ralph

Roar Guru


You should always play the game they play in heaven as close to the heavens as possible.

2017-09-11T23:53:01+00:00

Bakkies

Guest


'He did appear before the Judiciary in April.' Clarke he has had at least three yellows since that hearing and hasn't obviously learnt.

More Comments on The Roar

Read more at The Roar