The Wallabies have broken their win-less drought, if you can call a three-game streak – including two against the All Blacks – a drought, with a 25-point win over the Pumas in Canberra.
Not since 1999-2000 have the Wallabies scored more than 23 points in five consecutive internationals, and the win in the nation’s capital was the largest since the 2015 World Cup (65-3 versus Uruguay).
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The Wallabies can enjoy those statistics, they’ve earned them, but the ‘eye-test’ still tells us there is a lot of room for improvement.
Saturday evening felt a lot like a throwback to the bad old days of Super Rugby earlier this year, with a New Zealand side putting on a clinic of expansive, highly-skilled rugby in the 5:30pm kick off, which was followed up by an Australian team stumbling and fumbling their way around the park in the prime-time game.
In the first half, the Wallabies were faced with the standard issues at the breakdown, looking decidedly lightweight at the tackle contest and lacking in the skills execution department.
As far as the skills execution is concerned, some credit should be given to the Wallabies for the fact that they are trying to be more proactive with ball in hand, but quite often it still leads to dropped balls from forced passes.
Almost as if to act as the unwilling poster boy for the lack of presence at the breakdown and shortcomings in skills, Ned Hannigan’s first-half consisted of being routinely smashed out the tackle contest and twice dropping the ball when trying to take an offload from a teammate .
Hannigan may yet go on to become a terrific player at international level, he exhibits a terrific work rate and a willingness to throw himself into contact. However at present he has been exposed as far too lightweight to have any sort of significant impact in his role.
Ned Hanigan (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Much has been made of the farce that is the current contract situation involving David Pocock, but at some point somebody at the ARU has to ask – why are we paying one of the world’s best at the breakdown a huge amount of money to watch on television while simultaneously getting destroyed at the breakdown time and again?
Coach Michael Cheika spoke about how the team were lacking urgency in the first half – before admitting that he wasn’t sure why, consider that the players were playing for their country. Obviously it’s not as simple as requiring a more Churchillian address from the coach before kick-off – but it’s something that Cheika and his staff will be analysing ahead of the trip to Bloemfontein and a rematch against a Springboks side who were roundly thrashed by the All Blacks earlier in the evening.
Fly-half Bernard Foley was named the official man of the match, which says a lot about the Wallabies’ performance in Canberra. Foley had a good game – did his job and kicked his goals, but his performance was realistically that of a facilitator – he passed and kicked when he needed to, but didn’t do anything which really caught the eye.
Cheika will probably take some solace from that, it was a performance of multiple contributors, and for once his side did not need to rely on the talent of Kurtley Beale or the athletic ability of Israel Folau to swing the game in his side’s favour.
Kurtley Beale (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
The positives far outweighed the negatives in Canberra – as they should in any 25-point victory – and so the Wallabies can at least pause for breath after an August/September period which would have proved as draining mentally and emotionally as much as physically, given the scrutiny surrounding the team’s poor results.
However the Wallabies should be careful not to get carried away after this result. It was a convincing win in the end, but let’s not forget that this is a jaded Pumas side, on the back end of a physically exhausting South Africa – New Zealand – Australia road trip, and the second half showed how little gas they had left in the tank.
The Wallabies can enjoy the spoils for a second half performance which put the tired Pumas away, but the real Test of where this team currently sits will come over the next few weeks when they take their skills on tour to Africa and South America.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Hanigan and Hoops need to do this in their channels as well, it is a team effort and all 3 back rowers need to be Johnny on the spot at the breakdown. Once the Ruck has formed, you need to clean everyone out before you can put hands on the ball. The guys did this against SA but couldn't hold the fort. The Bock forwards are masters. There is also a lot to be said about running away from your support. That magic bit of stalling that Hoops did would not have been needed if he had cut left and linked up with his winger and supporting runners. They could have built into another phase and kept going.
Fox
Roar Guru
A close second? How does that work with a draw to a team the AB thrashed 57-0 at home and two losses to the AB's and the only home game they have won in the RC is against a side ranked 10th in the world. Second might be on the cards if they beat SA at home but a close second?
Ralph
Roar Guru
Ha ha. But that is an increase of 25% in runs and 800% increase in metres. *If* he keeps up this awesome rate of improvement in only six matches he will run 19 times for a gain of 2,097,152 metres! Furthermore, that distance is 26,214 times the length of an 80 metre rugby pitch indicating he will be travelling at 327.68 metres per second! Awesome.
Markus
Guest
Hooper at least makes up for it with ball running. Hanigan on the other hand was 5 runs for 8 metres this game, improving on his 4 runs for 1 metre the week before.
TommyM
Guest
Have a look at the Spirit-Rams game. Mat Philip is shaping as a bolter for Wallabies 6 I reckon. Unbelievable turn of pace for such a big man. Made an incredible break. Great lineout skills. Massive workrate. Still young.
PeterMc
Guest
Interesting about Moore withdrawing - no doubt we will see a swansong tour at the end of the year when in reality we need the best current and future prospects on the Spring tour. Have been a big fan of Moore's over time but for the last 18 months he has been lazy, a sure pointer he is past his prime and should give up his spot. No doubt he will fill a seat on the plane rather than the Wallabies being ruthless about improvement.
PeterK
Roar Guru
he didn't stop the argies pilfers either, ineffectual at the breakdown, didn't clean out players Yes he tackled and ran a lot, same type of game as Hooper
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
I have no problem with the flashy stuff as long as you get your core work done as well, which he did this week and last, I don't know what game you were watching, I certainly didn't see him get thrown away like a Tissue in Flu season. Pilfers were hard to find anywhere, the Puma's know how to support their runners.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Banks, Hardwick, Ulese, Meakes, Rona, Powel, Gordon, Rodda? and a few others should be let off the chain if he isn't going to pick them.
marto
Guest
Ned Hanigan must go... 13 runs with ball in hand in 4 tests for 9 meteres gained..
wally
Guest
"Almost as if to act as the unwilling poster boy for the lack of presence at the breakdown and shortcomings in skills, Ned Hannigan’s first-half consisted of being routinely smashed out the tackle contest and twice dropping the ball when trying to take an offload from a teammate ." - such breakdown proficiency has taken Hooper to the top of the pile, so I can't see why it won't work for Ned. Love the comment on Foley too. Just because he wasn't absent for ~70% of the match like usual, he deserves a best on ground? wow... i'd have had Coleman, Folau, Kepu, all ahead of him, probably even Hooper. I didn't listen to the post match conference, but presumably Chieka didn't thank the rugby gods for a number of lucky calls the Wallatahs benefited from this week? for the sake of consistency only. Not that the decisions altered the result, just that there were many lucky breaks to the wallathas.
Cynical Play
Roar Rookie
The Wallabies have not been convincing since 2015. But... at least we put Fiji and Argentina away this year. For me the loss against Scotland, at home, rammed home the unavoidable truth that 2017 has been the worst year for Oz rugby on and off the field. Drawing with the Boks, at home, for them be thrashed next week by the ABs again reflects our failure to deliver. There is little doubt that selection changes are needed going into the back half of the year. And there are many opinions. My view is that Hannigan cannot continue, that Speight is done and that Moore should withdraw. The measure is an 80 minute performance against the top three, two of home we've played this years and failed to beat. Cheika and Co are getting somethings right this RC, but selection weaknesses let the whole thing down. Hunt looks like coming back into 12 when ready which will give the backline some change.
PeterK
Roar Guru
McMahon didn't do much at the breakdown, no pilfers, slow to clean players out, didn't slow down the ball at all. He did do the flashy stuff, the highlight reel stuff, you know the stuff you normally deride
PeterK
Roar Guru
it will be very interesting who will be available for Jones in that game, it should include anyone not in cheika's 23 even players in his squad not selected.
PeterK
Roar Guru
that doesn't make any sense since Pocock is signed to play for brumbies and aru for 2018 and 2019. Pocock did get away from rugby for a year. Now a short stint in easy Japan to get back up to speed before next year super rugby.
PeterK
Roar Guru
CLL is playing for Ulster in pro14 not japan, be back at brumbies next year
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Standouts for me were MacMahon and Taf. Ulese earned his stripes and another go but I suspect Moore will be back soon. I saw Hodge soing some great stuff behind the scenes. I am not quite on board with Beale yet but his kicking game has made a turn for the better away from CheiktahBall. Roarers are giving Hanigan a lot of stick, which is probably justified but how come his partner on the other side of the scrum isn't held to the same standard and put to the sword as well. I await the usual "But he has a big engine, makes breaks, tackles a lot and can pilfer" but when the anti-Hanigan sentiments are leveled at the #7 you get the same performance deficiencies, Thrown off rucks, anemic at the breakdown, fails to engage not hard over the ball. A bit of a double standard when there is a second 7 on the field doing all of those jobs better.
ThugbyFan
Guest
There are a lot of Aussie players in Japan at present, including Christian Lealiifano. Would rather have them playing the short "cash cow" stints in Japan than run off to Europe and locked out of Australian and WB rugby for x number of years.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
MacMahon was my MOTM, but then again he isn't a Tah and doesn't have an ambassador contract with Seiko.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Jonno has recovered from his injury and has been tearing it up in the last few SR and all of the NRC games. I know it isn't international experience, but he is no stranger to it. Dollars to Doughnuts AJ will be picking him first for the Barbarians and he will embarrass the opposition.