I’ve often thought that the way Ireland structured themselves for the professional game was the model Australian rugby should be looking at.
Over the weekend however it became very clear that Scotland is the team the Wallabies can learn the most from in the short term.
Ireland and Australia – now – are similar in their professional set-up. Domestically they have four teams, two of them traditional powerhouses and one more nipping at their heels, and a fourth initially set-up as a development path, but certainly capable of success, as Connacht showed in 2015-16.
Ireland’s High-Performance Unit, now run by former Queensland hooker and Brumbies and Blues coach, David Nucifora, makes no bones about its intent. They want to win a Rugby World Cup and become the best team in the world.
They’re aggressive in the way they’re trying to do this, particularly around the recruitment of ‘project players’, but realistically, they’re doing whatever they think they need to do to compete with the Englands and New Zealands of the world.
In terms of structure and working to a common goal, Australian rugby could learn a lot from their Irish counterparts, and indeed, after a few lean years, Ireland look to be on a solid upward trajectory again.
Scotland haven’t quite got the same professional setup and the development pathways as Ireland – they’re still clearing up the various amateur and semi-professional tiers below the professional sides (sound familiar?) – but the Scottish game is improving nicely courtesy of a resurgent national side. The Scots have in the last week and a bit pushed the All Blacks to the very end, and now run up a record win over Australia.
That’s a fair way I’ve gone to get to this one point: it was hard to be too upset about Scotland’s thumping win over the Wallabies because they’re doing exactly what Australian rugby wants to do. They’re winning their way to public popularity.
Their win at Murrayfield was exactly the sort of rugby the Wallabies wish they could play consistently. Scotland’s former Kiwi coach Vern Cotter worked wonders with their defensive setup and ironed out some significant frailties over the course of his tenure, and since taking over, former champion flyhalf Gregor Townsend has built upon this crucial foundation one of the best attacking games in world rugby.
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Scotland play, on the surface, a pretty simple game. Their set piece is pretty solid; consistently well-performing, capable of upsetting the best packs in the game in any one contest, but still not perfect. Their breakdown has always been strong, but now it is both strong and confident.
And from these two important bases, they attack with flair. They are only too willing to play to the strengths of the individuals in the side. In Finn Russell and Huw Jones, Scotland have two genuinely world class attacking players to build around, and they both played starring roles in the crushing win over the Wallabies.
It’s no wonder there is serious optimism around Scotland’s Six Nations chance now. So good was their display, the UK bookies have wound them in to third favourites for the 2018 series. They trail England and are now not far behind Ireland at all.
Historically, Australia has beaten Scotland twice in every three matches going back ninety years. But the rivalry has built up nicely over the last decade, with Scotland going from being a bit of a pain in the arse in the late 2010s to now being a full-blown bogey side, with no fear of playing the Wallabies at all.
The wood the Wallabies have over Wales is exactly the same as what the Scots currently hold over Australia.
The 53-24 win on Saturday now means Scotland have won four of the last seven matches between the two sides since 2009. It’s two-nil in 2017 now, and if the scoreboard didn’t really reflect Scotland’s dominance in Sydney back in June, it certainly did the second time around.
The three must-improve items I listed after the loss to England last week remain unaddressed.
Australia’s go-forward was again lacking overall. They carried roughly the same amount but made only two-thirds as much ground Scotland did. And the Scots did more with it. They had 18 clean breaks to three, and 35 defenders beaten to 20. While Scotland defended at 90 per cent efficiency from more than 200 tackle attempts, the Wallabies missed one in every four.
Improved discipline? Don’t make me laugh. From the moment Sekope Kepu decided to clear out Hamish Watson to the moment his shoulder connected with the Scottish flanker’s chin, there wasn’t a single element of legality. Arm tucked in, led with the shoulder, forceful impact, contact with the head. The decision to pull the red card out was so obvious, it didn’t need the confirming TMO consultation.
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
As for Kurtley Beale, his attempts to explain away his deliberate knocking of the ball dead-in-goal were even more pitiful than last week against England. A tip Kurtley, when your pleading doesn’t even remotely match the abundant evidence being replayed above your head, you’re not helping your cause.
Urgency? As bad as last week’s, and maybe even worse in conceding five tries in the last 31 minutes. As with last week, the closest jersey to a loose ball was rarely gold.
And so for yet another year, the Wallabies have again failed to capitalise on some very promising improvements shown during the international season.
A 7-5-2 win-loss-draw record is technically a winning season, but I think we all know that seven from fourteen is barely par. Once again, the term ‘consistently inconsistent’ is the best descriptor of a Wallabies side that still doesn’t really know how to make the most of opportunities or any slight hint of momentum.
Calls that the Brisbane Bledisloe win would be another false dawn were mostly cynical guesswork at the time, but worryingly accurate in the end.
Michael Cheika has used a lot of players in 2017, another dozen or so debutants along the way, but it still feels like we’re as far away as ever from knowing what the best side looks like. While there is genuine depth in some areas – like the outside backs and even the centres – it still feels like the lock combination is a lottery.
(Photo by Jason O’Brien/Getty Images)
There’s theoretically a traceable lineage of back-up no.9s, yet the notional third-choice scrumhalf wouldn’t have played four full games at any level since early August. Flyhalf is even worse, with the second-choice playing on the wing, and the assumed third choice probably still enjoying NRC celebrations.
The Wallabies, therefore, have ended 2017 as they started, which is probably fitting for what truly has been the annus horribilis for Australian rugby.
But there are plenty of lessons to be taken out of the Scotland games this year. We just need to look beyond the results themselves, and look more deeply at how they came to be.
richard
Guest
"many decades" is pushing it.Up until the 1950's the AB's played a 15 man game.That changed after the 1949 tour to SA,where NZ were beaten 4-0 trying to play 15 man rugby,which failed dismally.They then went into their shell,playing 10 man rugby through the 1950's,This was never more clear than the series v the Lions in 1959. The early sixties saw the start of a more open game,which blossomed into 15 man rugby when Fred Allen became AB coach in 1966.The seventies and early eighties were a dark period for running rugby,but since 1987,NZ have essentially played to that template - an all court game - with varying degrees of success. So no,"many decades" couldn't be further from the truth.
richard
Guest
It is compared to the home unions and France,.And these are the countries that are draining NZ's resources.
Bossco
Guest
I think as fans, we're still looking at rugby through the amateur era prism. Things are wholly different now, as Rugby World Cup results every 4 years are the thing that sticks in the memory long after annual Test runs come and go. No one cares whether the Wallas had a win/loss record this year or not.. All eyes on the prize in 2019, by a mile! So perhaps Cheika is blooding as much talent as he can now, so we have depth for the big one in 2019. I hope that's the case, and if so I'll happily lose to everyone today, for that world cup trophy in 19. Of course, if it were the case, why did Genia and Foley play every bloody game?! Cheika = infuriating.
JP
Guest
S
Bossco
Guest
Omg, ROAR comment of the decade! Nailed absolutely EVERYTHING bollocks with Aus Rugby in one post! Cros, do us armchair experts all a favour so we don't have to post dross rants anymore, and fwd this in it's entirety to the next dead duck CEO that inherits Pulver's position, and maybe one day the players will all play like it actually means something to them. Every time though, like the Kiwis do now. Who turned it all around for them - can't we just get him in?!
Stu
Guest
YEEEEEESSSSSSS Marto! PLEEEEASE get rid of yellow card Hooper and bring in the magnificence of Pocock!, and YEEEEESS, dump Foley too of course, who I never said I wanted to keep, by the way. Comprehension, Marto!
Bakkies
Guest
Exactly Cliff and some concerning stuff has been added to the Senate Inquiry website particularly the RA minutes from the August 18th 2016 meeting where they agreed to go from 5 to 4 teams. The Anthony French report in to it is also attached. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Futureofrugbyunion/Submissions ASIC submitted the RA and Rebels financial reports to the Committee. A lot of loan write offs in that one. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Futureofrugbyunion/Submissions
Derm
Roar Guru
“Only recently all southern hemisphere teams were winning all their tour games in the northern hemisphere.“ I agree that NZ have won consistently against all teams in November tours but not any other SH/Sanzaar team. Australia since 2000 in Nov Ireland 2-1-4 W 28% England 4-9 W 31% France 4-5 W 44% Scotland 6-2 W75% Wales 9-1-2 W 75% Italy 6-0 W 100% South Africa since 2000 Ireland 3-5 W 37% France 2-4 W 33% England 5-6 W 45% Scotland 4-2 W 67% Wales 7-2 W 78% Italy 4-1 W 80% Argentina since 2000 Ireland 0-6 W 0% England 1-5 W 17% France 2-4 W 33% Wales 2-3 W 40% Scotland 3-2 W 60% Italy 8-0 W 100%
Derm
Roar Guru
The NZRU is not financially puny in comparison to many of the Tier 1 Nations.
Cros
Guest
It has been sixteen years of rubbish Wallabies! Capitulation, poor skills, the odd 40 minutes but never 80, lack of character when down, some individuals not focused on the team, all equates to an average culture. To turn it around it has to be 'world's best practice'. The A/B's worked this out years ago. It needs guardians at the gate and a promotion of 'wallaby culture'. It also needs a common goal and co-operation amonst the states with the various competitions, and a co-ordinated junior talent identification, free of of political and private school influence. With the right individuals in place this can happen. It is all about the process.
ThugbyFan
Guest
MO, you are spot on with S.Moore. I thought he was either refusing to admit that his game had gone downhill so badly or he was selfish. For years we were earbashed that at least Moore could throw lineouts better than TPN, and guess who got pinged for a wild throw in the Scotland game? I thought Scotland played like terriers, tackling anything that moved and being a right pain in the rucks. Yes they played a fast brand of footy quite brilliantly and deserved the win against what looked a dispirited WB side. Whoever came up with the WB tactic of not competing in the defensive breakdowns deserves the Darwin Dill of the Year award. Talk about wave the white flag! That being said, the French referee allowed the Scots to lie all over the back of the rucks and he was extremely lenient with their flankers/inside backs being offside a number of times. But that's French refs all over, uniquely blaise and it's not like the WB were unaware of his quirks. As an aside, I watched a replay of the 1st Bledisloe match from Sydney. About the 34th minute, referee Barnes penalises M.Hooper for offside near the WB line after Hooper rushed out and forced an error from an AB. The AB scored a try soon after. What got me rolling on the floor laughing was as the teams trudged back for the kick-off, you could clearly hear Barnes apologise to Hooper for the wrong call. At least he was brave enough to admit his error. A minute later, he gave a pretty harsh penalty against the AB and I wondered if that was a "get square" to appease Hooper. :)
ThugbyFan
Guest
Could never understand why M.Cheika tried R.Hodge at 5/8. Blind Freddy watching the Rebels over the last 2 years could see Hodge has issues with accurate and quick long passes on both sides. Add that Cheika is wedded (with good reasons) to at least one good winger able to drop back as a 2nd fb as cover to the starter fullback. That being the case and no I.Folau or DHP, then play K.Hunt at fb and keep R.Hodge on the wing. This would have meant just one change from the relatively successful attacking WB backline throughout the RC2017. Moving Beale to fb, then SK to IC threw all that system out the window. Far easier with Folau out, Hunt in. Footy is just like studying maths, KISS aka: Keep It Simple, Stupid! Moving Beale to fb was a disaster, for all the talk of his efforts at Wasps and his previous games for the WB at fb, he is too mistake prone and rarely tackles. At least once in every game of the EOYT, when faced with 2 or more blokes coming at him with the ball, Beale took the easy option and went for a glory or bust intercept instead of a tackle. Every time he was stood up and made a bad situation worse. His constant moving positions just wore him out. Further the SK-TK centre pairing was just bash and barge, hoping that B.Foley might send them through a gap. The Foley-SK-TK midfield was shown up as not up to international level on the June2016 England tour, why it was resurrected I honestly do not know.
Jock Cornet
Guest
Geoff and Brett are pro ARU top down approach lovers, that failed to recognise the importance of domestic competitions. Our once great Shute shield that had great overseas players like Gregor Townsend & Rib Andrewa playing in it has been destroyed by the ARU. Until this is reversed changing the coaches is window dressings. We need strong journalists not Chris Pune type ARU suck jobs.
DavSA
Guest
The real turning point was that red card . These 2 sides are closely matched and when you play a savvy team with only 14 men most times you are onto a hiding.
ClarkeG
Guest
Regards that 1/4 final I recall an ill-advised play by Aust (one of those ...why would you moments) when the game was essentially in the bag, resulting in a try under the posts to Scotland so Foley did have some help in getting to that position, to be fair.
ClarkeG
Guest
Stay on that referee theme..repeat it often enough and you might even get to believe it.
Marto
Guest
So we can get rid of the yellow card magnet Hooper ( most yellow cards in history) for Pocock then by your logic ?. Foley at 10 ??? pleeeeeassssse.. Is Foley " less flashy and simply more reliable " . as you said ? No, he is not reliable, and is not flashy.. Cooper at least is flashy ( your words ) and can pass, kick and manage a backline. You like to lose it seems ? Well Foley is your man for that....
sheek
Guest
Ethan, Oh pleeeeeaaaaassse. You understand exactly what I was saying. You want to toss throwaway monikers at me, I'll respond.
ethan
Guest
Somehow Sheek I was under the impression we were talking about rugby... Seems I am much mistaken however and this is actually a forum for alcohol discussion. Please forgive me.
sheek
Guest
Connor33, Perhaps you deliberately didn't bother reading everything I said, because you were in too much of a hurry to get your dig in. I said: "Back when they played 6-8 tests per year, yes, every test was important". Back in 1990 the Wallabies played just 7 tests. They were all important.