Well it had to happen eventually.
Australia, led by the senior leadership group, shelved the run-at-all-costs, ball-in-hand ideology and deliver a varied and disciplined game plan that not only took Ireland (and most of us) completely by surprise but it was a true 80-minute performance and more importantly, it really held together in the Championship minutes.
Great news for the Wallabies, maybe not so much for their opponents for the remainder of 2018.
So, the master analyst Schmidt will no doubt have retreated to his bunker to search for the reasons why.
Almost counterintuitively given the Wallaby tactics of the day he will find that many of things widely forecast before the game, did come to pass, but his side could not find a way to take advantage.
So firstly, what we expected to happen did happen. Australia’s lineout wobbled on their own ball and applied no pressure to the Irish lineout.
There were no run metres from the Gold loosies or remaining forwards.
The Wallabies made all their run metres in the outside channels against a very predictable Farrell-compressed defence.
The first two items were countered by the Wallabies’ ability to maintain the tackling rage for the full 80 (a few structural defensive blips aside) and they did for 183 tackles and at 90 per cent – that’s a huge effort.
In addition the Wallabies read the Irish wraparounds easier than anything Dr Seuss has produced and made a bunch of really solid tackles on the Irish side of the gain-line (always a good thing).
Add in an excellent kick chase and therein lay the building blocks for a good win. The last item saw Ireland generate opportunities from Australian offensive rucks that they really shouldn’t have had.
Adam Coleman of Australia (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
So where will Mr Schmidt focus his efforts in game 2?
We all remember the Furlong sleight of hand that not only saw Ireland score against England but which also sent Owen Farrell on a wild goose chase after Sexton that saw him only just pull up empty handed just before the carpark
Well researched and well coached defence from the Wallabies closed so much of this early but I expect a move or two from the bowels of the Ireland coaching manual to be on display this week.
Ireland are unlikely to be as wasteful or uninventive as they were in the first Test nor will they kick away quite so many attacking ball in opportunities. Stockdale had a real mare in this regard.
Did not recall Ireland wasting so much pill during the first watching of the match.
For all the standout work Australia/Pocock did at the defensive breakdown, their first half ruck work going forward wasn’t great, and appears to have been somewhat overlooked.
Mike Hooper ran something of a lonesome furrow here with his outside backs. The Wallabies will need to get there faster, or improved work from the backs needed if they are to maximise the opportunities they are creating, or this will be an area of potential counterattack with Ireland likely to pick greater pace across the park.
No doubt we will all remember the big hits from Marika Koribete and Kurt Beale but the gain-line tacking in front of the advantage line by Coleman and Hooper really set the standard.
I could watch this kind of dedicated tackling effort all day.
Mr Schmidt is going to need to find a consistent way over the gain-line or some Irish ribs are going to be in serious trouble. Expect Ireland to be a lot narrower early this week.
If the Irish have a building block to their game it is their ability to control the pill and continually build pressure on their opposition.
Against France and England they conceded possession 7 and 13 times respectively, in this game against Australia the number was 21.
No-one is building pressure with that many turnovers, again Wallaby tackling and defensive ruck work were the catalyst for a number this large, but Schmidt will be looking for that stat to plummet in Melbourne if Ireland are to have any kind of shot.
Cheika’s Australian side set the Irish a puzzle that their on-field leadership couldn’t solve on the run, but a week can be a long time in international rugby. This Saturday in Melbourne will give us a really good indication of how significant the Wallaby improvement is, and just how good this Irish side really is now they have named what must be close to their best available team.
I will stick my head out and say if the Wallabies can keep both their tackling discipline and game plan intact for another full 80 they will narrowly lock up a series win.
Derm
Roar Guru
I’m talking about balancing 3 elements - not two. Development Condition of players Likely Success. They now take a good win into the decider having got the 39-year monkey off their backs and only one player untrialled. Let’s see how they go.
Derm
Roar Guru
Michael Lynagh’s phrase, not mine.
riddler
Roar Rookie
cheers highlander.. very good article mate.. joe is a great coach.. he will have the paddies humming this week i think.. he was always going to rest a few players for the first test.. as he knew that there was no more time for the replacements to get starts in a high quality overseas test, replicating wc to a degree.. this game will be much harder for us.. and in the channeling of my inner pigeon mcgrath 3-0 prediction.. this was always going to be the hardest and where a loss has the highest probability.. hope to see you on the blog when the game kicks off mate..
Brad
Roar Rookie
Having watched Ireland during the 6N always admired Schmidt as a coach but it was obvious he underestimated the Wallas. Ireland will crank it up for this one and the Wallas kicking will have to be improved. Sexton came on as a replacement against a tired team but didn't turn the tide. Though he received a good tackle that slowed him a touch, regardless it's Aus v Ireland and it will be a cracker.
Redsfan1
Guest
"marginal forward passes"... You have got to be kidding.
Highlander
Guest
Newbie ref at this level, only one prior test. Confident decision maker, played senior club footy
Highlander
Guest
Arrived in Melb Not much rain forecast Should be a good one Good Irish team selected
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
Nice piece H'lander - not long to wait now!
Highlander
Guest
Will be interesting if Schmidt falls back on the 6N game plan, or if he changes it up. I am with you Muzzo, v good coach
taylorman
Roar Guru
Its more about balance though. Continuity, i.e Winning is just as important as building depth. Ireland should have got ‘a look’ at the Wallabies with their best side so they knew were the stood from the start, i.e. set a benchmark. Once that was established, then they could try the newer players, but placing them under pressure in a new test, across the other side of the world, probably not the best way to introduce or test depth, the first test should be used for establihing its position with the Wallabies. Losing can disrupt the depth plan unnecessarily.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep Ralph, but no doubt Razor had serious words at the break, to his Saders boys.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Yep true Fionn, as with Sexton starting, & the inclusion of Ringrose, will make a big difference.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Possibly more in containing Pocock, Highlander, as he was brilliant last weekend. That time off, back in his native Zimbabwe, I think it is, certainly did him the world of good. He, IMO, should have been the MOTM last weekend.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
Well said Highlander, & in my opinion, this will be a very close encounter. No doubt Joe Schmidt, will be up for it, as I have had the highest opinion of him as a coach. We only have to look at what he has achieved in Ireland, in both, what they call, club, & now in the international arena. Possibly, the NZRFU, would even consider his application, in replacing Shag,on his retirement, in the future. Time will tell. Great weekend coming up, with ALL these top quality internationals, in our game.
Ralph
Roar Guru
Great observations Highlander. With some serious weakness on the WB side, no run metres and a rubbish lineout, I find it very interesting how you can win a game on just a few strengths. Last night the Crusaders ran away with the game 42-26 against the French Barbarians, even though our scrum was dominated for almost all the match and we had no defence to their rolling mauls off the lineout. Both examples (Wallabies/Irish and Crusaders/French Babas) speak to the importance of imposing your own game plan and strategy onto the opposition as a way of covering your weaknesses and removing their strengths.
Cynical Play
Guest
What’s Paul Williams like as a big game ref?
Derm
Roar Guru
That’s your view, Miglia. But if you’re balancing a weigh-up of development, tiredness and success, as opposed to your sole focus on success/defeat, then a coach may have a different view.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I thought the game was very close last week, the scoreline only got some space in the last 10mins, and if Ireland had not bombed a few chances earlier on, the Wallabies may have been forced to chase a higher score down in the last quarter. To be fair, a lot of the chances Ireland didn't convert was as much down to Wallaby defense as poor kicks or option taking. More and better of the same for the Wallabies and I think they may wrap it up, but if Ireland can get the kicking game right and keep it in hand in the wet, then its game on. I would like a clean SH sweep this weekend (plus Japan), but think we will see a few NH sides get up this weekend.
Highlander
Guest
Thanks Sage Totally agree about the need for the Wallabies to produce consistency, RWC demands 4 good wins in a short period of time, no value in yo-yo performances
Sage
Roar Rookie
Consistency. It's been our issue for some time now and it will be interesting to see how the Wallabies come out tonight especially in the wet. They looked hungry for the physicality and defended exceptionally well last week. If they can reproduce that again we can start talking about a renewed Wallabies and not the penthouse to s..thouse performances weve been seeing for too long. Well written Highlander enjoyed it. A close slugfest tonight.