Well, it’s not like we’ve never seen this kind of week-to-week disconnection from the Wallabies before.
Brilliant one week, underwhelming and well-beaten the next. And to be fair, underwhelming and well-beaten one week, and brilliant the next, too.
The 26-21 loss in the Second Test in Melbourne confirmed that the series will be decided in Sydney, and that as we long suspected, Ireland’s first XV is a very, very good outfit.
The way the Irish were able to control possession and where the game was played was something to behold. We all expected Johnny Sexton to be prominent – ‘the maestro’ as Michael Cheika referred to him after his recall last week – and he turned out the sort of performance that rightly has him recognised among the very best international playmakers in the game.
His kicking was superb – one hooked penalty aside – and Ireland clearly learned their lessons from the Brisbane loss by kicking to the parts of the ground were Israel Folau wasn’t, thus rendering him generally ineffective for large portions of the game. Once they removed the broken field attacking threat of the Wallabies fullback, they worked on hemming the Australians into their own half and then robbed them of the ball to boot.
Ireland’s Johnny Sexton. (AFP PHOTO / IAN MACNICOL)
By halftime, the Wallabies had seen only 31 per cent of possession, and had played nearly three quarters of the half on their side of halfway. Nearing the hour mark of the game, the possession figure hovered dangerously close to single digits, before the Wallabies finally held enough ball in the closing quarter of the match to finish with 40 per cent of possession and 37 per cent of territory.
The obvious retort to those numbers would be that ‘the Wallabies just couldn’t get enough ball to do anything’, but that retort would be quickly debunked by just a cursory glance at the numbers in the 18-9 win in Brisbane.
The Wallabies won that match with 40 per cent of possession and 39 per cent of territory, and even attempted half a dozen more tackles.
So it’s not that they didn’t have enough ball; indeed, they’ve scored more tries than Ireland with the same minority share of possession in both games.
It’s that this time around, what they tried to do with the ball wasn’t good enough. Effectively, they could only do as much with the ball as Ireland allowed them.
And that’s an important distinction to make. Teams can often be outplayed, often just comprehensively thumped. Other times, they can fire plenty of shots and even ask plenty of question of defences, only to come up short.
In Melbourne, I think the Wallabies were rather flattered by the 26-21 scoreline, but I don’t really think they played particularly poorly. I didn’t really think Ireland were terrible in Brisbane, either, for what it’s worth.
Adam Coleman of Australia wins the lineout (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
There’s no doubt the Wallabies’ decision-making let them down at times, though. Twice they went with quick tap options in lieu of a set piece with an Ireland prop on the naughty chair, for example, and though the second time around they would get away with it through Taniela Tupou barging over after ten phases, they very nearly brought it all undone with a loose pass behind a player after two.
But the Wallabies’ scramble defence was also really good once again, and that was probably the difference between the score being as close as it was or as reflective of Ireland’s – and Sexton’s – game management as it should have been.
Ultimately, they weren’t good enough. And that smarts, particularly after last week’s display. But such is the modern game, with it’s fickle form and general closeness of the next four or five teams trying to edge closer to New Zealand – who might even be edging back to the pack, themselves.
The Wallabies were beaten by the better side on the night, just as Ireland were the week before. And as Ireland showed this weekend, there’s no shame in that if you take in the lessons of the loss.
There will be ‘work-ons’ for Sydney throughout the Melbourne defeat, but the Wallabies’ late-game desperation perfectly illustrated their night.
After somehow clawing their way back to within four points, they fielded Ireland’s deep restart and worked their way off their own try line, before finding that the room was out in the wider channels. They found their way out of their 22 down the right edge, and then crossed the halfway line down the left.
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The Wallabies reset up the middle though another strong Tupou carry, before going to the right edge again through the mostly-contained Folau, but just slightly missed the cleanout and lost the ball in the resulting ruck.
When they wanted it, the Wallabies were able to find room that Ireland let them have.
But when they needed their accuracy and composure the most to take advantage, they lost it in the face of Irish pressure at the breakdown.
One Way Street
Guest
Faith , That is a main reason why the Wallabies have been atrocious for 4 years when you have a former average sevens player shoehorned into the Wallaby 10 job by his best mate.
Morsie
Guest
Nah we just love nothing better than to hate our own, whether they're ex-players or current players. Nothing they ever did on the field was any good (apparently) and nothing they do later in life will be any good either apparently.
One Way Street
Guest
Fionn, Cheikas selection creed " When in doubt, select another Waratah "
Bakkies
Roar Guru
You are going to have to reach far to find something that is not biased.
Fionn
Guest
Yeah, cheers, mate. I was once told by a university lecturer that it was like a cheaper Switzerland, which certainly piqued my interest! I'd love to travel overland through the Stans. My friend once went from Russia to Iran overland through the Stans, and loved it.
JOhn
Guest
Totally agree , I got rid of fox years ago because of Kearns and the idiot from Queensland. Refused to pay for biased reporting , wish I could do the same for the ABC and its bias .
Bakkies
Roar Guru
Yes he is.
Sam
Guest
Yes I agree but wasn't he playing at a slightly earlier time ? It's a pity he chose not to play more than his handful of tests
Bakkies
Roar Guru
Clark is the only professional commentator. The rest have day jobs during the week and commentary is something to do on a weekend. They probably don't even have notes with them.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
'Chris Whittaker was a much better halfback' Only people and the press based in Sydney would say that.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
You are thinking of Hugh Bladen. He was a provincial player back in the day from memory.
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Fionn, Just answered your question on Bishkek but answer being moderated. No idea why!!
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Fionn, Bishkek is okay to live in. Just keep to yourself and enjoy the sights. Great country scenery in the hills and mountains and beautiful in Spring and Autumn. Beautiful in winter when in full snow and the snow on the mountains and a beautiful blue sky. Some good fiends there; Kyrgyz, American and Aus. Not many expats. The country itself is probably the most democratic country of any of the Stans. Australians can get, I think, a 60 day Visa at the airport on arrival. However, the country is corrupt as corrupt and this impacts funds available for infrastructure. Kyrgyzstan has little resources to fund it and the Kyrgyz are so corrupt, Western investment generally walks away from investment in the country. Good old statement; "Great country, just being f......d by the Kyrgyz. Similar to Australia now in terms of the idiots in Canberra and Queensland - both Liberal and Labor - Turnbull and Shorten and "Pal-a-chook" and Frekle-Tons". Worth a visit as a tourist, yes - beautiful country = but Spring and Autumn. I am not there a lot, missus says that is why we are still in love. Missus is Russian (born in Bishkek) and I work in Africa, Middle East, Central Asia and SE Asia. Been on a big break in Aus from January to June this year - we go back on June 30. Cheers
Guy Hume
Guest
Ultimately ill discipline cost Australia if you are going brongibe away stood penalties in front of the posts like that Timu fulla you will lose every time with Sexton at the helm. That is Australia’s archilles heel at the moment.
Englishbob
Guest
I find this a bit odd, in the UK we get the fox commentary teams and the home coverage for RC games. I've always quite liked Clarke and Marto, I can take or leave Kafe and Kearnsey is hard word. Shows how crap U.K commentary must be. On the third test, can't see anything other than an Ireland win, I don't know what it is about the wallaby games in the Melbourne stadium, the pitch always looks atrocious compared to ANZ and Suncorp and the NH team take advantage. Sadly, Ireland and by a head rather than a nose or whisker
ScottD
Guest
Unanimously
Ruckin' Oaf
Guest
Ireland in the first test also managed to cross the line a couple o times without the try being awarded. There's gotta be a little bit of luck in that.
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
You are right, Liquor, that winning is not a guarantee of continued selection. NZ might ring the changes for the third test after a shabby performance. Cheika could’ve tweaked the team for wet rugby but the intensity and ferocity of the Wallabies unsettled the Irish. Selections don’t change that. You can only play what’s in front of you but the key was they fronted physically. That didn’t happen to nearly the same extent in the second test. So is that due to the difficulty of fronting up consecutively in the physical stakes or is it do with balance? A player like Dempsey is missed and Samu is the best available option at 6 because Cheika has made up his mind about Higgers. Hooper as captain makes his axing highly unlikely. When he double teams with Pocock, they can be a real nuisance but if Pocock is isolated from the breakdown, Hooper is much less of a threat. The Irish have powerful forwards and pose a big threat at the breakdown across the pack despite their notable absences. If Australia wants to utilize their running strengths, they have to win the collisions and breakdown contests. That requires aggression but it also requires securing enough possession so as not to allow Ireland to dictate terms and wear down the opposition through ball retention. Sometimes teams click on defence, sometimes they don’t. Selections don’t play so much a part in that. Attitude and heart count for a lot. Beale has shown he can tackle if he wants to and tackle well. On the halves front, there are options but none leaps out after Genia and Foley. To me this is the biggest area of concern for the Wallabies. The teams are quite even as they each have their own strengths. But it’s the possession and territory stakes that have to change if the Wallabies want to play to their strengths.
Derm
Roar Guru
It's your perspective, James - respect that. If Ireland got penalised 2-3 times in the match for it, then it's not an advantage for them. Maybe they'll stop.
Derm
Roar Guru
"Such a frustrating game to watch due to the terrible disciple on display and the constant piggybacking up and down the field through silly silly penalties." That's Iscariot for you - all fumbles and no finesse.