So, here we are again, watching the Wallabies off the pace and off their game in yet another Bledisloe loss.
My fellow Roarers have raised a number of excellent points in the wake of Yokohama and, by in large, I agree with the following.
1. Unforced errors (offensive and defensive) are letting us down;
2. Specific players are becoming fatigued and would benefit from a break (i.e. Will Genia);
3. Cheika needs to play his squad members in the positions they are best at.
To my mind, the key area here is unforced errors.
Izack Rodda and Dane Haylett-Petty have rightly been identified as knock-on culprits but I’m not just talking about poor handling.
I’m talking about the simple roles and duties expected of each individual player in the team.
Take Kieran Read’s try, for instance, where we bear witness to a skills and communicative failure from our blindside flanker (Ned Hanigan) and our halfback (Genia).
Hanigan’s responsibility as a blindside flanker on the scrum is two-fold: support and drive the prop in contact and then defend/mark the first blind side attack (either the number eight or halfback).
At Test level, it should be an expectation that your 6 and 9 are constantly communicating at scrum time.
The halfback should be in this situation as all traditional halfbacks are on the paddock – a bloody nuisance hollering at his loosies to tell them where the play is going and who to look out for.
When the ABs packed down for that scrum with a stacked blindside in the 35th minute, the first thing Genia should have been doing is talking to Hanigan, pointing at Read, screaming out who he’s marking.
In this case, Genia has correctly shifted to cover Beauden Barrett while Israel Folau is marking Reiko Ioane, however, Genia has not alerted Hanigan to the threat, nor does he communicate to him that Read is breaking off the back.
Ned Hanigan of the Wallabies. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
The result is simple – Genia shifts to Barrett without alerting Hanigan to Read’s movements and the All Blacks skipper crashes through a passive tackle to score in that crucial ten-minute window either side of half time.
It’s also important to note the subtle role played here by TJ Perenara, who has held his ground after feeding the ball and in so doing subtly impeded Hanigan’s running line to intercept Read.
Unlike Aaron Smith’s hotly debated running line for Ben Smith’s try, Perenara’s actions here are both totally legal and highly intelligent.
But back to the communication here, because the focal point here is that communication is a skill and, like many other skills, the Wallabies are really struggling to master it.
So, my question to the floor is this: what positive impacts, if any, are Nathan Grey and Mick Byrne having on the Wallabies?
Let’s focus on Grey first.
The former Tahs assistant was elevated to the role of Wallabies defence coach in 2015 and was rightly praised after a gritty World Cup campaign featuring huge defensive efforts against Wales and England in the pool stages.
Since then, the shine has worn off for Grey – a man renown for his own physicality as a player – and the Wallabies defence has been suspect.
Australia has lost 21 and drawn two of its 45 Tests since the 2015 World Cup, leaving them with a less than flattering 43.6 per cent winning record.
In the 21 games lost during that period, the Wallabies conceded 84 tries – clocking in at a perfect four tries against per game.
When you put that against the number of tries for during that period (48 for an average of 2.3 per game), we’re seeing a pretty clear deficiency with our defence and the buck ultimately stops with Grey.
Here’s a quick snapshot from this year’s Rugby Championship:
Missed tackles – Australia (155), New Zealand (134)
Clean breaks – Australia (77), New Zealand (107)
Put those two stats together and it’s clear the Wallabies are off the pace both defensively and offensively.
Which leads me nicely to Byrne.
Byrne came into the national coaching set-up in 2016 after an extended stint with the ABs and came him serious rep, though much of that undoubtedly came from RA’s own horn-tooting.
A Wallabies kicking coach back in ‘88, Byrne had also assisted with Japan and Scotland before settling across the ditch during possibly the best era of New Zealand rugby and picking up plenty of silverware.
I personally had really high hopes when Byrne came to town and anticipated a stronger catch-pass game along with more astute decision making when it came to offloads and converting line breaks into tries.
Two years on, I’m not sure whether we’re seeing massive improvements in that field.
Our attack was certainly improved in Yokohama but last passes and handling errors continue to plague try-scoring opportunities.
New Zealand’s TRC conversion rate from clean breaks (107) to tries scored (33) comes in around 31 per cent while Australia (77 clean breaks to 16 tries scored) sits at 21 per cent.
Meanwhile, the All Blacks are still streets ahead of the Wallabies when it comes to key attacking areas like defenders beaten (198 to 137), offloads (60 to 47) and metres per carry (4.1 to 3.3).
Israel Folau (Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Surely these are the areas in which Byrne is supposed to be making progress in – after all, he was touted as the skills mastermind behind the All Blacks’ success.
So, with handling an area of concern, tries drying up from 2017 to 2018 and near clear areas of improvement in attack, is Byrne even making a difference?
I guess my point is as follows – yes, the Wallabies are making on-field errors and have been doing so for a number of years now, but coaches are hired to improve and develop teams into better and more cohesive units.
Looking at the statistics since Australia’s RWC GF loss, I don’t think the addition of Grey, Byrne, and by extension, attack coach Steve Larkham, have necessarily bettered the Wallabies.
Over to you, Roarers.
Renzeau
Roar Rookie
You make some compelling points. Who would you have at 6, 7, and 8. And your reserve loose forward.
Renzeau
Roar Rookie
Byrne had no problem improving the AB's, there were hurdles as players had to learn how to execute under pressure. The real question is can the Wallaby players learn, and how long will it take. They have made improvement. You must remember that the AB's game is built around a high skill set is the Wallabies.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
I am fascinated as to why people seem so intent on pinning the current parlous state of the Wallabies performances on the assistant coaches, instead of on the boss. Cheika is observably underperforming compared to other international coaches across a range of criteria that are entirely within his realm, including: 1. Selecting hookers who can't throw straight, one of whom is a yellow card magnet. 2. Selecting a short, light back row that compromises the lineout, attack in tight and breakdown work, for the sake of running a 7 whose job seems to be to cover for backline defensive deficiencies. 3. Selecting a reserve halfback who lacks accuracy and decision making ability at this level. 4. Selecting a 10 and a 12 who are weak defenders, who requiring other players to be shuffled to compensate for them. 5. Until recently running a league winger at 15, despite his inability to kick or read the game, step up as playmaker and cover defend. 6. Refusing to employ an effective tactical kicking game for territory. 7. Personally coaching the fowards, who are the most ill disciplined I have seen from a Wallabies team. 8. Carrying on in the coaches box so much that he doesn't concentrate on making good substitution decisions. If these are just the things that we see from Chieka, what do these assistants have to deal with day to day? I would imagine it would be very difficult to do the job under those circumstances. Even Grey, who is probably on the shakiest ground with his defensive schemes, is hamstrung byhaving to work with Cheika's selections. Of course the assistant coaches should be subject to scrutiny, but Cheika is the one who should be he focus of criticism right now, because the buck stops with him.
Waxhead
Guest
Well Byrne had excellent results as a skills coach for the ABs soo ......... I'll lay most blame on the lack of athletic talent and rugby brains of the Wallaby squad. You can't teach talent. Grey though is different story and must take responsibility for absurdly complex, poorly conceived and executed Wallaby defence of past 2 years. I see no improvement at all. Grey should go imo but Cheika must take most of the blame.
Hazzmat
Guest
I agree with Dubious. The WBs cannot seem to perform the basics of the game well enough for long enough to build pressure on the opposition and therefor create the mismatch in numbers to score points. There have been portions of tests this year where they have been able to apply pressure for short periods but through lack of skill, communication and/or commitment, will turn over the ball and concede a penalty or try. In every test this year there have been periods where they've kicked away possession instead of going through the phases and making the opposition defend. The flipside is that I've lost count of the amount of times they've had overlaps and the defenders are up and instead of grubbing though or popping an inside pass, they throw a horrible wide floater. Sometimes straight into touch. The Yokohama test was a classic example. The ABs when they finally got their hands on the ball in the first half just went through the phases and made the WBs defend for long periods. The WBs scrum which started seemingly well began to splutter after being put through the meat grinder, then the holes started to appear in the WBs defense. In my opinion, the skills are there but their finishing is poor and knowing when NOT to offload is also hurting them, I mean why the f*&^ would you pass the ball off the deck at your supporter's shins and expect him to catch the ball??? The confidence of the players is seemingly at an all time low and losing so many games and the pressure of expectation only adds to the pushed passes, not to mention Cheika constantly trying the same-old, same-old routine and not getting any pay only compounds the issues.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
I hadn't heard that story before so I stole it and used it in a presentation this morning , the crew think I'm a genius.
MitchO
Guest
There is a world of difference between the gritty defence in the 2015 world cup and the wallabies since. Matt Giteau did a fantastic amount of very good and very clever defence playing at 12. There is no comparison in D between Matt Giteau and Kurtley Beale. Matt Giteau's replacement at 12 was Matt Toomua. There is no comparison in D between Matt Toomua and Kurtley Beale. In the forwards we had the hard working and very good Scott Fardy. There is not much comparison between Scott Fardy and Ned Hanigan. They are both tall and effective in lineouts but any sane person knows who the better 6 is. Even now. In the forwards for some of those supreme 2015 defensive efforts we had the mightily tough and effective Ben McCalman. His effort on D against Wales was one of the key reasons we won that game. Ned will never be capable of that sort of owning of the advantage line. Gus Cottrell may be able to fulfill a similar role but there is not a lot of other candidates and Gus isn't in the team. Wider out in the backs we had the highly experienced, aging but still very good Drew Mitchell whereas now we have the very inexperienced leaguie Korobeiti. Not only has MK not had much union training but whilst he a leaguie his coach was Craig Bellamy - one of Australia's best coaches of any sport - then MK comes over and plays under Cheika and Grey and they try very hard to confuse the heck out of him. There's plenty of excellent students of union who are being confused by Cheika and Grey. What chance does MK have? In 2015 Genia was three years younger.
Stu
Roar Rookie
In Aus Rugby, the head coach (Cheika) is the lone dictator, with sole say and discretion on absolutely everything that occurs with the Wallabies. Clearly, this compromises anybody else's abilities to deliver, from the top right through to the players. The man simply has to be removed immediately so a Jake White or similar can ream all Cheika madness out like it never occurred, and then instigate their own rugby intelligence. Yes, there are myraid other problems here, but the most immediate and effective start to a solution is an immediate dictator change. You can't solely lay blame at the feet of Grey and Byrne considering the Cheika madness they've been lumbered to work with!
Purdo
Guest
I pretty much agree; LED, particularly it' the talent that leaves the game early or never takes it up in the first place that's the problem. Aussie Rules and RL don't depend on schoolboy bases. Kids come up through clubs. In my son's case his school drew their first 18 from the local clubs where my son and his mates played and trained seriously, and were sort of conscripted to play for the school when they usually played against each other in their district league premiership. I see very few local Rugby clubs here in Victoria. 18 year olds entering senior football (Ozzie Rules) do get paid, and there is a lot of social cachet from playing for a local club. The boys enter the network of local men, so it's not just about money. Rugby doesn't have that here; I don't know that it has this grass roots path out of school or juniors anywhere in Oz except maybe NSW and Qld. This is sad, because Rugby is the best football to play and watch. We are in danger of losing it unless there is a grassroots upsurge of kids playing for local clubs, right on through to the top level.
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
Tick.
LED
Guest
I hate to be the negative one but we have to face facts. We are the “New France”. Remember that old bit about never know which team turns up. That’s us now. Mostly 2nd tier rubbish. Once in a while it gels. But we’ve lost more than once to every top 10 team in the last few years so that means we’re crap now. Nothing will change until we can select players who are the best in their position in attack and defense and don’t have to be hidden because of deficiencies in skills/tackling etc etc This will be the indicator of a resurgent Australia if it EVER happens - that the depth rebuilds such that players know that if they do not offer 100% of the skills required for their position then they’re out for good. Right now it’s the opposite. We’re fitting ok/selectively talented players into any position to get them on the field and hence no game plan works. And that’s because the real talent depth left rugby when they left school. Eg how many Australian school boy 10s from the last 6 yrs play rugby now?? Very few. They’re in league for the most part. The Wallabies are literally at “15 puzzle” right now. And if you’ve tried one of those you know what I mean. Too many moving pieces. It’s going to be 10 yrs to rebuild if it ever happens
Ralph
Roar Guru
LOL, brilliant.
Mambo
Roar Rookie
Haven’t seen any noticeable decline in the AB’s skill levels since The Kick’s departure, either. Seems a similar situation to when we got Saker on as bowling coach after he was credited with the English bowling skills.
Bubu53
Roar Rookie
There a story about a player who goes to his coach and says he is greatly disturbed by the fact that he buttered his toast this morning and it fell of the the table butter-side up. The coach looks at him and asks, “Are you sure? Because everyone knows that if a piece of buttered toast falls off the table, it always falls butter-side down. It’s a law of Nature.” The player nods his head and says, “Yes I’m sure, as unbelievable as it may sound.” The coach puts on his thinking cap and is quiet for a few minutes. Finally, as if a light bulb has gone off in his brain, he smiles, puts an arm around the player’s shoulders and says, “Don’t worry, everything is fine and everything is right with the world. You just buttered the toast on the wrong side.” The lengths that RA and the Wallabies coaching staff will go to remain in denial.
Keilidh
Roar Rookie
Apparently he was much more, including rebuilding the line out, attacking lines and tackling technique. He feels the Wallabies’ skills in training are equal to the ABs, but they lag in execution during games; that would suggest the overly complex defence and attack structures are the problem.
Crash Ball2
Guest
“We have improved.” Based on? If comparison against the ABs is discounted, Michael Cheika’s Wallabies results against all other Tier One teams are still - the worst of any Australian coach of the professional era. In fact, his 49% win rate is boasted by 2 x games against Fiji, Japan, US and Uruguay (a luxury the next lowest coach - McKenzie - didn’t have; his Wallabies exclusively played 6 Nations + Rugby Championship teams). Statistically and anecdotally, Michael Cheika has tanked.
Tuc Du Nard
Roar Rookie
I think it looks worse because the Wallabies have a longer road than the ABs do. Wallabies are still behind but we have improved. Just because the stats say no they are not better, that's because the stats aren't saying how much the ABs are improving. Raw stats don't give the whole picture. We just need to catch up by RWC and I think it can be done. We are getting better -it's just harder to notice when you're playing considerably better teams. Any team for that matter can look great, see Argies in Salta first half. WBs second half. In both you would say the skill level was up, the other half down. Ok I'm an optimist. Shoot me.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Not sure how we have improved, our kicking no , our handling no , our kick receives no , our passing no , where exactly have we moved forward in the last couple of years.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Well , there’s a dog running around loose , just not sure who owns it.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
KCOL: Interesting comment. Coming from the AB's with a solid structure and the main job being finessing players, as opposed to teaching them basics, it must a very hard gig. All problems sheet back to the head. Cheika is not addressing any of these issues and cannot understand why his troops are not doing what he tells them to do, whilst the troops don't know or understand how to do the things he is asking. It is a total lack of professionalism.