So that tricky first Rugby World Cup game is done and dusted and the Wallabies got an important win.
They were the heavy favourites but we all knew there would be tricky periods and the Fijians certainly made the Aussies work hard for the win. So in the opening 80 minutes of Australia’s World Cup campaign what was there to talk about? Let’s dig in…
Don’t try to out-Fiji the Fijians
Everyone knew how Fiji were going to play in the opening half. However, the Wallabies almost tried to mimic the Pacific Island side and out-Fiji the Fijians. It didn’t work.
Australia found success when they played a much more organised game. Both their first-half tries were directly or indirectly the result of good work by their forwards. When they tried to play overly creative counter-attacking rugby, they struggled – ball runners got hit by big tackles and were isolated as a result, causing them to lose possession and ground.
They must learn from this for future games. Yes, they’ve got some great ball runners but they need to dominate up front first and then give their creative players the quick, clean ball to work their magic with. Don’t let the opposition dictate the pace or style of the match!
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Nic White will bounce back… hopefully
Nic White didn’t have a good game. He was sloppy in too many areas – his handling was off and his kicking was average, with one loose kick leading to the first Fijian try.
One bad game doesn’t make him a bad player. He’s become a great threat to Will Genia’s first-team spot and that’s made Genia refocus and up his own game. Australia need White to bounce back quickly from this poor game – they need their two halfbacks in good form to go deep this tournament.
It looked at times as if White was trying to play the game at too high a pace and was trying to force things. Hopefully, that’s just first World Cup game nerves and excitement and he’ll settle into the competition.
Reece Hodge is a very lucky man
There’s already been a lot of talk about it but Reece Hodge will look back at the replay of that shoulder charge and think how lucky he was to stay on the field. Whichever way you look at it, he deserved a yellow card, maybe a penalty try, and maybe a red.
The TMO did review the tackle, but with Fiji set to refer the incident to the citing commissioner, questions will be raised about the way in which Tier 2 nations are treated when playing Tier 1 teams.
It would have been a completely different game had a red card or penalty card been issued. Would the Wallabies have been able to compete down a man?
Hodge did finish one move nicely and delivered his usual reliable in-play kicking, but is he really one of the two best wingers in Australian rugby?
Set piece was promising but the halves need more from the forwards
The Fijian set piece isn’t one of the world’s best but the Australian forwards still did a good job of using the scrum and lineout to set up attacking opportunities. It was an effective platform to gain control in a game where chaos could have easily dominated.
The lineout became a point-scoring weapon in the second half and the scrum was reliable throughout, frequently earning crucial penalties.
That said, the forwards do need to work harder in the loose to get their scrumhalf clean, quick ball. A few too many times in the first half the ruck was sloppy from the Wallabies and the Flying Fijians were able to cause real issues.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Pooper: Great combination, or just a way to get two great players on the field?
There was plenty of debate about whether the combination of David Pocock and Michael Hooper could work.
Fans will remember the 2015 World Cup when the two back-rowers were unstoppable. But there have been too many instances where, despite the talent of both players, the combination hasn’t quite delivered and instead caused as many issues as it solves.
Against Fiji it wasn’t so much that the Pooper combination was devastating but that the two players had good games. It was great to see Pocock back in action and Hooper did his usual job of giving his all for his team. The latter’s try was crucial in getting the Wallabies into the game.
The big challenge will be against Wales when the combination will be put under real pressure. The Wallabies’ lineout is a key weapon but playing the dual opensides takes away an option there.
jimbo
Roar Rookie
what were u watching bro...aussies were as much offside and coming from the side more then the fijians...holding onto tackles and were slow to the breakdowns...instead referee decides that the fijians needed a card when hooper clearly came in from the side.. and toomua...there is just a lot of that that happened and the ref decides to overlook it...m sure if it was the all blacks doing it to us then cheika would be jumping up and down till his pants fell off
Pedro
Guest
What a load of rubbish. I had to look to see who the writer was - are you a kiwi Oliver? Hodges arms wrapped around the the attacker (there is multiple photographic evidence here), his arms are low, he does not drive with his shoulders and the attacker changes direction at the last minute to try and bowl hodge over. What you have written is an insult to Hodge and a lie. But here is one for you, if you can stomach criticising a nation other than the Wallabies. What about All Black Kieren Reid giving a deliberate coat hanger to the South African no.7 in their opening game? What’s that? Your silence is deafening. No card and no referral, and no comment from you.
sue
Guest
Only winners so far are the countries with the biggest chequebooks buying their talent from the poorer nations. If Fiji had all their nationals playing for Fiji (how many points total were from Fijians) then this would have been a different result. But this goes for all teams, believe Scotland have 14 foreign born players?
Nobody
Roar Rookie
Ran out of time trying to edit it, but I meant “proscribed” rather than “foul”. I didn’t mean to suggest it might have been foul play – that would imply it was intentional by Hodge when it wasn’t IMO. Nor should it be described as a “shoulder charge”, which is just misleading. It was dangerous, but lots of stuff is and accidents happen. The only question is whether what Hodge did was illegal according to rugby’s laws.
Nobody
Roar Rookie
No video then? It annoys me when people assert untruths. Hodge's right arm was never raised, and now asserting that White pushed Yato's head down is just plain wrong. I don't claim it was foul play - I'll leave that to the judiciary to decide - but watch the video again, with both eyes this time.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Guest
The talking point in our household was Australia's difficulty in scoring tries against 15 players. I haven't the stats, but wouldn't be surprised if Australia's % rate of scoring during yellow card periods is the best of any team on the planet. We saw this four years ago in the World Cup final. NZ with a player in the bin, 40 seconds to go until the sin bin time is up, and Milner Skudder makes the rookie mistake of kicking the ball to the opposition rather than taking the ball into contact. Two minutes later the 14-man All Black defence is breached: try to the Wallabies. Wallaby self-belief revives and it suddenly was a good even game, one that Australia has been dining out on since. Persistence leading to pressure that leads to penalties and sanctions that leads to points. It's rugby, but I worry about the Wallabies maybe having a fifth "P" in the chain: Preference to piling on points purple patches postponed to yellow card periods. P'd off? Possibly.
Internal Fixation
Roar Rookie
That’s from the moment of impact and is the same video that I bet will be used in his defense. Also, Nic White’s tackle from behind pushed the head down. So that’s a mitigating factor as per the protocol - therefore down to yellow. Unless it was a missed Red my understanding is no further action.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I’m not being facetious but who was our last quick 13?
Nobody
Roar Rookie
Terrible stills IF. They look like they were snapshotted after the head had already hit the shoulder. Show me the the video they came from and I might believe you
Internal Fixation
Roar Rookie
Definitely was pushed forward and down by White from the back. So that’s one that even you could probably see..
Internal Fixation
Roar Rookie
https://m.imgur.com/a/m9pETOq Wrong. The right arm was raised. I’d argue Yato led at Hodge’s head with his forearm and not an open arm. So it’s unfortunate but really just one of those things.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I certainly think the Wallabies were lucky that nothing came of the Hodge hit. Although there was no malice in it, a referee could easily have taken a different view.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
I couldn’t see how any of those mitigating circumstances applied, jeznez
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Slightly hyperbolic, granted, and I don’t want to detract from a brilliant days rugby, but I was debating only yesterday with someone on here the apparent terrible ‘thuggery’ of Owen Farrell. Anyway, far more important, what a superb start to the RWC.
Peter
Guest
Stormy, rugby crowds and teams started getting into the anthem when Julie Anthony sang at the ground. Almost compelled you to sing along!
cinque
Roar Rookie
"Intent" and "attempt" should not be central. The TMO is not a psycho-analyst. Here's a cricket analogy: Lyon bowls to Root, who lurches forward with bat and pad close together, to not get bowled through the gate. He strokes the ball to cover and the Australians appeal, as is their wont. The commentators chorus "Pad first?" as wheels are set in motion. Rugby should aim to be the same, black and white. Whatever was going through his mind - and irrespective of the awkward position he found himself in - the only issue should be shoulder first or not. Looks Yellow to me. Was it shoulder to the head? That's a tough call but the answer is to be found in the video, nowhere else. The video is unclear to me. The fact that Yato went off should be irrelevant. I guess there is some chance that Hodge will get a delayed red card. Will we then see Petaia in the 23?
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Solid win Wallas, this was always going to be a very tough game. Fiji were fantastic in first half and deserved the lead. Once we got back to some structure via the set piece, we got the continuity needed. Impressive last 30 to finish strongly. The only change I am making is DHP to Fullback and Beale to bench. This next game is not one to be making too many changes particularly in the play making roles. White had an off game sure, however the breakdown was a dogs breakfast. Leila was belted ragged. Good against Fiji - Latu - Pooper - Koroibete - Kerevi - still needs to look to pass - Bench Bad - first half tactics - playing wide game - physicality in first half lacking - Beale very poor - goal kicking - too many missed again
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Hard to say about Pooper. Not sure which position Hooper was playing but it wasn’t six or seven.
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
A bit rusty but we won which is the main thing. Who said Pooper doesn’t work. I’d keep the forward pack but maybe swap Tupou for Kepu just because I’m a Tupou fan and he has a bit more Xfactor.Backs : White, Foley, Koriabete, Kerevi, Kurudrani, Hodge, DHP.Res: Toomua, Beale and I’d like to say Petaia but that’s a huge gamble. I’m not a massive Foley fan, but I think CLL hasn’t been great his last few matches. Foley might be more of a solid pick against Wales as is DHP for the first 60.
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
A bit rusty but we won which is the main thing. Who said Pooper doesn’t work. I’d keep the forward pack but maybe swap Tupou for Kepu just because I’m a Tupou fan and he has a bit more Xfactor. Backs : White, Foley, Koriabete, Kerevi, Kurudrani, Hodge, DHP. Res: Toomua, Beale and I’d like to say Petaia but that’s a huge gamble. I’m not a massive Foley fan, but I think CLL hasn’t been great his last few matches. Foley might be more of a solid pick against Wales as is DHP for the first 60.