Opinion
Here are some of my talking points ahead of the 2020 Rugby Championship.
Can Dave Rennie revive the Wallabies?
In 2015 the Wallabies went all the way to the finals under Michael Cheika, squeaking past Scotland in the quarter-finals by a controversial penalty and then beating Los Pumas before finally being outclassed in the finals by an All Black side marshalled brilliantly by Dan Carter in his swansong game.
However, in 2015 they boasted a host of world-class players – Israel Folau, Matt Giteau, David Pocock, Kurtley Beale who was a scintillating super-sub, Michael Hooper, as well as many others. They have been a far cry out in 2019, and this probably culminated in Cheika resigning amidst the disappointment of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
In 2016 and 2017 they did decently in the Rugby Championship, with one factor being the decline of the Springboks under Allister Coetzee.
In 2020, there is even less flair in the squad – Kurtley Beale is unavailable, and some may argue of him being over the hill. Now, they are in a rebuild and there are several players who prove to be rather talented.
However, for that talent to be harnessed, a good coach is required.
In 2019, the Wallabies were utilising a structure of disorganised organisation, with players acting unexpectedly, leading to tries and breaks at times – this got them to a win over the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship – but it also resulted in them slumping to losses to Wales and England, and also a scare of a match from Fiji.
There is some positivity towards Dave Rennie’s run as a coach already. One Roarer commented that ‘we have a real coach rather than the clown’ on Rennie taking the post as the Wallaby coach. If the Wallabies are to make progress, it’s all down to Rennie.
(Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images)
Just how deep is the Springboks’ depth?
Springboks won the World Cup last year on the basis of two factors; their effective playmaking axis of Faf de Klerk, Handre Pollard, and Willie Le Roux as well as the Bomb Squad.
Let me touch on their playmaking axis. When the Boks attack in big games, we have seen them place Handre Pollard right behind the strike phase. As he is such a multi-faceted flyhalf, it provides them with options. He has one of the deadliest flat passes, which allows them to get a quick ball away out wide to the edge or to the edge.
Meanwhile, le Roux is wider out to take the ball for a flashy play. De Klerk passes off the rucks and often makes iconic box-kicks, while Pollard bridges the play and also coordinates big plays with le Roux, who has the role of organising the backs out wide.
Then we have the Bomb Squad. The Springbok forward pack had a total of 57 scrums won and only one lost in 2019. This prominence in the scrum was due to their depth in forwards. They had six forward substitutes, the makeup of it being a complete set of front-rowers in Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx and Vincent Koch, a good set of world-class locks in RG Snyman and Franco Mostert, then with the versatile Francois Louw to fill in any position in the back row.
However, this basis of the Bok team is threatened in 2020.
Speaking of their playmaking axis, all three players in de Klerk, Pollard and le Roux are unavailable, with Pollard out with a torn ACL. They will need to find a new axis fast if they want to play anywhere near to the heights they reached last year.
Also, they have a problem for backs in general. Cheslin Kolbe is unavailable, as well as Damian De Allende and Makazole Mapimpi.
Speaking of the problems with the Bomb Squad and the forwards in general, Bongi Mbonambi remains while Marx is unavailable. Last year saw the retirement of the beast, but other than that the props are intact, with Frans Malherbe and Kitshoff present, but Koch is absent and thus the two Bomb Squad members Kitshoff and Malherbe will need to step up to the first team, depleting their reserves of world-class props.
Trevor Nyakane was brought out in precautionary measure as he was in close contact with his Cheetahs teammate who was tested positive for COVID-19. Their main problem is in the locks. Injuries to three of their best locks Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Snyman plus Franco Mostert absent means that their world-class setup of locks is temporarily gone for this season.
Pieter-Steph Du Toit, last year’s world player of the year who is equally comfortable at lock and flank is out this season with an injury.
(Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images)
This brings us to the back row. The Springboks retain Siya Kolisi and Duane Vermeulen, but Du Toit is out. Further problems to replacing have been posed, with Francois Louw’s departure and Kwagga Smith the next great option to fill in at 7 being stuck in Japan.
There are solutions – they can turn to the young guys on the park. They have the promising JD Schickerling who has been rated highly by some and he will get a chance to prove himself as a lock. In the back row, the No.8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe will be a crucial replacement, and some say he should and can replace Thor.
The backline will have to be supplemented by the reserves of Blitzbok stars and other rising stars they called up. 2020 is the year where the Boks have to dig deep into their talent reserves for guys to replace their usual stars.
Also, their fitness is questionable with the insufficient minutes of game time that their players have weathered through. However, whether their depth is enough will be crucial to how they fare and impact the competition.
Argentina have only one flyhalf option – Nicolas Sanchez it is
Argentina named a Los Pumas squad with just one flyhalf, Nicolas Sanchez. Their lack of depth at 10 and their dependence on Sanchez was instrumental to this.
Also, when they started Benjamín Urdapilleta, we were entreated to an old-school, slow and ineffective style of rugby. Sanchez is their only realistic flyhalf option, and whether or not he shines will determine how Argentina fare.
Who starts at 10 and 15 for the All Blacks?
The All Blacks have two brilliant flyhalf options in Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga with very different playstyles. Both are extremely creative and capable in different ways. Barrett brings a daring style of play with his nerve to throw risky passes and grubber the ball through and chase.
Mo’unga takes risks to bring other players onto the ball and create space through kicks and passes. Who plays at 10 to control the game will determine which playstyle the All Blacks adopt. They both bring unique edges to the game and will complement the style of rugby being played.
Also, the All Blacks now have three solid options to occupy the 15 jersey with Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett and Damian McKenzie all being almost equal in ability. For the first time, Beauden Barrett’s role as a starter is threatened and he may end up coming off the pine.
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Promising new faces emerge in the black jersey
According to Planet Rugby, “the key feature of the squad is the selection of the new All Blacks: athletic Auckland and Blues prop Alex Hodgman, rising young Taranaki and Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i, mobile lock Quinten Strange from Tasman and the Crusaders, hard-working Canterbury and Crusaders loose forward teammate Cullen Grace, bruising young Auckland and Blues loose forward Hoskins Sotutu, powerful Auckland and Blues wing Caleb Clarke and the exciting Crusaders and Tasman outside back Will Jordan.”
Hodgman has proved to be a strong prop. Meanwhile, they have inducted two new locks. Tupou Vaa’i and Quinten Strange will look to make their mark.
Cullen Grace has such a high work rate, which will be important to maintaining defensive solidity. Hoskins Sotutu has ball skills and tackling, and he can bring some edges to the game, with his physicality and all-rounded excellence. Also, he may be the new heir to Kieran Read.
Caleb Clarke is a great tackle breaker and amazing speedster – his form in SR Aoteroa has proved that. Will Jordan has blistering pace and his running lines in between two players and splitting defenders creates opportunities.
It will be exciting to watch some of these rising stars in black jerseys.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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