The Wrap: Something is rotten in Australian rugby and it’s not the Wallabies

It says a lot that the record 57-22 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday, was not the worst thing to happen to Australian rugby over the last few days.

More on the decision from the Sydney Rugby Union to expel Penrith from the Shute Shield competition, later.

With the Bledisloe Cup under lockdown in New Zealand for an incredible 19th straight year, this was a weekend of full of contradictions and paradoxes; where knowns and unknowns wrestled each other like comfortable and uncomfortable bedfellows.

The Rugby Championship ladder already has a two-speed look to it, heavyweights New Zealand and South Africa out of the blocks with bonus-point victories. Yet, we still don’t know how, where and when the rest of the tournament will play out.

In conceding 57 points, the Wallabies created a new record for a defeat against the All Blacks. Does this make them the worst Wallabies team to have come away vanquished from Eden Park? Not even close.

Did this defeat prompt a knee-jerk reaction by Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos to scrap the Giteau Law and allow players contracted overseas to be eligible for the Wallabies? No, because that possibility was under review anyway, and in the case of some players, happening already.

But despite all of the rational arguments against an open slather policy, despite no evidence that players currently overseas – products of the same system – would deliver better outcomes, you can see where the pressure comes from.

The All Blacks found their familiar scoring-power sweet spot, deadly on the counter and half-chance. But is there a hint of softness in the front row and an almost compulsive predilection to infringe when defending their try-line, that is waiting to be exposed?

The Springboks proved that they can play Test rugby without the assistance of a swarm of physios, water carriers and coaches on the field. Yet the foundation of their attack remains so overwhelmingly weighted towards launching high balls and creating disruption at the point of the catch, why the need for all that on-field messaging in the first place?

The Pumas, who showed flashes of promise with the ball in hand, proved totally inept at dealing with the high ball. So, was it not unreasonable for the Boks to keep on kicking it to them?

The weekend’s match officials proved that rugby can be played without the game being ground to a halt by incessant TMO reviews. Almost. As if they couldn’t help themselves, a TMO intervention late in Port Elizabeth saw a second try to Aphelele Fassi overturned, for a technicality so inconsequential, it defied all logic.

That only served to rile the ‘justice for Rassie’ movement; more concrete proof that officiating is out of control, wildly inconsistent and needs reigning in by World Rugby. Which of course, for the rest of the rational world, only served to highlight that, no matter how frustrating and confounding some refereeing decisions are, far more important is to retain a sense of proportionality, respect for officials and an understanding of the values of rugby.

After the dourness of the Lions series, in Auckland at least, rugby re-discovered itself as a game where the ball can be moved by hand and fleet-footed running. Of course, a rugby match doesn’t need eleven tries to be worthy, and it is true that sometimes try-fests are satisfying only in the way that knocking off a dodgy coffee and a double serving of Sausage McMuffins and Hash Browns for breakfast, before choosing what sauce to have with your 24-pack of McNuggets for lunch, might be.

(Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

Nevertheless, it was important that the game move forward, and despite once again facing tricky conditions, the All Blacks and Wallabies managed to shift the dial. Unfortunately for the Wallabies, that dial, hovering near the mid-point after a well-contested first half, swung viciously the All Blacks’ way, after the break.

It would be easy to point the finger at hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and mark down his wayward 41st minute lineout throw as the turning point of the match. It was, to be sure, a crucial error, a self-inflicted release of pressure on the All Blacks, who had just been reduced to 14 men, and looked vulnerable to repeated attacks on their line.

But, given the stress the Wallabies had just applied to the All Blacks’ scrum, opening a channel for Tate McDermott to score on the other side of half-time, captain Michael Hooper might better have avoided rolling the lineout dice and chosen instead to pack down; particularly with Savea off the field.

Regardless, it wasn’t Paenga-Amosa alone who conspired to lose the ten-minute sin-bin period 10-0, effectively handing control of the match over to the All Blacks, and in the process, forcing the Wallabies into a game of catch-up rugby that they were ill-equipped for.

In the early exchanges, the Wallabies hammered hard in defence, but once play began to fracture, defenders were forced to make decisions under pressure about where to position themselves in the line against pacier backs, and things quickly turned south.

The Wallabies found profit with the ball, as they had in the final stages of the first Test, their quick recycle game allowing McDermott to choose from a number of running options, including himself, to stress the defence. And Hooper, as ever, charged manfully into everything, deserving of a far better outcome.

Wider out, problems surfaced. Six times the Wallabies turned down the opportunity to find a support player with a pass, or to keep running and set up another quick recycle, in favour of grubbering ahead. Andrew Kellaway, Matt To’omua, Noah Lolesio, Len Ikitau, Nic White and Kellaway again – inexplicably when charging towards the try-line only metres out – were the guilty crew.

Smart grubber kicks into space are an important surprise weapon. But to use them routinely off turnover or fast ball? White quickly tapped a free kick but then, almost instinctively, grubbered ahead. What was the thinking behind this? And the less said about Lolesio’s option to launch a high, cross-field kick from inside his 22 – the very same strategy that came unstuck at the same ground last year – the better.

By contrast, the All Blacks kicking tactics were obvious, but far more suitable for the conditions. As soon as the players switched ends, the All Blacks kicked long, often finding grass, and forced the Wallabies to play outside of their comfort zone.

Allan Alaalatoa takes the ball up in Bledisloe 1 (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

The same level-headed thinking was behind Damien McKenzie’s superb 57m penalty goal in the 52nd minute. Eat up the final minute of Savea’s sin bin, push the margin out beyond three scores, but most of all, use the wind while it’s there to be used.

After a stuttering first Test, the All Blacks’ response was no surprise. They went to their maul early, absorbed the Wallabies’ physical assault without losing composure or shape, then knifed them on the counter. Although far from perfect, there was more fluidity and connectedness between backs and forwards.

While the loose forward trio was much improved – Akira Ioane having his best match as an All Black – cohesion in defence remains a work on. And individually, Dalton Papalii, despite all his good work, will be embarrassed about how he over-committed to allow McDermott an easy run in for his try.

Moving on, there is good reason for both sides to ignore the final score. While 57-22 is an undeniable reflection of this match, and a fair indicator of how quickly things compound when the All Blacks get things flowing their way, the Wallabies will still feel that if they can take the things they are doing well, and do them for longer, they have an influential role to play in the Rugby Championships.

If the worst thing for them is having to share a flight to Perth with Aaron Smith, that’s a far less painful outcome for Australian rugby, than Friday’s announcement which formally excommunicated Penrith from the rest of Sydney rugby.

Rather like Rassie Erasmus, his legal team and their supporters, officials of the six Sydney clubs at the heart of the decision to ring-fence their precious Shute Shield competition, will be armed with all manner of statistics and minutiae to justify their decision.

And just like Erasmus and co, in their zealotry to shore up their position, in restating that their responsibility lies only to the Sydney Rugby Union or the South African Rugby Union, not the better interests of rugby itself, they have totally missed the point.

One of the reasons the Wallabies have left Eden Park every time since 1986 with their backside handed to them on a plate, one of the reasons Super Rugby has so overwhelmingly tipped in favour of New Zealand, is that Australian rugby doesn’t have access to Australia’s best athletes.

Many of those athletes reside in western Sydney. Talented boys of all ethnic backgrounds, who grow up to play rugby league, soccer, basketball and, increasingly, AFL. There are a small number who choose rugby, almost always because their parents are rugby people, often first-generation migrants from New Zealand or the Pacific Islands.

Once that generational chain is broken, and those families are no longer hard-core rugby families, then participation rates for the sport in the area – already far lower than what it should be – will diminish even further.

A self-serving statement released by the Sydney Rugby Union on Friday, to announce the decision, contained an eye-catching nugget.

“We (the Sydney Rugby Union) appreciate the strength of the local Penrith Junior program in the region and will work with NSWRU to find ways to provide pathways for local juniors to stay engaged with Rugby within the wider GWS district and the Western Sydney Two Blues.”

Make no mistake, that’s code for, ‘any talented juniors should contact Randwick, Sydney University, Easts, Manly, Gordon or Northern Suburbs immediately. The rest of you can give Parramatta a call or jog along and play rugby league, go to church, do graffiti, or whatever else it is people like to do out there, wherever it is you are.’

Having cut themselves free of the region that was impinging on the value of their precious competition – because that’s easier than being part of the solution – how hard do you think the SRU, having not even afforded Penrith the courtesy of allowing them to make a case to the SRU board, will actually work with the NSWRU to benefit junior rugby players, and rugby, in western Sydney?

Michael Hooper of the Wallabies (Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Sought for comment, a diplomatic Marinos said yesterday, “Rugby Australia (RA) is committed to furthering playing opportunities in Western Sydney and the Penrith area. The continued growth and sustainability of community rugby remains a priority and is a key consideration for a possible private equity event, to ensure we have funds available to stimulate and grow the game.”

“RA will continue to work with NSW Rugby Union and Sydney Rugby Union to identify appropriate pathways for junior and senior players in the area to develop the next generation of Wallaroos, Wallabies and Australian Sevens representatives,” he concluded.

While Marinos’ statement points towards a kind of medium-term solution – ‘after we’ve finalised a private equity deal and are cashed up, we’ll be able to pump some money back into the area’ – it also highlights a cold, hard truth.

Despite being the national body responsible for rugby, there’s sweet FA that Rugby Australia can actually do about this.

Late last week, the Gold Coast Bulletin ran a scathing front-page assault on Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in tandem with an open letter from Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, demanding Morrison facilitate an immediate end to the region’s lockdown.

As a small business owner with a perpetually locked down business in Melbourne’s CBD, I completely understand Mayor Tate’s frustration. But whatever one’s political leanings and view on Morrison, it is undeniable that state governments are constitutionally responsible for health policy and response during the pandemic. For better or for worse, lockdowns are their doing.

Similarly, the federated union and sub-union structure of Australian rugby ensures that Rugby Australia is responsible for, but has no actual influence or control over, decisions like this. For Morrison, read Marinos.

If the SRU chooses to go rogue and shut off half of Sydney because it doesn’t suit them; if the NSWRU is so inept and impotent to prevent it; Rugby Australia can do little but cop the anger and frustration from the rest of us who, despite knowing that they don’t have the authority, still want them to come in over the top and crack a few heads together.

With some historical justification, there is widespread distrust around the centralisation of power in Australian rugby. However, it is equally no solution for participants to hide behind a governance structure that allows for autonomy and power to reside in state and city unions, and to use that to so blatantly promote their own self-interest ahead of the greater good of the game.

This either cannot be fixed, or it can only be chipped away at, through painstaking constitutional reform. A constitutional review was undertaken last year and it is expected that once Rugby Australia’s preferred PE investor has been determined, and ticked this off, more will be known.

Even so, there is no magic solution to this predicament. Rugby in Australia suffers for as long as Western Sydney is shunned.

57-22 was a bad result for Australian rugby on Saturday. But there was some good among the bad. A few green shoots in amongst the scorched earth. Despite the hammering, there remains the promise of better days ahead.

I’m not sure the same can be said for junior rugby players from Penrith and surrounds, right now. And that’s a shocking indictment on Sydney, New South Wales and Australian rugby.