And so to Brisbane and Boks II: Revenge of The Boks, who surely can’t be beaten again, can they?
They are of course world champions while the Wallabies were recently ranked the seventh best international rugby team on the World Rugby standings.
And yet, who will win, nobody knows, not for sure. The weight of betting money leans to South Africa. But the Wallabies, our dear sweet Wallabies, for reasons I don’t absolutely understand but readily accept, don’t have the same mental thing playing South Africa as they do playing New Zealand.
And that’s what it is: a thing. It’s just one of those things. One of those things that just are.
Anyway.
The rolling maul is a thing, too, and there are calls from well meaning people to outlaw it.
I am not one of those people. I like it. I’m not touching the rolling maul. I think it’s a pure and good part of the game, a skilful, manifold organism that’s a link with the game’s origins when the populations of entire villages in England wrestled one another to move a bit of pigskin from one pub to another, or something, whatever those hundreds of mad bastards do on the telly when they’re not charging down hills after tumbling wheels of cheese.
Anyway, I like the rolling maul. They could maybe tweak the laws such that if you’re not going forward then the ball is given to the other team for a free kick. Give the defending maul a reward for fighting it. Use it or lose it, as they say.
Because if we remove the maggoty old rolling maul the game’s another step closer to… don’t say it out loud… rugby league.
Which brings us completely free of segue to Tate McDermott.
(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
Tate McDermott has been picked on the bench for Saturday’s Test match. And I would like to say: What? Hello? No! David Rennie, what have you done?
Now, look, Dave. Dave-o: I like Nic White. Like him a lot. Like him more and more.
But no! You start Tate McDermott! You want to reward the players who took down South Africa last weekend?
Tate McDermott was one of them! Start him!
Dave-o! Answer me, you madman!
Or don’t and give the nine to Mr White for was it not him that pilfered the pill and won a penalty at the very death that Quade Cooper – Quade Cooper! – banged over from 45 metres out to win the Test match last Sunday night?
It was indeed. And it begat the cracking vision of kneeling Taniela Tupou, who looked to the heavens while everyone else was leaping on Quade Cooper (Quade Cooper!).
For there was our Tongan Thor – who’d just played the mother of all parts in the mother of all scrums that pushed the Springboks’ heads up their very jacksies – having a brief moment to himself as the win washed over him.
Very cool indeed.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
It was a bit like Michael Foley, who was on the bench when John Eales won the Bledisloe Cup with a penalty goal in 2001. But Foley looked bloody miserable. They asked him about it later and he said it was just relief. All the built-up angst falling off him. He was so happy not to be sad he looked miserable.
That’s happy when the joy is so intense that you look bloody miserable.
Anyway. It was great stuff. We can watch these people go around so often that we can see them only as professionals, as muscle-bound automatons, as actors in our weekly entertainments. But they are but men and they feel and they love and they hurt. And some of them, true story, give less of a shit.
It’s a rich tapestry.
And good luck to them.
And good luck to our Wallabies, too, because I fear they will need a bit on Saturday night in Brisbane because the Springboks – and do please channel your best Tony Greig – are smart and hard and fast bastards, and proud people who are led by a top man.
I do love their skipper, Siya Kilosi. Cracker of a player. Real presence about him. And his heartfelt quotes following the loss to the Wallabies, he’s clearly a good man.
“They took every opportunity they were given, so well done to them,” Kolisi said. “They always pitch up when we play them, and it’s always difficult to play them here.”
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Maybe it’s like having your tummy rubbed. But he’s clearly a good fellah and one to be proud of, both in South Africa and in rugby.
But his team are big bunch of bores.
Not Boers. Not boors. Bores. In that they play boring rugby.
Did you know “the Springboks made just 54 passes in their 28-26 Rugby Championship loss on the Gold Coast last Sunday, compared to Australia’s 129”, according to rugby statistician Russ Petty, who was quoted by AAP?
In a game that lasts 4800 seconds, there were only 54 passes?
It doesn’t sound possible. How does the ball get from the halfback to the back line if not passed a time or two?
It is hard to argue that the game plan hasn’t been effective, of course, given they beat the British and Irish Lions and won the Rugby World Cup.
(Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
But y’know, I’ve found myself nodding along to Clive Woodward who declared that “positive, imaginative, attacking rugby is the way forward generally”.
“I looked on in horror last weekend at the sheer poverty and boredom from the South Africa team against Australia. Rugby was not — and is not — meant to be played like that and I’m just pleased Australia won,” Woodward wrote.
I particularly liked this bit: “The ball must always be your friend, not a ticking time bomb. What is the point of neutralising your best players, kicking the leather off the ball all day?
“I’d love to sit down with the South Africa team and ask them, ‘Do you really enjoy playing this way?’”
It beats losing, I would suggest. And they don’t tend to do a lot of that.
And thus, Saturday night in Bris Vegas looms large for South Africa indeed.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I know he wants to go and maybe he could not start every game. Having said that, if you know your best team, then you should play it. Japan has been a turning point for Quade and it is clear he is happy and grateful. When you are on a good thing stick to it. Why impact your Japanese team for no apparent reason? I think he has proven to me that he will have no trouble quickly adjusting back for the Wallabies next year.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I don't disagree re White but struggle with your assessment of the other two. I like the attributes of Aaron Smith as above, and both Genia and Gregan fell a long way short over a large part of their careers. Gregan was past his best before the 2003 RWC and Genia well before 2015, apart from his outstanding 2017 international season just after returning from Europe. A testament to the failure of Australian rugby to develop players ready to challenge for SR and Wallaby honours.
PeterK
Roar Guru
he does want to go on the eoyt and it would be better if he could go. Doesn't mean he has to start every game
Tim J
Roar Rookie
In NZ the half back is considered as important as the number 10, in some ways more so. They are expected to do more than just link up play, Genia was a prime example of a good number 9 in NZ. Australia needs another Genia, someone with vision, foresight and knowing when to snipe. Also a nine who is good on defence, knows his team mates inside out. White is a good player but needs to run more to keep the defence guessing. He is however solid and reliable and has the heart of a lion. Gregan is another that stood out, IMO better than Genia. He was a well rounded player and linked the forwards with the backs brilliantly, you saw the team listening to him bark out orders. Bottom line is the Wallabies need a half back in the mould of Gregan and Genia.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Honestly believe that this is the best thing for QC and Australian rugby. Why turn your back on something that worked after ten years of failing, and go back into the environment you failed in. He will be fine coming back from Japan for 2022 and 2023. Not going on the EOYT allows more options to be tried and also everything the young backs have learned from training and playing with him can then be put into practice without him there.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Saw it on TV though, some vote on some rugby show. Won't mention where when and who, the last thing I need is an argument over something I know nothing about. On the other hand the premise is probably the same, a bit unfair comparing any current Australian half to Smith. It is what we should be aspiring to though. The elapsed time to deliver the ball to the first receiver is: Time ball is available but 9 not there yet + time to lift the ball + backswing + speed of pass - lost time for receiver to reach or bend to catch ball - pause to catch due to ball passed at or behind receiver Smith rates pretty well but it appears that most professional halves in Australia don't appreciate the first factor and may only become interested in starting to practice the rest once they have signed a contract.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
That is very much the case and one of the problems with no detailed forward planning and vision. There is nothing to measure success or failure against, and no way of knowing whether the plan is working or not, and needs to be abandoned or tweaked. If it works then the credit is eagerly taken by whoever can be easily associated with responsibility. Those Waratah sides were pretty handy, losing two finals to the Crusaders. When your wings are Sailor and Tuquiri, not being able to move the ball to them across a backline is criminal incompetence. Those support guys at the Reds should be on a pathway in other franchises building their skills and challenging them. RA needs to have control over all professional rugby, but only after we get some accountability and rugby nous in there. One of the big questions over Rennie is that his success might have been based on Wayne Smith. However, against that, I would say that was a pretty well executed game plan yesterday. Built on our strengths and managed our weaknesses well.
sheek
Roar Guru
Fats, PeterK is a Wallaby supporter & qualified rugby ref. I would listen to anything he says about rugby laws.
Double Agent
Guest
That's an understatement!!! :laughing:
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
A famous Wallaby who became a coach said wingers had only two purposes - 1. To finish tries, and 2. To attract girls back to clubhouse for the forwards to crack onto.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
This hasn’t aged well Tooly.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
And right you were Jacko
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Winning is not boring… but being number 1, playing boring rugby and loosing to the 7Th ranked team in the world back to back must hurt a little.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
With regards to mauls, I can't agree with being allowed to sack a maul as you certainly can't sack a scrum. WR says a maul is similar to a scrum but holding the ball, well that be true but there are many difference between a scrum and a maul. I can't see many changes to the defence of a maul but I can see lots of changes to make a maul more contestable which thus makes a maul more even. Having said what is below, there is nothing wrong with seeing a huge pack power forward pushing a defending pack on their butts; note the key words are a PACK going FORWARD. So I suggest a couple of changes to the Laws of the maul: (i) A hooker, or prop or anyone in fact is not allowed to leave a scrum until it is finished so why can people move in and out of mauls? I would like a simple change to the Law that the maul is only a maul while the original ball carrier when the maul was formed is still there. This instantly kills off most maul pods breaking off with the ball off the back or side (truck n trailers et al) which is a real pain for mine. I have read also that WR wants to change the maul Laws such as backs cannot join a maul once called; that seems simplistic and leads to all sorts of problems. Wouldn't it be easier to simply say a maul can have no more than 8 people from each team. (ii) A maul can ONLY go forwards with no sideways movement. Many tries at present are the attacking maul group pushes or twists the maul one way then often the other way at angles approaching 45°. This should be stopped, you cannot turn a scrum so why should you be able to turn a maul. As soon as the maul changes angle then the referee calls "maul over". This is really just an clarification of Law 16:3 which states "Once formed, a maul must move towards a goal line". Short arm penalty if the attacking team continues sideways progression. (iii) As soon as a maul stops moving forward, it has 2 seconds to restart forward or it is called over and a scrum to defending team. Bu99er 5 seconds, way too long. The remaining maul laws are fine. Its just annoying that teams with dominant packs all revert to penalty-LO-maul bore-fest and if WR are serious about opening the game then this would change the thinking. For people moaning these changes would be the end of mauls, then from what I remember of last Sunday's match against the SB it wouldn't change the 3 maul tries as all were scored off a dominant pack thrusting forward. But many other teams (including Australia and Sth Africa) score lots by twisting and turning the maul to mess up the defenders then a pod breaks off and charges with the bleeding ball carrier protected at the back as if it was still a maul. Now this is a ridiculous obstruction and should be stopped. Add that it would be would be nice to ensure referees and linespersons were more aware of maul attackers falling on the ground to get a "collapse penalty" against the defenders. :silly:
K.F.T.D.
Roar Rookie
You are are a Carnt
sheek
Roar Guru
Perthstayer/mzilikazi, Sorry, the law is an ass. The entire point of the loosehead is to have the attacking hooker closer to the ball feed. The reason why the loosehead is usually slightly taller than the tighthead is because it's his job to lift his opposite up, even if ever so slightly. Feed the ball dead centre in the middle.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
That should get some reactions. As for stats, Quade’s 7 penalty kicks for goal on their own took 6-7 minutes off the clock. Time to make a cuppa tea, I suppose. Not many pointed to the fact, that despite playing more with ball in hand and probably playing better than the Boks apart from rolling mauls, Aus would have lost if Quade hadn’t been perfect off the kicking tee, i.e. 19 out of 20 times for most kickers? Rolling mauls are at least a good piece of constructive teamwork, unlike scrums which have become mainly a platform for milking penalties.
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
There is a common theme when McKenzie was the Qld Reds coach and now Brad Thorn. Muglair you correctly identified talent. I think both coaches came on the scene at the right time for the Reds just oozing young talent coming through. But there is also another theme which I feel gets down played. The assistant coach’s of McKenzie and Thorn are pretty much the same Jim McKay Michael Todd Cam Lillicrap. Ewen would have accessed Alek Evan as well. Not a bad line up. If the Wallabies are going to pick another coaching team, dead set it has to be these guys McKay Todd and Lillicrap. If Dan McKellar gets the gig and he brings in Lord Laurie Fisher I would not say no. However if it’s not Lord it has to be these guys. Two super rugby trophies under there belts they deserve a crack - really rate this combo.
Tim J
Roar Rookie
Nick Far Jones will have to be considered as the best number 9 for the Wallabies, at least in the modern era. His vision and passing was second nature. His understanding with Lynagh was the same as Cooper and Genia
Tim J
Roar Rookie
A player who played less tests but was the best Half back in history at the time was Sid Going, different eras makes it tough to judge But Sid was always taking on the defence, he changed how number 9s played the game.