Samu Kerevi said it best a couple of years back, with his memorable promise to “learn the learnings”, and – after a 2021 season that delivered plenty of lessons – it’s time for the Wallabies to do the same.
The Test season kicked off with a thrilling, close-fought series against a French team at a similarly early stage in its development.
A deflating Bledisloe ‘blackwash’ followed, before a surprise turn of fortune and form propelled the Wallabies to four Rugby Championship wins on the trot.
Finally, just as supporters were daring to dream, a poorly planned Spring Tour saw the Wallabies given a Euro-style kick in the rump.
So what should we take away from the year that was?
1. True 10s are worth their weight in gold
The restoration of Quade Cooper during the Rugby Championship reminded us what a real playmaking game-manager looks like.
The maverick five-eighth has always had talent to burn but the years have brought greater maturity and a willingness to serve the team rather than star in it.
His instincts and experience in the position – the ability to call the shots, to see and create space, and to make (mostly) the right decisions – put him clearly ahead of the promising Noah Lolesio and utility James O’Connor.
Australian rugby has enjoyed a wealth of gifted five-eighths, from Mark Ella to Michael Lynagh to Stephen Larkham, each conveniently arriving as his predecessor was departing, or soon after. Cooper and Bernard Foley (for all the partisan commentary) have both made significant contributions and Cooper’s five winning performances for the Wallabies in 2021 revived a Test career that most thought had drifted to a disappointing conclusion in 2017.
At 33, however, Cooper is not a long-term option and while a major role at the 2023 Rugby World Cup is conceivable, succession planning demands that we identify and develop his heir-apparent without delay.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, a generation was lost and those who should now be in their prime never reached it for one reason or another. The good news is that all five Australian Super Rugby sides have youthful five-eighths lining up to make an impression.
Of the young guns, the Brumbies’ Lolesio (under the tutelage of Larkham from 2023) is the front-runner but does he genuinely have the instincts and authority to direct the Wallabies against top opposition?
In 2022, all eyes will be on the Rebels’ Carter Gordon, along with Waratahs trio Will Harrison, Ben Donaldson and Tane Edmed, plus teens Reesjan Pasitoa and Tom Lynagh should they get opportunities at the Force and Reds, respectively.
Who will rise above the crowd? Both Donaldson and Gordon caught the eye this year but, whoever it is, a chosen one must announce himself. The Wallabies’ long-term success depends on it.
2. Unleash the intensity
Former Test captain Nick Farr-Jones used to say that if the Wallabies played with urgency and enthusiasm, the scoreboard would look after itself. The message is as relevant today as it was in amateur times, and certainly the Wallabies’ best game of 2021 – the second Test against the Springboks in Brisbane – was notable for the intensity of the men in gold.
The slow starts of the French series and Bledisloe black-spots were nowhere to be seen. In fact, at the death and with the game already won, the team defended as though their very honour was at stake. A series of turnovers and a defensive maul driven powerfully over the sideline were celebrated as fiercely as the team’s four tries.
Intensity isn’t a quality that can simply be summoned at will, or conjured by the genius of a single x-factor player. It’s a product of a connected, cohesive team, in which each player understands his role and is committed to giving it full focus for as long as he’s on the field. Trust and resilience are crucial.
In the second Bledisloe, the Wallabies were hot on the heels of the 14-man All Blacks when they lost an attacking lineout deep in Kiwi territory. A moment that should have turned the game in favour of Australia fizzled but it needn’t have if Australia had simply doubled down and maintained their intensity.
Two of the Aussies’ more impressive games in 2021 came after – and perhaps as a result of – losing players to red cards. Down to 14 men for the majority of both the third Test against France and the final match of the season against Wales, the team pulled together magnificently, albeit without the composure to close out the latter after they’d pulled ahead.
There’s a positive lesson to take here: when the Wallabies can find and maintain their intensity, they’re hard to beat.
Australia’s Rob Valetini (left) tackles Wales’ Adam Beard, resulting a red card (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)
3. Demonstrate discipline on and off the field
Coach Dave Rennie may be regretting asking the Wallabies to find their dark side early in the season. Whatever he meant, the team interpreted it as pushing the boundaries of the laws and the limits of referee patience.
Some of the worst calls against them were later publicly or privately overturned, including Marika Koroibete’s red card and Allan Ala’alatoa’s yellow. Regardless, the team now has a reputation for ill-discipline that means they’re not getting the benefit of the doubt.
Sometimes, referees seem to penalise them purely on suspicion of wrongdoing. As much as a dynamic sport allows, the Wallabies need to become the choirboys of rugby and Nic White should let his rugby, not his mouth, do the talking.
Of course, poor discipline begins way before the team reaches the field. It was in Michael Cheika’s second full year, 2016, that squad selections started to drift off the rails, followed progressively by everything else.
Squeezed by Australia’s limited playing resources and the need to win, has Rennie fallen into the same trap of trialling player after player in search of the Holy Grail and becoming muddled in the process?
The Spring tour was marked by confusion and chaos. Regular squad members were left at home or ignored while players contracted to Japanese clubs opted out at the last moment. Meanwhile, Europe-based players were thrown a gold jersey a day after joining the squad, including international man of mystery Ollie Hoskins, a player so under the radar that many of us had to google him.
Despite the players’ fortitude, results reflected inadequacies in squad selection and, not surprisingly, a lack of cohesion. A Spring tour is a challenging undertaking without inviting drama by not taking a reserve openside flanker, for example, or a back-up tighthead prop. Whatever one’s views on eligibility, many supporters who view the gold jersey as sacred would also be uneasy at using Test matches to trial players and combinations.
By the end of the tour, Rennie’s frustrations erupted in a somewhat Cheika-esque critique of refereeing inconsistencies.
On reflection, though, he’ll surely acknowledge that there’s a lesson to be learnt about the relationship between settled teams and disciplined teams.
So, there we are – three lessons to take into 2022. Will the Wallabies learn the learnings of an alternately exciting and exasperating year? If they do, the future stands to be as bright as their jerseys.
Hooter
Roar Rookie
To clarify, Bergamasco was an excellent 7, really bad 9.
Hooter
Roar Rookie
I watched this clip there is stuff I agree with and stuff I don't. On the don't side, the Welsh high shots occur 100 times in any game of rugby, Valetini's red card (under the current guidelines) is a red any day of the week. On the do side, 999/1000 the Welsh knockdown comes back as a penalty or at least a scrum, unlike Beale he played at the ball deliberately, even Nigel Owens agrees. The referee did not apply the laws consistently (sealing off) and even seemed to forget or disregard others. For me the referee looked belligerent when dealing with Australia at all times. There was no dialog between him and the players. The best referees get the respect of the players through communications and consistency not blowing the pea out of the whistle.
Hooter
Roar Rookie
Kinda agree, kinda don't. On the rugby pitch (and in American Football) there is a playmaker (two in rugby the 9 and the 10). If the playmaker is not up to scratch then the team will struggle as an example the time the Italians played the excellent Marco Bergamasco at 9. Where I do agree is that the players around the playmakers have to do their jobs, forwards winning pill at set piece and securing the breakdown and the backs providing running options. I agree that we need another playmaker, not a talented journeyman centre converted to 10. For me O'Connor (and Beale for that matter) is a bit like Anthony Mundine when he played in the NRL, very talented and could create opportunities... for himself. He struggled to make opportunities for others, he could see a hole and run into it but could not manipulate a defence and put others into holes (like Lewis, Fitler, Daley, Johns etc). BTW, not picking on you JC just finding the dialog interesting.
JC
Roar Rookie
That’s probably why he was initially omitted from the Spring Tour — so he could put on some muscle and develop physically. He’ll need to have an impressive 2022 Super season with all the competition around.
Stu
Roar Rookie
Do you think the diminutive Lolesio can defend well enough at Test level though? There’s not much to him, and he got easily swatted aside quite a few times this season.
Klutz
Roar Rookie
And then there’s Fardy and Pocock. And Joe Timani, who just kept on scoring tries until Cheika kicked him. Hooper was “good” back then; Pocock was world player of the year. Hooper needed a couple of years; Pocock didn’t.
Klutz
Roar Rookie
Banks for mine, and given half a sniff he scores. Hodge is great when in space, big and fast, but Banks is not small or slow and creates space
JC
Roar Rookie
There’s a lot here, KC, and I certainly don’t disagree about the importance of a clear system, or that Cooper is a superior playmaker — and might have been a better option in 2019 between Genia/White and Kerevi. Leali’ifano and Foley both do better with a second distributor at 12, but they’re also very much team men, which might have been a consideration for a high-pressure RWC. We certainly did miss Fardy at 6, although whether or not he still would have been the player he was in 2015 we’ll never know.
Hooter
Roar Rookie
We will never know....
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ I remember the precise moment he lost his seat on the plane —” I remember that moment too JC, And it was not the moment the decision was made. It was the moment that the excuse was delivered. Quade, even in his flaky years, was always a more rounded playmaker than Bernard. Foley was a sneaky and capable competitor when the chips were down, and he had a ‘loyal’ (myopic) coach in his corner, who failed to see the highway past his ‘my way’. What the Wallabies needed for the playmaking system then (as now) was a forward platform (and especially at 6) providing a crucial stage for flair to dance. And Cooper was always the Nureyev to Foley’s disco. Foley was good but his initial jackpot was Jackpot building the stage. Cheika and Foley went down together, with some blessed interruptions, for 5 confounding years. What would a grown up coach do? Only now are we beginning to get an answer. But to your point regarding astute ‘selection’. To be fair, it was never just about selection. Any selection was always in need of ‘intention’ as well. Rennie managed Quade and Kerevi well. The on boarding process ensured that the ball player/runner machine was tuned to optimum effect. An ideal team is always greater than the mere sum of its parts. I have been in Quade’s corner for a very long time, despite being aware of his limitations. But not just because of skill differentials. The thing missing from the Foley/Cooper debate was always context. Which one ‘enables’ play best from a solid forward platform? And for five years we had only spasmodic play enabling, and only intermittent solidity in our forward platform. I missed Fardy along with Cooper. And Cheika is yet to explain his logic on either.
JC
Roar Rookie
Maybe not, Mo. But the point is that emerging 10s have often been poorly served by Super Rugby coaches. Mac Mason was another, at the Tahs.
JC
Roar Rookie
Fair points, Muddy — although the Wallabies didn’t do so well with Kerevi but no Cooper in Bled 3. True, there would have been a lack of connection with Lolesio that would improve over time but it’s the complimentary skill-sets that make Cooper/Kerevi so effective, and their experience, of course.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Mo, Foley played well and often. But he was never a well rounded test playmaker, which was the job that needed filling. Brave, earnest, skilful. Deserved to be in the 23. But……I will leave it at that.
Mo
Guest
Jakes not a test 10
Mo
Guest
Foley played well when trusted to defend at 10. Coach and system the problem. Better coach could work around his limitations. If he defended in the line then everything functions better. Buggered up speight and rona.
Mo
Guest
Hoskins was WA bred. Great story good gym rat. Good super level th for the force. Fit enough strong enough just not quite good enough. Good on him he won’t quit on you
Mo
Guest
Hodge has a nose for the try line a lovely big boot back there and is a test animal who has the skills to play 10 badly so he has the tools for 15. He was actually a test quality winger just not a good one
Muddy
Roar Rookie
Lessons learned. Quads looked great with Kerevi but not without him, evidence see the Japan game. Cooper is now slow and isn’t at attacking threat. Reads the game well. Noah Lolesio was good against France but needs more experience in directing the backs around him at international level. Has skills and genuine speed. Another super season against Kiwi teams will make him first choice fly half. O’Connor on northern tour was poor. Poor choices and execution. Often out if position not ready for the next play. That’s what I learned I think the coaches too. utility James O’Connor.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
I don’t mind that too much as long as it doesn’t reduce the referees status as neutral. There’s a couple of teams here in Sydney I’ve referred a few times and had drinks with after the match and when we catch up pre game it’s friendly. Once the whistle goes thigh it’s back to business
JC
Roar Rookie
I’d settle for consistently good if we can’t have world class. Keep in mind Phil Kearns’ nickname was lightning, yet somehow the Wallabies won two world cups with him in the team!