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Wallabies’ fans are on an erratic rollercoaster and they want to change to something less taxing on the nerves like, say, downhill skiing with no helmet and fogged-up goggles.
It seems standard these days to thrill to occasional highs, lament ‘what-might-have-been’ Tests and cop a good belting in others. “Unacceptable” is another word.
The Rugby Championship has followed exactly that wild ride, so we thought it time for The Roar Report Card.
If you were a rugby fan returning from Mars and catching up on Wallabies’ news in the weeks following the exciting victories in Mendoza and Adelaide, you’d think Dave Rennie’s men were totally on the right track.
If you turned up after the losses in San Juan, Sydney and Auckland, you’d be seriously wondering about the state of the Wallabies, the serial ill-discipline and the costly errors.
If you arrived in the 79th minute of the pulsating nine-try Bledisloe Cup Test in Melbourne, you’d be upbeat that the Wallabies had made a rousing comeback, scored four good tries and were ready to celebrate a win for the ages over the All Blacks.
A minute later, French ref Mathieu Raynal made his stupefying call and the moment was ripped away by the All Blacks.
Such was the inconsistency of the Wallabies’ results that they won just two of six TRC games and dropped from No.6 to No.9 in the world rankings.
Sadly, that inconsistency is reflected in the fluctuating form of the 38 players the Wallabies used during an injury-buffeted TRC.
Here goes.
This still is a head-spinning, unresolved position with Kellaway the fifth player to start at fullback this season.
He produced one of the better No.15 displays for the Wallabies this season in the Test against the All Blacks in Melbourne with pace and timing for two strike back tries off Bernard Foley passes.
Wright played at fullback in Argentina but was found out in the ordinary 48-17 loss in San Juan when he just didn’t command the air. He was back to the wing where he had a fine game against South Africa in Adelaide and was much more assertive under the high ball in Sydney.
Hodge had two starts at fullback. He had a polished game against South Africa in Adelaide but the overriding feeling is always that he is a guy to plug gaps because of his versatility. The Wallabies will be going backwards if he ends up as World Cup fullback.
On TRC form, Kellaway is your fullback for the European tour although Tom Banks’ return for the Australia A tour in Japan brings him strongly into the reckoning.
Koroibete’s missile-like tackle to send Makazole Mapimpi into orbit to save the try in Adelaide was the highlight of the TRC.
It showed everything about him as a winger … desperation, hard work even without the ball and execution in big moments. Koroibete was again the standout on the wing, right from the first run of his busy Test in Mendoza.
He had an 8/10 TRC even without as much to do as he wanted. His excellent footwork finished a fine team try against the Boks which was the Wallabies at their very best in Adelaide.
Andrew Kellaway (Photo by Getty Images)
Against the All Blacks in Auckland, his chip ahead and regather showed another shade to his expanding skillset.
Wright had a fine winger’s game in Adelaide but he has a frustratingly inconsistent streak. Let’s not talk about the quick tap and kick-the-ball-away move in Auckland.
Jordan Petaia has been a big disappointment. His inconsistency as a player is the same issue the Wallabies are tortured by.
He can scoot over for a try in Mendoza yet drop a ball cold in Auckland. He should be a fixture as a starter yet we wait again for it to all click.
Outside centre Len Ikitau has been a rock-solid performer all season. He started all six TRC Tests at No.13 and deservedly has a lock on the position.
He was another strong factor in the Adelaide win over the Boks. He beat defenders, tackled well and keeps looking at home at the highest level.
Paisami made 10 strong carries as part of the physical win over the Boks in Adelaide. He had an injury-disrupted TRC but again showed his upsides.
Foketi was the centre who made most progress. He had an excellent game against the All Blacks in Melbourne and should have been feted as the hero of the Test when he got his hands on Kiwi ball to earn that late penalty at the tackle. Strong carries and a definite part to play in 2023 once his unfortunate shoulder injury comes right.
Only 46 minutes of Quade Cooper for the year. It was a tease. His neatly delayed pass to put Petaia over for the first try in Mendoza had us all craving more. He also made a positive long run in that Test. Sadly, the time frame on regaining fitness and confidence when his Achilles mends suggests that his running game may be muted on return. He’ll be more a passer-distributor.
It seems only one player has been jettisoned from coach Dave Rennie’s forward planning and that brutal call has been dealt to James O’Connor. Rennie was ruthless after O’Connor’s poor showing at No.10 among poor showings from many players in San Juan.
Bernard Foley of the Wallabies is tackled by Rieko Ioane. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
Rennie should have paired halfback Tate McDermott with O’Connor there for combination reasons – as he did later in the series when he paired Jake Gordon with Bernard Foley.
Lolesio is a conundrum. He’s a package deal flyhalf as in he comes in a pair with Nic White, who runs a lot of the playmaking off No.9 when they play together.
It clicked perfectly in Adelaide when Lolesio had a fine game a la his burst onto a James Slipper inside ball and try-making, backhanded pass to Fraser McReight.
He had limited outings in the TRC.
Foley’s recall at 33 was one that few saw coming. He got better and better in the Melbourne Test. A short pass, even if it was marginal, and a long ball set up two tries against the All Blacks. That moment at the end of the Test when Raynal pinged him for time-wasting when he was preparing to kick to touch was agony.
He was much less effective in Auckland as most No.10s are behind a beaten pack. He did make a shrewd early defensive play when the All Blacks had an attacking lineout. He advanced to the tail to tackle weapon Ardie Savea before he got any running momentum at all.
You have to see that Rennie is going to persevere with Foley-Lolesio as his No.10 options for the tour.
White’s first ruck base clearance was charged down in Mendoza. He rallied, hoofed two superb touch finders and was a calm head in a comeback win over Argentina. He had a mighty game in Adelaide when the Boks were beaten, including a try-saving tackle that felled Lood de Jager, who had a 40kg-plus size advantage. His long ball got the excellent Koroibete team try rolling.
He was less good in other games and the lobbed long balls of Auckland should be put away for good. He’s still the Wallabies’ No.1 halfback.
Gordon did some good things in Melbourne as starter but there is a strong case for Tate McDermott to play far more time in Europe than the meagre 46 minutes off the bench in nine Tests so far this year.
Valetini was immense and integral to many of the best Wallabies’ moments. His influential running dents every defence and he keeps producing. Only Pete Samu’s strong finish gave him any challenger to best gold forward during the six Tests of the TRC. Both were 8/10s in the TRC.
A typical Valetini charge set up the first Fraser McReight try in Adelaide. Valetini’s own urgent effort scored the first try when he took it to the All Blacks in Melbourne. He made more runs (11) and more tackles (12) that any Wallaby in Melbourne.
Wilson got his chance in his favourite position in Auckland. Spilling one ball, third pass off the ruck, in the opening 20 minutes was the sort of blemish he didn’t need.
The Australians needed to find a big answer for six Tests to fill the hole left at No.7 by Michael Hooper’s late withdrawal for personal reasons.
They were well served by both Fraser McReight and Pete Samu.
McReight had a terrific game in Adelaide and had two tries to show for the win over the Boks.
Samu was the player whose stocks rose most during the TRC. After serving four times off the bench, he made an impressive mark in Melbourne and Auckland against the All Blacks.
His running had venom, he contested and he still had the legs in the 72nd minute in Melbourne to shed Will Jordan and scoot for a key try. His stats line – eight carries, 74 running metres, as many defenders beaten (four) as Koroibete, seven tackles and more.
Pete Samu of the Wallabies. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
Holloway got a pretty intense first taste of Test rugby in the TRC. He won lineouts, rumbled ahead, picked one pass off his bootlaces in Argentina and worked away. The sense was the Wallabies just needed more of it. More workrate.
Leota has had an injury-disrupted year and the TRC was no different. There were glimpses when he started against the All Blacks before being forced off before half-time in Melbourne. A bustling Leota gallop is value. Just more of them please.
Darcy Swain was a starter in Argentina and a suspended lock looking in the mirror at himself by the end of the TRC. Two moments of poor discipline have cost cards and his team this year and he has to sort it out.
Philip had his best TRC outing in Adelaide when he was a physical factor when most needed against the South Africans.
Rory Arnold was less imposing than hoped in three Test starts. Just when he might have found sync with the pack, he was gone and missed the two Tests against the All Blacks.
Frost is learning. He’s going to be a good one. His deflection of a kick in Auckland was the second such effort act this season. This one produced a Test try.
Neville got back from injury in time to start in Auckland. He made plenty of tackles and won his lineouts. He’ll be better next start in Europe.
No Tupou against the All Blacks was a blow although less so because he wasn’t his influential self earlier in the TRC apart from his bench cameo in Mendoza. He has to refocus and bounce back from a pretty average 2022 so far.
Full credit to Slipper for stepping up as skipper. He saw the view from the top after that great inside pass to set up the Lolesio-McReight try move in the Adelaide win over South Africa.
He’ll be thinking he gave away far too many scrum penalties.
Alaalatoa always contributes a high workrate and was consistently racking up tackles.
Gibbon’s Test debut in Argentina has given him the hunger for more. Fa’amausili is yet to make one of those smashing charges he makes for the Melbourne Rebels but just getting his Test career started, after injury setbacks, is progress.
Bell was only sighted briefly so Europe will be his big stage.
Dave Porecki looks to have cemented the job as hooker. Good attention to detail in his first Test season and let’s hope he keeps improving.
Fainga’a has made strides. He has more punch and purpose to his running game and is not a one-trick pony around the rolling maul anymore. His go-forward was excellent in Mendoza and his two touches in his try in Auckland showed he can be impact from the bench too.
The Wallabies lineout only operated at 80 per cent efficiency during the TRC so throwers, jumpers and callers can still make a major improvement here.
Pollard’s 15 minutes of fame came with a late call-up to San Juan. He hit his first lineout target and made his first pass. It won’t be his last Test.
The less we hear about a Tolu Latu call-up the better. A waste of time and there is enough ill-discipline already without such a serial offender.