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Opinion
Being a Wallaby fan is a strenuous, unrewarding and occasionally surprising occupation. Surrounded by our consistently successful neighbours, the serene Springboks and the kindly Kiwis, us woeful Wallabies are always searching for a way to once again become the worshipped Wallabies as of old.
With The Rugby Championship over, and the spring tours looming in the distance, we have a moment of respite. I am sure I am one of many fans reflecting on our recent performance, and here I would like to share my musings on the Wallabies recent performance.
I’m sure many of you have experienced a game where everything goes well. I’d like you to ask yourself, “What does my team do right when we win?”
It feels like the whole 23 players are confident and all want to be dominant.
Now, I would like you to think back to the last time the Wallabies beat another team convincingly. For example, think back to last year, when we beat the Springboks two times in a row. It seemed that every player looked like they were playing with purpose and confidence. That was the best performance we’ve seen from the Wallabies in a long time.
Even though the Wallabies at the moment are ranked No.9 in the world, we know they have the physicality and the skillset to beat any team. However, these dominant games have become rarer, whilst mediocre performances are now the norm.
During this rugby-less period, I have pondered and scratched my head, trying to decipher what has caused the once magnificent Wallabies to deteriorate in such a way, and I would like to propose two main factors that have contributed to our demise.
Losing mentality
Our losing mentality can be defined as a lack of confidence and self-belief. So, what has led to this? It may be injury setbacks, or it may also be hateful comments from the media, but I believe it to be caused by a negative cycle the Wallabies are trapped in.
Sloppy performances shall win no games. Sloppy practice leads to sloppy match performance, further diminishing team morale, and hurting the players’ courage and self-belief. Players lacking a winning mentality produce even sloppier performances, further continuing down this cycle.
What can the Wallabies do to escape this cycle? Now is the perfect time to relax, reset, and start practising the basics, focusing on precision and execution, and try to escape this negative cycle into a positive cycle of good performance.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Losing game plan
For the past few years, there has been a recurring pattern for the Wallabies. We tend to choose one player to dominate and then rely completely on him. For example, we find a dominant ball-carrier in Rob Valentini, then the game plan becomes “Give the ball to Rob!”.
The same thing has happened with Taniela Tupou, Samu Kerevi, and now, Pete Samu. Defending the Wallabies’ attack becomes a simple matter of placing strong tacklers in front of our few ball runners. Since they are no longer able to provide forward ball, our game plan is no longer effective, forcing players to take drastic and ineffective measures.
The optimal situation would be many players demanding the ball, many players putting themselves into position to get the ball, which would provide our playmakers with a base to build a multi-dimension attack shape. With the “give the ball to Rob!” game plan, I’m afraid we shall never beat any disciplined team.
Any player’s performance will suffer when they are subjected to lots of negative pressure, but in the same way, many will thrive when backed with positive support and belief. That is why, as Wallaby fans, we must support Davie Rennie and the team, try not to be hateful on media, and support our beloved team in any way possible.
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.