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The thing about one-point Test losses is that most often they represent a gulf not a mere millimetre of difference between sides.
As gut-wrenching as the 30-29 loss to the French was in Paris on Sunday morning (AEDT), it summed up how big the next step still is for the Wallabies.
The margin from losing tight games to winning tight ones is always the biggest in sports.
When you lead the favourites for the 2023 Rugby World Cup by four points with just over five minutes to play, you must win that game.
Imagine how this 2022 season would have been transformed if the Wallabies had found matchwinning cool in the closing stages of the second or third Test against England, iced the final moments against the All Blacks in Melbourne and won big in Paris?
The Roar rugby experts Brett McKay, Harry Jones and Jim Tucker come together for another Instant Reaction from the Wallabies’ Spring Tour of Europe, a heartbreaking 30-29 loss to France in Paris
Dissect the final 15 minutes at Stade de France.
The crooked lineout throw of hooker Folau Fainga’a, the shanked kick by Rob Valetini, the missed tackles by both Tom Wright and Jock Campbell in the Damian Penaud try, the questionable call to replace playmaker Bernard Foley, the final ruck turnover when the ball wasn’t protected (again)…there are a bunch of moments you’d want over.
All diluted the value of the very good things in that period like the Michael Hooper-Foley tackle to jolt a knock-on when the French looked like scoring, Will Skelton’s maul disruption and the final scrum with a replacement front-row that forced a turnover of the ball in the final 60 seconds for a potential prayer play.
There were positives to seize on but being slaughtered with turnovers by the expert French thieves at the tackle-ruck area was not one.
(Photo by Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
I’d counted four or five until the broadcaster flashed a 7-0 stat on screen at the 54-minute mark. The Wallabies must find some forwards wanting to be tide-turners at the breakdown, quickly or else.
The positives were significant. The likes of centre Len Ikitau, lock Nick Frost, winger Tom Wright and fullback Jock Campbell all showed cool heads in their first experience of playing in France in front of a hostile crowd.
Until his missed tackle, Wright was very good. His pace down the left touchline made the superb Lalakai Foketi try, that and the excellent handling and passing on counter-attack by Foley, Ikitau, Jed Holloway and Campbell.
Coach Dave Rennie took the blame himself after the England series when saying the Wallabies didn’t do enough or risk enough in attacks off turnovers. He said that is his particular area of responsibility in attack.
It was great to see the Wallabies strike this way with a sweeping 95 metre gem to turn a French kick ahead into seven points of their own.
There were so few inroads made off set plays in this Test from the Wallabies that they need to keep sharpening this weapon of counter-attack to hurt opponents at the World Cup when tries will be just as hard to come by.
Campbell handled twice in that long-range try and showed real gas to score his own in the second half.
The new fullback soared high to diffuse a French kick. It was a solid 80 minutes as a Test starter but you do have to look at every area of his game.
Back in July, he was fended off in a try when playing for Australia A against Fiji. Again, he went too high with an ineffectual grab and paid a high try price. It’s a flaw, correct it. You can be smaller fullback when running the ball but you have to play big on defence by being smart.
Will Skelton did everything asked of him. He was powerful, he influenced French decisions, he played with maturity for 27 minutes and he was disciplined.
What an asset. He’ll start the next two Tests against Italy and Ireland. Pair him with big improver Frost in the second-row.
There was a moment around the hour mark of the Test when Skelton, Rob Valetini and Taniela Tupou made short, bludgeoning runs in quick succession. It was a joy to see and a penalty and three points was quickly earned.
Tupou really stood up from the very first scrum shunt and went beyond 70 minutes. That’s his best Test this year.
There were more plusses and minuses but they all add up to the same thing I have been saying about the Wallabies since the start of 2022.
They will be one of the most dangerous sides at next year’s World Cup because they are capable of knocking off any side in the world in a cut-throat quarter-final.
Win three big sudden-death finals matches in a row to win the tournament? No chance. There’s not yet the consistency or the clinical final 10 minutes in the side to have that confidence.
They can still find those essential traits. There is still so much to play for against Italy, Ireland and Wales on this tour that can be of huge benefit heading into 2023.