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The Wallabies celebrated their tour-ending win against Wales with burgers and beers in the dressing sheds as they got a chance to reflect on a year that was more mince meat than prime rib.
At least the insane comeback victory from 21 points down – capped by unlikely hero Lachie Lonergan summing up how B team the Wallabies were by the end of a torrid season – helped avoid the worst season since 1958.
And for the bottom line of nine losses and five wins from 14 games, there were enough mitigating factors to suggest this season could have been so much better. One-point losses to France and Italy and that horrible night in Melbourne – this year could have been so much better for a team ravaged by more than 40 injuries including some big ‘uns – four Achilles ruptures and Samu Kerevi’s ACL.
In the end a seriously understrength battalion raised itself for one last hurrah and, thanks as much to Wales’ second half brain explosion as their own excellence, sent 2022 off with a bang.
“It was important because now introduced young future Wallabies into a winning Wallaby environment away in a hostile stadium,” said former Wallaby Justin Harrison on Stan Sort.
“It’s noisy, it’s confronting. The length of the tour was confronting. To finish with a winning environment for those young players, that’s something that you take forward. Winning games like that gives supporters bragging rights but it also gives players an environment that has a winning habit rather than a losing environment.”
Jim Tucker, talking on The Roar Instant Reaction podcast, called it a “magnificent performance”.
“Through all the ups and downs of this year there is great heart in the Wallabies and they never give up,” said Tucker.
“Dave Rennie has always anchored much of what has been built in his team around that and that came through along with some really quality performances.
“That was a quality performance and rescued the tour. To come home 1-4 would have been a disaster. To win like that in the final Test of the year and to come home with a 2-3 record and know that they should have beaten Italy, there’s hope definitely for 2023.”
So who starred and who struggled in the Wallabies’ 39-34 win at Principality Stadium?
The incredible rise of Waratahs winger Mark Nawaqanitawase has been well documented but he seems to be stuck in fast forward.
“He has surely impressed all of us. Remembering also only two weeks ago he debuted for the Wallabies and to see his performance tonight is an indication of what we can expect of him,” said Wallaroos’ Sera Naiqama on Stan Sport.
“I sit here today so in awe of his journey, his growth, but also so excited for what’s coming.”
Wallabies World Cup winner Tim Horan said Nawaqanitawase was powering in his early Wallabies Tests.
“The big thing now for Mark is that he feels he belongs in a gold jersey. That usually takes probably five or 10 Test matches – he’s done it in two or three,” said Horan.
“The big challenge for Mark now is to go back to the Waratahs, take what he’s learned from this tour and actually step up again because that second year syndrome is very difficult in a gold jersey. Players start to look at videos start to analyse what your weaknesses are, what your strengths are. So he’ll be marked harder next year, but it’s a good opportunity for him to grow.”
(Photo by Huw Fairclough/Getty Images)
Harrison has been impressed by Marky Mark’s physicality.
“He’s a big unit. You look at some of the most successful Wallaby backlines – Stirling Mortlock, Joe Roff – these are big units.”
Harry Jones, speaking on the Instant Reaction podcast, also praised Nawaqanitawase: “He was very good in the air. He actually did some ruck cleaning. He got over the ball. He understood space really well. He outplayed all the outside backs of Wales and that was important.”
Len Ikitau has been one of the Wallabies’ most-used players this season. Apart from missing one Test against England and starting on the bench in another, he has been an ever present in the starting XV.
“He might even be a shout-out for the John Eales Medal because he has just been so consistent this year,” said Brett McKay on the Instant Reaction podcast.
“On this tour, particularly he’s just got better and better with each game. He was often the spark that found the outside backs. His defence was great. I feel like he’s had a fantastic tour to finish.”
Len Ikitau of Australia is tackled by Jack Crowley, left, and Tadhg Furlong of Ireland during the Bank of Ireland Nations Series match between Ireland and Australia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Tucker added: “If you look at the team that Australia didn’t put on the field, You could almost say that Len Ikitau as the one first stringer on the field.”
Australia got good value from their bench against Wales with Rennie reacting early – with several key changes well before the hour mark.
One of those saw Lonergan replace Folau Fainga’a and the Brumbies hooker played a defining role in the Test.
He bobbed up for the go-ahead try with 90 seconds to play then thought he’d blown the game when he gave away a penalty that helped Wales go within metres of snatching the win. But Lonergan wasn’t done, emerging with a crucial steal and then pumping the ball into the stands.
“Lachie Lonegan – what a difference, wow, someone who nails it on his line out throws,” said Tucker. “Suddenly everything looks so much better. The throw he snapped in there to set up the lineout-based try was an absolute cracker.
“He swept around the back a really crisp inside ball – that was a quality lineout play and that came from a really good line out throw. He had such an impact and nailed the essentials of the game.”
Nick Frost added to his impressive body of work in 2022.
“You look for consistency and especially in a long campaign which obviously a World Cup is and this northern hemisphere tour has been,” said former Wallaby second rower Harrison.
“For me, Nick Frost has come through and developed into a first-pick second rower in international rugby. He’s a big frame, he’s athletic and he’s strong in all of the things that you need as a tight forward – kick receipt, defensive line outs, tackle success, making breakdowns, which means aerobic capacity and athleticism to perform in uncomfortable positions.
“He’s got a 98% tackle success, three lineouts steals, 39 tackles, 18 carries. All of these numbers mean that he’s a hard-working tight forward and he’s also unnoticeable as much as he is noticeable at set piece and that is a very good component for the Wallabies.”
Harry Jones agreed: “Even though I think Alun Wyn Jones was the best lock on the field, I think Nick Frost did play well. So I’ll say his stock continues to rise because he’s up against one of the greats.”
While Fraser McReight was far from the worst player on the paddock, Jim Tucker gave his stock falling to the Queensland backrower, “mainly because of Pete Samu, whose exceptional rise this year has really made an impact.”
“You cannot underestimate how important it was, his energy to grab that intercept. When you put pressure on another team, it was just a careless little trip but it became a yellow card against the Welsh.
“And that’s part of a turning point where you get an impactful player who’s really hustling and Pete Samu has done that.
“I don’t think anyone should overlook Tim Horan in commentary throwing in that delicate comment that maybe Pete Samu has to be in every starting back row for the Wallabies in 2023 and maybe consider Michael Hooper off the bench.
“Tim Horan never says anything without contemplating it deeply. So that’s a real comment of substance from Tim Horan and something people higher up the chain have got to think about, because Samu is an out-and-out starter.”
A more obvious choice for a stock falling would be No.9 Jake Gordon, who conceded another careless yellow card.
“If it wasn’t offside, he probably could have been pinged for the deliberate knockdown anyway,” said Brett McKay.
“In that situation, on the line, where they’d already given up a couple of penalties and then he gives away the second yellow card in two Tests. It’s really, really dumb play.
“I think the third scrum spot is wide open. I think it’s wide open for a Ryan Lonergan, and Kalani Thomas up in Queensland for Issak Fines-Leleiwasa in the west as well.
“If any of those guys have a storming year next year, they can absolutely put themselves into World Cup contention because of stupidity, like what Jake Gordon showed tonight again.”
Harry Jones added: “I think it’s strange. As a club player, as a captain, he was instrumental in the Waratahs’ turnaround.
“So you have to believe that at the club level he’s a smart player, but it seems to vacate him at the Test level right now. He’s doing too much, he plays hero ball. The quick tap thing, running down blind alleys. In Test rugby there’s very few times where quick taps make sense, but it’s certainly not down the middle.”