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OK, let’s just accept it. Watching the Wallabies is going to be like the dog sitting on the channel changer all the way to the Rugby World Cup.
One minute, we are watching the last calamitous days of Pompeii. The next, we’ve suddenly switched to some positive foundations being built by new faces on The Block.
For the most heavily invested, the nerves must be frayed after the rollercoaster of 2022 and the 5-9 win-loss ledger.
A crazy thing happened in Cardiff last weekend to brighten The Roar Report Card for the five-Test European Tour.
Make no mistake, when the Wallabies were down 34-13 to a mediocre Welsh side, the score could have blown out to 50 and a catastrophic mess.
No matter what the injury list, regardless of the silly penalties and ignoring the ragged periods of play, the Wallabies have heart. In 2022, they have always played with character to show coach Dave Rennie’s troupe has a worthy steel. You see it in their desperate try-line defence.
The rousing 26-0 rally over the final 23 minutes in Cardiff reshaped how the Wallabies can think of themselves going into the off-season.
Beating Scotland and Wales on tour and going close against world No.1 Ireland and France was a ledger anyone would have taken before the Wallabies squad flew out.
Losing to Italy quite rightly made them lepers in many minds, so clawing back a deal of respect with a hard-won result in Cardiff was essential.
So what did we make of the 36 players used on a tour where prop Sam Talakai became the newest Wallaby of a year where a record 51 wore gold?
The Wallabies are now on a five-Test sprint to the Rugby World Cup. “Best team only” has to be the selection credo from now on.
Here goes with our final Report Card of the year.
FULLBACKS
Tom Wright, Jock Campbell, Tom Banks, Andrew Kellaway
We are all on a dizzying merry-go-round with the No.15 jersey and we want to get off. Across five Tests, Banks, Campbell, Kellaway and Wright wore the jersey. This is an absolutely key position to get right when you think of the weapons other countries have at the back for the Rugby World Cup.
Banks was only able to play just over a hour on tour and missed a chance to nail the spot.
Campbell’s two touches in the try-of-the-tour for Lalakai Foketi against France were excellent as was his timing and speed to take his own try. He caught some high balls too. Less good were a few defensive slip-ups but it was a positive first run-on role against the World Cup favourites.
Campbell is David Campese’s pick for World Cup fullback. From my armchair, he’s got upsides as a specialist and he’s a good candidate, rather than a great one.
Jock Campbell in action during the Autumn Tour match between France and Australia. (Photo by Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
Wright has filled in a few times at fullback now. He was a big part of that Foketi try with his sideline run, as a winger. He’s positive and wants to attack. An upbeat year for him overall.
Fullback for 2023? Wide open. It will come down to the two players that Rennie most wants to complement Marika Koroibete in the back three.
WINGERS
Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway
Nawaqanitawase was the nine-out-of-10 discovery of the tour. You can now forget about any Test trials in 2023 for Suliasi Vunivalu. He’s missed the boat because he’s never shown the rugby savvy or hunger to get involved as much as Nawaqanitawase does.
The numbers tell you…13 strong gallops for 71m against Ireland and another eight against Wales when he broke tackles and was fuel for the fightback with two tries.
Petaia had his best Test for some time when he replaced the injured Hunter Paisami and played virtually the whole game error-free against Ireland.
It was an overdue reminder of his big assets…he chases to catch kick-offs, his running is deceptive and he scores key tries. He plays big for a smallish backline. Against Wales, a poor read in defence on the wing and a thumping 40m clearing kick were Petaia, the chameleon, again.
CENTRES
Len Ikitau, Lalakai Foketi, Hunter Paisami, Reece Hodge
Outside centre Ikitau has become the rock of the backline with bodies falling all around him. He contributes in every Test, whether it’s a thumping tackle on Bundee Aki against Ireland, the last pass for a Nawaqanitawase try against Wales or footwork to punch a hole in heavy traffic.
He played very solidly again with a busy tour role. Paisami has limited passing craft for inside centre but his hitting power and forceful style fits. Foketi made more of a mark because his try against France was the try of the tour, perhaps of the year for the Wallabies. It was a counter-attack that has often been lacking in 2022.
Utility Hodge’s penalty goal for the 29-25 lead in Paris would have been a career highlight but for Les Bleus snatching the result.
FLYHALVES
Bernard Foley, Noah Lolesio, Ben Donaldson
The Wallabies are counting the months until Quade Cooper can start jogging again. He’s the No.1 choice in the playmaker role for the World Cup but two able deputies are needed because how solid he’ll be on a repaired Achilles is so up in the air.
Foley had his moments on tour. His goalkicking was top-notch in Paris and he made two big tackles in his best display against the Irish in Dublin.
Rennie showed his hand on Lolesio. Only one starting Test on tour against Italy isn’t turning him into the frontline No.10. His hands were slick to set up two winger tries on tour.
Donaldson had the starting role against Wales for 57 minutes. He was solid enough, kicked a few points, put up the best kick-offs of the tour and even had to fill-in as halfback.
HALFBACKS
Nic White, Tate McDermott, Jake Gordon
There was a definite shift in the pecking order on tour. McDermott leapfrogged Gordon from the moment of his 20m ruckbase dart against Scotland. Gordon just hasn’t really translated his standout form for the Waratahs to Test level this year.
The sparkier McDermott made a difference too in the huge rally against Wales when he replaced Gordon, whose two yellow cards on tour earned a dunce’s hat. We’d all like McDermott’s pass to be purer but, on balance, his other big ticks need to be in the 23-man squad on Test days.
Australia A standout Ryan Lonergan doesn’t have the Test experience but he’s technically very sound, snaps a good pass and is breathing down Gordon’s neck.
Tate McDermott of Australia at the end of the Autumn International match between Italy and Australia at Stadio Artemio Franchi on November 12, 2022 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)
BACKROWERS
Langi Gleeson, Michael Hooper, Fraser McReight, Jed Holloway, Pete Samu, Rob Valetini
Holloway may have made a late start to his Test career but he’s played 10 Tests this year and earned himself a regular spot. He stole a lineout or two, was rock solid on gold throws and has found the rhythm of Test rugby. A few runs and link plays each game are staples of his at Super Rugby level and will make him a bigger weapon if he can bring them to Test rugby.
Flanker Hooper’s return to rugby produced a standout Test against the Irish with two steals and a counter-ruck for another turnover. The difference that has to turn the tide of Tests is immense and the Wallabies don’t get that in every Test when rivals often do.
Stan Sport commentator Tim Horan made one of the more eye-opening comments of the whole season when Pete Samu was having another of his influential bench cameos against Wales with a momentum-turning intercept which forced a yellow card when he was tripped. Horan opined that Samu should always be in the Wallabies’ starting backrow and Hooper from the bench might be a consideration in 2023.
Hooper and Samu have the jump on high-energy Fraser McReight at No.7, Valetini is a certain starter and rookie Langi Gleeson’s clubbing hit on Welsh fullback Josh Adams was a sign of bigger things to come from him.
LOCKS
Nick Frost, Ned Hanigan, Cadeyrn Neville, Matt Philip, Will Skelton, Darcy Swain
Nick Frost has made terrific progress this season and we saw more of it on this tour. Neville might have been the hero against Italy with his late try but it wasn’t to be. He’s a chops-and-potatoes lock who does the solid basics for you.
The lift that Will Skelton can give the Wallabies pack was finally seen. He played three Tests on tour but the moment Rennie will remember came late against Ireland. Skelton skittled four defenders with a strong run. It created a disjointed defensive line which the Wallabies turned into a Petaia try.
Skelton needs to get home for Tests in The Rugby Championship next year to maximise his value for the World Cup with more cohesion with his pack mates.
PROPS
Allan Alaalatoa, Matt Gibbon, Sam Talakai, Tom Robertson, Taniela Tupou, James Slipper
Taniela Tupou popping the French prop at the opening scrum in Paris was one of the pack’s highlights of the tour. Sadly, his blown Achilles has him on a tightrope to even make the World Cup.
Props of that influence are in short supply for the Wallabies.
Alalaatoa’s elevation to Wallabies skipper against Italy was a wonderful honour and a powerful example of what all players of Samoan heritage can aspire to in Australian rugby. He had a typically solid tour.
Slipper has assumed the mantle as Test skipper full-time it seems. His workrate as a prop hasn’t slackened after 127 Tests. He’s good for a strong hour so there’s still a key leadership role to always fill well for the final 20 minutes.
HOOKERS
Folau Fainga’a, Lachlan Lonergan, Dave Porecki
Lonergan took a huge leap forward in this competitive position with the quality of his 27 minutes off the bench against Wales. The precision of his crisp lineout throwing made a real difference. His scoot around the back of the lineout and inside pass to Nawaqanitawase for a key try only works with speed and accuracy.
The hustle for his own try and the final steal in a fine win crowded the highlights reel. Fainga’a’s crooked throw in the dying minutes against France was a miss that marked down his whole year while the Wallabies need to see Porecki start more often like he did so strongly against France.