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Another week on and the Wallabies walk away from another field of battle lost. The hiding at the hands of the All Blacks at the MCG stings more because in periods the Wallabies were ticking all the boxes, tackling hard, running harder and turning over ball but when it rains, it pours… Especially against New Zealand.
Before proceeding to the improvements made by the Wallabies and the players that must continue on their trajectory, two things must be said.
First, Phil Waugh and Hamish McLennan; I hope you watched that game because that’s what an underfunded, understaffed, and underperforming pathway results in – a former world beater thumped at home in front of 83-thousand fans who were there for the love of the game.
Second, the egos in Australia that are preventing Australia from becoming more centralised and those who stuck up their nose at someone like a David Nucifora who wanted to drive that movement please, get in line with the times or get out.
This column will always be objective and is written by someone who is a glass half-full kind of guy. The truth is the Wallabies were never going to win that game, considering all the changes in coaching and personnel, but it was another step on the path to Rugby World Cup 2023.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
For 33 minutes the Wallabies kept the All Blacks to five points and for 26 minutes the Wallabies were ahead, something neither world champs South Africa nor rising Argentina could do.
The Wallabies’ ruck percentage was back in the mid-nineties with 94.9 percent and won seven turnovers to the All Blacks 10. Tackle percentage was at 87 per cent compared to their 90 and for the very first time, in a very long time, the Wallabies conceded less penalties than their opposition 9 – 11.
The Wallabies had 43 percent of possession and an improved territory score at 47 percent overall. In the second half where the Wallabies conceded 19 straight points, they had more possession and territory at 52 and 58 percent respectively.
It just goes to show, stats aren’t always everything nor is possession or territory. They need context as well as analysis to be able to extrapolate the true learnings.
Experience isn’t everything, younger members of the group stepped up in Melbourne and showed sometimes it’s just about rolling up your sleeves and having a go.
“Where there’s life there’s hope” a beaming but wounded Eddie Jones said in the post match press conference.
“The starters were fantastic, really good and that’s obviously the future where we gotta go.”
The future doesn’t look any brighter nor bigger than Angus Bell. He was a rampaging bull all night in Melbourne and almost single handedly scored a 40m try in the 70th minute. That sort of engine should not be possible from a man who has played less than 40 minutes of footy in nearly 7 months. His scrummaging was good, and he racked up impressive stats with 13 carries for 53 metres and 16 tackles with no misses. He starts every crucial match moving forward.
His front row partners in Dave Porecki and Allan Alaalatoa had solid shifts. Who replaces Alaalatoa after his season ending Achilles injury and Taniela Tupou after a rib injury will require serious thought. Perhaps a Pone Fa’amausili for his size warrants a start while maybe a Sam Talakai should be called in to the squad for experience.
Allan Alaalatoa. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Porecki stood up physically as well as getting through a mountain of work. Replacement hooker Jordan Uelese was more visible and threw straight but Jones doesn’t have time to award mediocrity, it’s time to unleash Matt Faessler on the big stage. Faessler is a similar build to Porecki but appears a little more rugged and ready to rumble.
Will Skelton was once again the big difference in the Wallabies scrum, maul and breakdown. He carried more and secured a turnover, the only criticism would be he only made seven tackles in the game and missed two, bar Jed Holloway everyone in the pack made double figures, with three players over 20. He did however grow his offload game to great effect.
Nick Frost was a toiler racking up a massive 23 tackles as well as a much improved physical presence around the field, he starts in Dunedin.
Tom Hooper was the workhorse, a mega 30 tackle effort with five missed in his second start was hugely impressive. It was plain for all to see he doesn’t have the pilfer skill or instinct but in Eddie’s eyes it won’t matter. Jones should instruct Hooper to counter ruck instead of making poorly timed and wasted attempts at a ruck he’s already lost. Similarly, his carrying technique was average. Jones needs more out of this big country lad.
Holloway was more effective with his tackles and his carries, but the fact of the matter is Holloway is not pulling his weight. Rob Leota when he came on was busy although a little out of positions at times. If Leota and Holloway want to keep their spots in the side, they must lift in all facets because there is another who can take their spot.
Angus Bell. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
If Hooper is played at openside again it could make way for Langi Gleeson to play blindside. Hooper will be the second genuine lineout option and Gleeson along with Rob Valetini can bend the line and bruise the All Blacks in defence.
Valetini was back at his best with 20 tackles and no misses, one turnover with 44 run metres for 12 carries. He along with Bell provided most of the go-forward from the piggies.
You want to love Tate McDermott, you want him to succeed because he wears his heart on his sleeve and is a fleet-footed magician but, and there’s a big but, his inability to change his pass from a liability to a weapon in three years of being a Wallaby is unacceptable. Again, mediocrity can’t be rewarded, a few of his passes were wayward, some were lobs above the head and others rocketed at his runner’s bootlaces.
Cue Ryan Lonergan, the soldier from the ACT Brumbies has the skills to match Nic White without the verbal tendencies and terrier ego. It may just be the right mix to send Carter Gordon and even Quade Cooper to the next level.
There’s plenty of life in young Carter Gordon. He was far from perfect, his kicking whether off the tee or in general play was amateurish and his defence was questionable. Here comes another but, but he’s a guy you love to watch. He was energetic, playing without fear despite his many mistakes, it’s the kind of energy needed in the Wallabies starting XV. He retains his spot over Cooper.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
On Cooper, his stats read well, he made 13 passes in 30 minutes which is the exact number he managed in 80 minutes against the Pumas in Sydney. It’s not that he didn’t play well, it was just uninspiring and like Eddie looking to the future seems like the brighter path. Despite not missing tackles they were all too high and soft, it gave the runners extra yardage in every tackle.
The centres were both immense in workload and effort. Both beat defenders, Samu Kerevi carried 16 times while Jordan Petaia carried seven times, carrying for 21 and 17 metres respectively. Petaia was busy in defence making 10 tackles and missing three while Kerevi made eight and missed two. Petaia even managed to bag himself a turnover.
Jones may want to see this ‘caretaker’ partnership grow in the absence of injured Len Ikitau, Petaia is the more complete player out of him and Izaia Perese, getting him more time in the saddle after an injury lay-off is crucial. He also covers positions 12-15, he keeps his spot despite Perese’s powerful showing.
Mark Nawaqanitawase and Marika Koroibete are your two Wallaby wingers for the Rugby World Cup. Nawaqanitawase made 15 tackles and missed one, busting 5 tackles and running 54 metres. Koroibete ran for 84 metres and won two turnovers, his tackling was also immense.
Finally, Andrew Kellaway brought a calm and measured demeanour to the 15 jersey, as everyone knew he would. Four tackles with none missed and an impressive 90 metres run for 13 carries and two defenders beaten as well as two clean breaks. It’s the kind of stats and game that sews up the jersey until further notice.
To reiterate, Australia were never going to win, but that doesn’t make this type of loss any less painful. The players have gone into bat for Eddie and the man who works harder than any other deserves some credit, his cattle is returning from injury and cohesion is building.
Possession, territory and discipline are the biggest critiques of this side and Jones’ gameplan from the rugby public, but even with the Wallabies gaining close to parity in those areas they still lost comprehensively. These findings should be laid at the feet of Rugby Australia as evidence of what will come to pass should the game continue to stagnate in mediocrity and remain fractured.
A follow to this article will be posted tomorrow about how the Wallabies should continue to apply pressure to the All Blacks and how to remedy tactical errors.
1. Angus Bell
2. Dave Porecki
3. Pone Fa’amausili
4. Richie Arnold
5. Will Skelton
6. Langi Gleeson
7. Tom Hooper
8. Rob Valetini
9. Ryan Lonergan
10. Carter Gordon
11. Marika Koroitbete
12. Samu Kerevi
13. Jordan Petaia
14. Mark Nawaqantiwase
15. Andrew Kellaway
Replacements: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, James Slipper, Matt Phillip, Rob Leota, Tate McDermott, Quade Cooper, Izaia Perese.
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.