It’s probably not right to say Rugby World Cup week has snuck up on us, given it’s been coming for four years, but it is still hard to believe we’re at the tournament eve stage of the quadrennial rugby cycle.
All the competing squads are now in France. Ceremonies have been had, teams have been welcomed and were adorned with caps. In a break of tradition in this modern day and age, participation medals have been awarded before the event began, rather than at the customary end.
But for this Wallabies squad heading into this Rugby World Cup, they are in the most unknown and uncharted of territories.
No Australian squad since the tournament was first conceived and competed for back in 1987 has gone into a RWC without an entry in the win column that year.
Back in the first few iterations of the tournament, there were only a few warm-up games and straight into the tournament. No June Internationals, no Rugby Championship, and certainly no month-long series of warm-up games.
In 1987, the Wallabies played Korea at Ballymore in mid-May just six days before their first Pool A game, against England at Concord Oval.
But in every World Cup year, the Wallabies won games, and most years in fact, they won most games.
You have to go back to 2003 to find the next-worst World Cup year record to that of the 2023 Wallabies, where they lost four of the seven games played before the tournament was played on home soil.
The Wallabies beat Ireland and Wales, but lost to England in Melbourne to round out the June Tests, then lost to South Africa in Cape Town to open the Tri-Nations, lost the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney, beat the Springboks in Brisbane before losing obligatory Test at Eden Park to surrender the Bledisloe for the first time in six seasons.
Come the 2003 RWC, they went on a run that only ended with Jonny Wilkinson’s right bloody foot.
Six straight wins before the Final, and never conceding more than one try in any of the seven games, while also running in 33 tries themselves (25 of them coming in big wins over Romania and Namibia).
So, losing most of the lead-up games probably turned out OK in the end, one right bloody foot notwithstanding.
My initial thought when this theme came to me over the weekend was the 2015 and 2019 lead-ins weren’t great, but of course the Wallabies won the abbreviated Rugby Championship in 2015, with wins over the Boks, Los Pumas and All Blacks before obviously losing in Auckland. They also thumped the USA in Chicago en route to the UK.
And in 2019, a loss to the Springboks at Ellis Park was the only Rugby Championship blemish, before losing at Eden Park again. The Wallabies then beat Samoa in Sydney before heading to Japan.
2023, therefore, is coming from a place the Wallabies have never found themselves.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Every gauge on where they’re currently at is theoretical. Every thought of improvement in any particular aspect of their game from one match to the next is subjective. And every persisting opinion that they’re still somehow ‘guaranteed of a semi-final’ because the draw was seeded back in yesteryear remains highly presumptive.
To his credit, the coach maintains that everything is on track, and that she really will be right. Mate.
And in his defence, there has been improvement from game to game this year.
The Wallabies’ defence in Paris last weekend against France was certainly better than what we first saw in Pretoria, and it was quite probably the best backrow performance of the year as well. There are more signs of attacking intent now as well, even if that midfield disconnection is still apparent. The set piece has shown gradual improvement as well, though the ability for the attacking maul to go forward remains a concern.
Obviously, these are just my observations and the point about subjectivity made just above remains.
The challenge for Eddie Jones this week and for the rest of this month at least (hopefully, ideally) is to pull these gradual improvements together. It’s certainly not isolated to the 2023 squad, but it’s equally true that the Wallabies this season are yet to put anything near the full 80 minutes together.
This, perhaps, has been the major source of frustration for Wallabies fans this year, that good periods of play are followed by periods of craziness and even stupidity. And that’s not even to lay this all at the feet of poor discipline and conceding penalties; it’s everything.
Too often this season, what worked well in one match has gone horribly wrong the next. Periods of momentum and genuine pressure on the opposition has been undermined by playing one phase too many, or a poorly executed kick, or a pass that just was never on, or indeed, a penalty conceded out of terrible decision-making.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup could still be the crowning glory for Eddie Jones the coach, but it could also be the coup de grâce. His whole vision for his second coming as Wallabies coach was built on success at this year’s tournament, and however he wants to measure what that success looks like, he still has to achieve it.
If he needs to go back to his methods from 2003 to find the spark that re-ignited his team back then, then let’s see whatever that was. Get the 2023 Wallabies channelling the 2003 Wallabies, or indeed, get them channelling whatever they need to channel.
But for the sake of Wallabies fans over the next two months, just get them channelling something.
(Photo by Peter Meecham/Getty Images)
A nation of rugby fans are ready to get on board for this campaign, even the ones who’ve already lost hope, and plenty who have spent a lot of their hard-earned to share this experience in France. But they need to see something from the outset, starting this coming Sunday morning, Australian time, against Georgia in Paris.
Success at the 2023 RWC means this Wallabies squad will have to overcome a start to the year that no previous generation has experienced.
And if they can turn that around and start building something in this tournament, then negativity and the worst press conferences in rugby history is something they won’t need to worry about.
Mate.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Hey Catchy, agreed. I did love watching Dell and Lote. And you're right about the kowtow. It all seems both messaniac and vaguely yeasty - just throw them in there and we'll rise to glory. That said, I always thought that Matt Utai, the former Bulldogs winger of days gone by, had the physique and pace to be a speedy, ball playing, running front rower. Like Tongan Thor, but faster, fitter and with better hands. I'm definitely an outlier wrt Noah. I'm still not sure what he did wrong to deserve de- and non- selection. Thought the squad would be well served with him, Carter and Quade in it. But that's water under the bridge now, other than for injuries and fate, so I'm just gonna shut up about him and focus on supporting the current mob for the rest of the campaign in confident hope of a miracle. Lastly, I'll rewatch the 2003 game, but it still seems like only yesterday that after it that I sat on the front porch quietly with the light off, nursing a beer and thinking "What a cracker of a game, shame we lost it, could've been 3x RWC winners, bugger, why'd you kick it away Matt?" He kicked for touch when we had the pill and (I thought) an overlap chance out wide. They won the lineout, went through a couple of phases, and then Johnny kicked it through the posts. All made worse by the fact that my English dive buddy was sitting beside me enjoying a stinking cigar and elatedly drinking my celebratory scotch. Still traumatised.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Their loss, Ken.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Ankles….., please, call me Ken. RA haven’t recruited me. There’s been a few missed calls, but I haven’t called back.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
When did RA recruit you, Leg? :shocked:
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Brett, given Australia's ability to gel and pull rabbits out of hats, yes. When I talk rabbits, it's not just one bunny, it's a whole burrowful over the years. We've all seen it. The Wallabies have a knack of winning when least expected.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Bother! The word was "agreed" not "greed".
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
You are misguided. To the semis. Winning a semi and then winning a final is a whole other barrel of monkeys, but first you have to be there. In Australia's favour at semi and final is that the Wallabies do punch above their weight and have a knack of stealing mataches they're not expected to win. Also that it's tournament play, just 180 minutes of rugby, and in tournament play almost anything can happen. And does.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Ikitau is just starting light contact work I think. That is not ready to go. It will get interesting if a back replacement is needed, although maybe a 10 could become a higher priority.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
I assure you Mugs, I most certainly did not spit in that chalice. Now, if you ever get a sense that I’m being supportive, please consult a doctor. Preferably a former back. Better bedside manner. (Ask Danny. Eddie did.)
Muglair
Roar Rookie
1 min, 40 mins (19-7 to 36-14 at FT), 60 min (32-21 FT 56-21). I did not watch the games but assume he played well. A match report for the first game said he played with confidence and it was an important difference. Assume similar in the second game. So 100 minutes of 2nd division against a team that was relatively easily beaten. He was rubbish against Japan in 2021, maybe due to Kerevi's absence, which conversely could suggest how much SK's outstanding 2021 form contributed to Quade's good performances. Kerevi's own form this winter probably did not help Quade much either.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
That’s the trouble with the world Ankles. Not enough people consider Randwick.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Oh you’re back Mugs? Good to see. Has the Qantas Directors meeting finished already?
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
I’d offer that it’s not humility in itself that does it, JN. Just that a certain humility is required to stay flexibly accurate in a state of alert and continuous development.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I have liked that comment Ken, because I like to think you are being supportive. However, it also sounds like one of those evil spells where the victim is condemned to torment and agony for all eternity!
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I don't really have too many problems with the squad picked, and do not believe anybody who played at a test standard this winter was left at home. I have had to swallow humble pie on my criticism of Vunivalu. The only other issue for me is Donaldson, but I have noted that both DR and EJ are seeing something, and maybe I will let BD justify his selection on the field.
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Look, you need to take the wallabies seriously because we can always spring an upset. I remember many years ago hearing an ex-All Black say he never liked playing Australia because no matter how ordinary their form, there was always a chance that they might steal one from you. Even the last couple of years we've nearly done that and it was just belief that stopped us. The problem is that those once-off wins are fun but they aren't the basis for consistent success. I'd argue we lost those games plus Ireland, France, Italy, Argentina because we have an ingrained expectation that we will lose, so if the opportunity presents itself, we take it. It's that mindset that we need to find a way to change. Eddie is trying to do that his way, we'll see how that goes. But I think it is ingrained from SR level and until we can find a way to stop losing at that level we won't have a successful wallabies. Fixing the SR level is going to take some radical thinking because 20 years of doing the same thing isn't working.
AgainAgain
Roar Rookie
Really? I doubt you spent five seconds looking at what I post. My last comment was with respect to Hooper, which was before your lame response in which I shared how I thought he was a great player and person to boot. But read into that and any other comments what you will. I am not pushing an agenda, you just twist everything to push the same tired narrative. Anyway you seeem to have your heart set on this crusade and nothing I or anyone else says will change your view. Good luck to you.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Im not sure opposition coaches will agree on that . Yours is however at least from what I can tell a fairly main stream opinion . Australia are flying into this world cup under the radar .At least thats quite a common viewpoint by its fans . But I can assure you the likes of France , SA , Ireland etc will be taking The Wallabies challenge very seriously indeed .
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
Haven't you heard. Apparently DR was on the right track to win the RWC.