So the Rugby Championship rumbled on to week 2, with the Wallabies having to pick up the pieces, and make the trip over to Wellington.
New Zealand already hand one hand on the Bledisloe Cup after sweeping the floor with their trans-Tasman rivals in Sydney, the week earlier. To regain the trophy, Australia had to win this game, as well as the third game scheduled for October this year, also to be played in New Zealand. Even a betting man wouldn’t waste a quarter on it.
The besieged Michael Cheika rang the changes following last week’s embarrassment. You would think he had no other choice. Such an abject performance at international level simply cannot be tolerated. Castaway Fly Half Quade Copper was restored to the starting line up to run the play, with Bernard Foley moving to inside Centre.
Interesting choice that echoed attacking intent. They also brought in the burly Samu Kerevi in place of the out-of-sort Kuridrani. Scott Fardy was back to complete the tried and tested ‘Pooper’ backrow lineup. Adam Coleman also won his second cap, adding some oomph to the Wallaby pack. I liked the look of this side. A good mixture of attacking options, as well as the physicality to make life uncomfortable for the All Blacks at the breakdown.
The All Blacks also decided to make some changes, some of them positional. Ben Smith and Israel Dagg switched places. Julian Savea was back on the wing. Perhaps the All Black coaching staff were hoping Savea would be able to get his confidence back up after a rather mediocre Super Rugby campaign. There was also a debut of Chiefs young Centre Anton Lienert-Brown. The rest of the side were pretty much what we’ve been accustomed to seeing since of late.
From an Australian perspective they were much much better this week. There was more intent in what they did. You couldn’t fault them for effort. It was also very evident, that the Wallabies planned to physically take it to the All Blacks. Perhaps they felt this might unsettle them to some extent.
In between French referee Romain Poite’s relentless whistle blowing there were quite a few hand-bags being thrown about. Unfortunately, here again they got the balance wrong and rookie Lock Coleman was shown yellow for a silly shoulder charge on Ben Smith, deep in All Black territory.
Unfortunately, the same failings of a week ago raised its head again. Skipper Stephen Moore often failed to find his jumper in the lineouts, and the missed tackle count amounted to 30 or so.
You’re not going to beat the best team in the world with those vices. Even when they had possession, the men in gold often seemed lost for ideas. That’s an obvious sign of a lack of confidence in a team that has forgotten how it feels to win. However, there was marked improvement.
Israel Folau is world class, and made a scintillating break after being fed an inside pass from Quade Cooper. Having such a potent ball carrier, it baffles me why the Aussies cannot formulate a game plan that puts Folau in space, or at the least get him the ball in an area where he’s bound to have a mismatch ala tight forwards trying to defend him. A rare gem in a resource pipeline that’s been reduced to a trickle.
They must utilize him better. Cooper for me, has to start. He’s had a tough time of it since of late, and you had to say he had a pretty decent game. There were no mindless antiques, just solid rugby football. He definitely adds another dimension to the Wallabies.
I’d be very surprised if he’s not in the run-on fifteen for the remainder of the championship. Another big problem the Wallabies have is their Skipper Moore. If you thought his contributions as a player have been poor, he’s managing of referees hasn’t been any better. Referee Poite was so visibly annoyed with him, he just wouldn’t hear a word he had to say.
Rugby union is a game of a lot of intricacies. In tight games, you need a few close calls to go your way. It does not help in the least when your captain has cheesed off the ref.
Though he personally won’t admit it, Coach Cheika is now under immense pressure. Whitewashed at home by England, which has now been extended to five defeats on the bounce.
A sixth would be a calamity of epic proportions. Last time the Wallabies lost six straight games was in 2005. It led to the Head Coach being sacked. Guess who it was? A certain Mr. Eddie Jones. Rather ironic.
With that win, the All Blacks have now held the Bledisloe Cup for fourteen years. Not pretty reading for Aussie fans.
An area that especially revealed the gulf in class between the two sides was the ball skills of the tight-five. The All Blacks are masters at the ‘catch-pass’ across the park. It’s almost like a prerequisite if you want to wear the black jersey, irrespective of where you play.
After the highs of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Steven Hansen was faced with the reality of losing around 800 test caps following the retirements of Richie McCaw, Conrad Smith, Dan Carter, Keven Mealamu, and Ma’a Nonu. Surely the rugby loving community wouldn’t have grudged him some time to regroup.
But for me, the injection of youth has given them another dimension. At the same time, they still have so much experience left. Captain Keiran Reid, Kaino, Whitelock, Crockett, Franks, Ben Smith, Cruden, even Savea – they’ve played a lot of games for the All Blacks. They’re all used to playing the game at a very high intensity, and most importantly, they are used to winning!
New Zealand are also blessed with a bottomless pit of rugby playing talent. You take the likes of Damian McKenzie, Matt Todd, Brad Shields, Ardie Savea, Leema Sapoanga – if they were born and playing in any other country, you’d think they’d be permanent fixtures in their national teams. Beauden Barrett for me is the new superstar of the All Blacks. His vision and deceptive pace has seen him make the number 10 jumper his own. You give him half a gap, and he’s gone.
The only concern is his goal kicking. But they’ve been in such a rich vein of form, it’s hardly mattered. Sam Cane hadn’t convinced me in the June internationals, but he was outstanding in the last game.
Debutant Leinart-Brown had a very good game. His link up play, hitting the gap, and then releasing that floated pass created that first try. We’re bound to see more of him in the years to come. Israel Dagg has lost a bit of zip over the years, but he’s still a fine finisher.
Next up for the World Champions is an Argentina side buoyed by their Springbok slaying in Salta. I have a feeling that Hansen will make some personnel changes. He would like to keep his team hungry, whilst at the same time continuing to give players international experience. I don’t see Argentina upsetting them, but I’m sure it’ll be quite an entertaining contest.
For poor Australia, there will be little let up. They host the wounded Springboks in Brisbane. Both coaches will be feeling the heat. South Africa is a rugby mad country, whose public demand results. Two defeats in a row will surely rattle the nest. Australia must figure out a way to win. If they don’t, you get the feeling that as it did eleven years ago, someone’s head will roll.
