Death, taxes and New Zealand winning rugby matches. There are very few things we can rely on in this world, but these are a few examples. That was what made last week’s result in Australia so jarring; and built the feeling of an inevitable backlash ahead of Saturday’s game. The fact that this was also the last game in the homeland for several players who will go down in history as some of the best to ever wear the hallowed black jersey only served to hammer home that sense of occasion. Oh, and did I mention that Richie McCaw, maybe The Best Player Ever, earned his 142nd cap, breaking Brian O’Driscoll’s short-lived world record? Ye, Australia definitely weren’t winning…
Having said that, the way the team capitulated at the start of the second half will be troubling to Michael Cheika and co. No other side in World Rugby to end a game in just 10 minutes like New Zealand can, but a lapse like that in The World Cup could still be fatal in the latter stages of the tournament. That frenetic stretch of play is a black mark on an otherwise very impressive month or so for The Wallabies following a painfully inconsistent and distraction-filled 2014. With about 6 weeks until the start of the biggest tournament in the sport, Cheika appears to have the backbone of a side that could do some damage come September (despite regular rotation throughout the past four games). Here, nonetheless, are three takeaways from The Eden Park dismantling:
1) Nic White needs to start at scrumhalf: While White’s most memorable contribution to the game may have been a missed tackle that led to Ma’a Nonu’s try, White provides a key stabilising influence from scrum half. His tactical kicking, leadership and consistently excellent service; all skills honed under famed discipline-lover Jake White and his various disciples, are the steadying presence this dangerous Wallabies backline has craved since Will Genia’s decline. While Nic Phipps may be the flashier player, his inaccuracies were brutally exposed by even an undermanned New Zealand last week. In addition, with Bernard Foley’s main flaw coming in the form of a rapidly deteriorating ability to kick at goal, White’s propensity to land kicks from just about anywhere inside the opposition’s half could prove vital. This weekend’s loss may not have been the best place for him to showcase what he can deliver for this side, but even in the face of the All Black hordes, White rarely faltered.
2) Australia lack a traditional number eight option: This may be a little harsh to the likes of Ben McCalman and Wycliff Palu; both of whom are good players and solid ball carriers, so a better way to phrase it may be to say that they have no option better than playing Michael Hooper and David Pocock together. Despite the fact that playing them both means they’ll field one of the lightest backrows at The World Cup, Pocock’s newfound physicality with ball in hand and Hooper dynamism and ability to literally be everywhere at once more than make up for that loss of size (as well as the fact that Will Skelton is about as big as a small mountain range). The final player in contention for the number eight jersey, Scott Higginbotham, does provide an intriguing option due to his unique skillset and remarkable creativity, but may be too much of a maverick even for Australia – which is saying something. He can be a very effective impact sub due to that unpredictability, a Kurtley Beale of the forwards if you will, though he has seemed more and more like the odd man out in recent weeks.
3) Australia can finally have confident in their front run: Ok, whisper it very softly, but following repeated scrum-based humiliations in big games over the past decade plus, Australia may at long last have a viable counter to the likes of group opponents England and Wales. That apparent solution comes in the form of athletic prop pairing Sekope Kepu and Scott Sio. In the simplest terms, both represent significant upgrades over Ben Alexander and Benn Robinson in just about every area of play. They form two thirds of a suddenly dynamic front row with the long-suffering Stephen Moore, who play remains at a world class level despite a serious knee injury last year. Off the bench, James Slipper brings the mobility, work rate and experience to make a real impression late in games, while Tatafu Polota-Nau is similarly impactful, albeit in slightly less subtle ways, essentially 115kgs of muscle and aggression to proceedings. Australia’s backline, even with its questions at several positions, provide enough incisiveness and flair to trouble any side in the world, and with the recently discovered solidity of its front row, they could have a chance to show of that considerable attacking talent.
As Australia make their final preparation before heading north, they do so in a far better position than they were just 6 months ago. Indeed, the recent Super Rugby success of The Waratahs and Brumbies finally appears to be bearing fruit at international level; both on the field and in the coach’s booth. There are still questions surrounding some final squad cuts, as well as the identity of Australia’s starting halfbacks, but this looks like a team who can no longer simply be pushed around.
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