Like most Wallabies fans, I woke up yesterday feeling flat.
I’d been looking forward to Saturday‘s match naively hoping some Eddie Jones magic would get us a win.
But despite the loss, I saw enough positives that make me think we’re still a chance at the World Cup.
Positives
- The start. We actually put the ABs under some pressure through our physicality.
- Angus Bell. One of the best returns from injury ever. Bell, Skelton, Tupou, Valentini… great ball carriers for days.
- Will Skelton’s decision-making at the ruck. Turned a few of NZ rucks into an absolute shit fight and great to see a bloke that tall can operate so low to the ground. Kudos to him for working on his flexibility and technique.
- Marky Mark is growing in confidence, and we’ll score plenty of points if we give him and Koroibete enough chances to unleash.
- The lineout looked sharp on our ball and much improved from Pretoria, which is promising. Now to start stealing opposition ball, which we need to do, especially with selecting an extra lineout option at 7 in Tom Hooper.
Things to fix
But despite the positives, there’s obviously lots to fix if we’re to take advantage of a favourable draw in Paris:
- We didn’t turn pressure into points. No point in having possession and territory unless it shows on the scoreboard.
- We missed or turned down 9 easy points from penalty kicks in the first half alone. 3 chances to build scoreboard pressure. But that’s an easy fix. Just take the points! Gotta stop always going for a knockout punch by kicking to the corner in hope of scoring a try.
- NZ knows how to defend our maul. Mauling has been a Brumbies and Wallabies strength for a few years. But some teams have figured out how to defend it well, and it's either out of stubbornness or impatience that we keep going to it. Would prefer us to be patient and build scoreboard pressure by taking easy penalty kicks. Then win the kick-off… and score again.
- Allan’s injury is devastating. Even more so if Taniela’s out too. The team’s chief, Al’s presence will be sorely missed off the field just as much on it. And we just don’t have the depth to lose any more key players.
- Our kicking was inaccurate. Particularly frustrated with the kick at the end of our first attacking phase. A great play wasted, but perhaps it was just understandable nerves from a young Carter Gordon (who I thought played well).
- Judging by how we faded in the second half, we obviously aren’t fit enough to play that style for 80mins. And it’s too late in the season for the team to get fit enough to be able to play with that intensity for a whole game. But the one positive is that the knockout matches of the Cup are often very stop-start, and it’s usually the team that executes best under pressure ends up being the one that wins. And that’s not always the fittest (NZ 2007).
And although being fit does help, if they flog players heaps last minute just to get them fit, I fear more injuries aren’t far away. We must improve fitness in other ways than simply just training harder and more. And there are other ways, but sleep and nutrition must be the top priorities for players who need to shed unnecessary weight.
So overall, I was super disappointed but saw enough improvements that give me hope we could do well at the Cup.
I also agree with Eddie’s comments in the press conference that players aren’t responding to in-game disappointment well.
I never did either, so I’m not sure how he fixes it. Especially when the players are trying so hard.
But at least he’s aware of it, and I hope he’s experienced enough to help players react quicker when mistakes are made, or when momentum isn’t swinging their way.
Anyways, enough from me. What do you think the Wallabies did well and what they need to improve?
Don't think fitness is really a problem. It's more like the millions of tackles and 30% possession they've had to make the previous weeks. Adds up. On top of that surely with all the fitness data being shared by the Super clubs they know how fit the guys are. Can't believe they are coming in under done. Never heard anyone say the ABs or Boks aren't fit enough.
Outside that though loved all the points. Strangely I was less bummed out about this result than Argentina and not because I expected us to lose. There was genuine signs of improvement and we've got world class players e.g. Bell. EJ was always up against it trying to change things up so close to a RWC but he took the challenge on. If we keep the core of this side together for the next couple of years then Lions 25 will be a ball tearer.
The other thing that struck is what a tragedy it is we've missed out on about 7 years of seeing Will Skelton playing test matches. Another freak. Bit like Izzy in that he's on another physical level and a point a difference. By all accounts a super nice guy too.
Going to Dunedin I think EJ will experiment with a couple more players but really he's got to stick now. Bobby V could do with a rest and that brings in Gleeson to 8. We've got forced changes to THP so Nongor, Talakai and van Nek could step up. I'd keep everything else the same including Tate and Gordon. Onwards and upwards!
Fitness or training taper? I'm not close to it nor have words from the inside but I understand he is now marking them train on Wednesdays (traditionally a day off). My thoughts are that he is pushing them hard with no taper so they are right in Sept.