Kapa O Pango
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McCaw almost had a hat-trick.
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[2014 TRC] New Zealand v Australia in Auckland (23/08/2014)
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Tolu Latu, but if his lineout throwing in the S15 final is anything to go by then the Wallabies lineout will be in big trouble.
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You'd be better off sticking Beale there than having to carry Fainga'a
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Cruel, very cruel!
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Most disappointing thing for me is that even with a comfortable lead, Perenara did not get a run until the 75th minute, on the wing. So much has been made about our great depth at halfback, but neither of our two backups have had any international game time.
Bean
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Utterly obliterated. Not exactly surprising really, but very satisfying given the derogatory speech by Alan Jones a few minutes before the game. Wallabies have major problems still, and I thought this was better than they were two years ago, now I'm not so sure. Definitely not a top 4 world team.
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Folau doesn't have the "rugby smarts" in his game yet. He is still reverting to type.....Rugby League. He bombed two tries tonight because he ran away from support (you can do that in Rugby League because there is no contest when you get tackled). He also lacks the ability to do the "heads up" play under pressure. On those occasions when he doesn't run away from support, he often doesn't look for it inside or out, and when he does, his passing at speed is technically deficient. He bombed a dead cert try last week (Aussies 3 to 1 overlap with NZ defence very short on the right) because he delivered a terrible pass to Beale that went 20 feet behind him, and the opportunity was lost.
Folau has the potential to be a great player and a game breaker. He is close to that at Super Rugby level, but he's not there yet at international level where the game is tighter, the pressure is higher, and the margins for error are much smaller,.
ABs2011
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Im not sure they had much choice did they? Fekitoa was on at half time and Barrett soon after both forced through injuries (Crotty and Jane). That left only one back reserve which presumably they felt like they had to hold off using so as to cover any other injuries that might occur. I understand Barrett was playing injured for a bit as well so that wouldn't have helped. I get what you are saying, but Im not sure they coaching staff felt they had much choice....
Darwin
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As a AB's supporter I thoroughly enjoyed that match. I was expecting a big performance this week - we seldom play poorly two matches in the row - but I wasn't expecting it to be quite so comprehensive! I thought the ref had a pretty good game this week too. He did make a couple of errors, but he let the game flow, was very consistent in his rulings, and wasn't afraid to use yellow cards when required (McCaw certainly deserved his yellow!). Some have complained that the 50:50 calls went in favour of the AB's this week. I didn't really notice it my self (bloody All Blacks eye patch always impairs my vision..), but it wouldn't surprise me, as I have always found the dominant side (and the AB's were incredibly dominant....) gets the 50:50 calls (just as Australia probably benefited from these calls last weekend).
On the players:
- Crockett and Franks were better this week, though not overly prominent. They helped destroy the Aussie scrum when it was down to 7 men, but when Australia had their full complement the scrums were pretty even. Even if they weren't that prominent they were obviously doing their job as the forward pack as a whole was very impressive.
- Coles was absolutely outstanding in my opinion. I had concerns when he was introduced last season, but I'm more than happy to have been proved wrong. With his skills he wouldn't look out of place in the backs. He was stepping players, making pinpoint kicks, and making perfectly timed passes. More importantly he was doing his core roles as a hooker brilliantly too. He made all his tackles, hooked the ball well in the scrum, and his lineout throwing was pinpoint accurate. The only problem with him performing so well is that in emphasizes the massive gap in class between him and the rest of the NZ hookers...
- It would have been hard to play better than Coles, but I believe Retallick did that. He was immense. I'm not sure why Australia kept kicking the ball in his direction at the kickoff as his kick-off receptions were world class all night. He was hitting rucks like a mad-man, turning over Australian ball at the breakdown, and made numerous powerful runs in the midfield. He was my man of the match. Sam Whitelock played very well too particularly in the lineout and on defense. They are clearly the premier locking combination in world rugby in my opinion.
- Despite a dominant performance I thought the loose-forwards were perhaps a bit quiet (at least in comparison to Coles and the locks). Messam showed some good line speed on defense, but his handling really let him down in the 1st half, losing the ball 3 times when the AB's were hot on attack. McCaw played a better than last weekend, but I don't think he was as standout IMO. He made his tackles, and made a couple of good runs, but didn't make that much of an impact at the breakdown, and got penalised a couple of times (fully deserving the yellow card). He certainly had a solid game, but not the outstanding match some on the media have suggested (probably on the basis of him scoring 2 tries). Read was the pick of the loose-forwards. He didn't really feature in the wider channels as much as he can (Messam seemed to be out there a lot more for some reason?), but he was very accurate in everything he did, and his lineout ability is a massive asset for the AB's. Luatua took his try very well at the end.
- Aaron Smith was very good this week. His passing was as accurate as ever, and it was good to see him identifying the space close to the breakdown and taking the gaps. He will be disappointed to have missed that tackle on Hooper, but he won't be the last halfback that Hooper goes around!
- Who needs Dan Carter? Cruden had a dominant display at 10. His ability to identify space - either with the boot or through running/passing - is 2nd to none, he made his tackles, and his goal-kicking was accurate (though he did seem to get a lot of easier kicks this weekend). I've said it before but I will say it again: I think Cruden has overtaken Carter as the AB's premier 10.
- Crotty had an outstanding starting debut - it was a pity he had to go off injured at halftime. I thought the backline functioned very well with him at 12. I don't know what has happened to him this season but he almost inevitably breaks the 1st tackle these days, and his defense has always been quality. It is probably too soon to start suggesting it, but I wouldn't mind him continuing to start at 12 even when Nonu is back fit. Obviously he wouldn't provide the game-breaking ability that Nonu can bring, but he brings a stronger defensive game, a better passing game, far less chance of giving away stupid penalties (e.g. no shoulder charges!), and possesses a pretty handy running game in his own right. Conrad Smith was Conrad Smith. It was great to have him back. Fekitoa runs hard and straight but is still a bit raw. If it came down to a choice between Crotty and Fekitoa I would probably opt for Crotty.
- Savea and Jane both played well, but don't actually get that much space out wide as the AB's did a lot of their damage in the centre of the park, and when the ball did get wide it seemed to be the AB's forwards lingering out there (and dropping the ball in Messam's case....). Savea's kick chasing was feature. Ben Smith was outstanding (as usual). Not only did he inevitably break the first tackle, but he was rock solid on defense, dominated in the air, and his passing was a real feature. He continued to put players in gaps that whole first half - the only mistake he made was throwing that intercept pass to Folau (which Barrett did a fantastic job of saving!).
- I have been informed Australian players played in this match too, but I can't recall them doing a lot
- Hooper was a bit of a one man band for Australia, but even he made a few mistakes (mainly missed tackles). Were Fardy and Palu playing?
- White was pretty average again, but Phipps (again) made a good impact when he came on. I'm not a big fan on Phipps, but he has made a strong case to start the Wallabies next test.
- Will the Beale experiment continue? Not only has the attack been rather lateral with him at 10, but the "hide Beale on defense" tactic appears to have led of confusion among the backs on defense. Surely Foley will start at 10 next match?
- There is no doubt Folau is the best attacking fullback in world rugby, but he still has a lot to learn about other aspects of the game. He still doesn't have a great tactical appreciation of a fullbacks role, and still needs to work on linking with his team-mates. I suppose the most impressive thing is that the opposition knows exactly what he is going to do but can't stop him (reminiscent in some ways of the great Christian Cullen). If Folau can add some other aspects to his game he will be less predictable, and even more unstoppable!
On the players:
- Crockett and Franks were better this week, though not overly prominent. They helped destroy the Aussie scrum when it was down to 7 men, but when Australia had their full complement the scrums were pretty even. Even if they weren't that prominent they were obviously doing their job as the forward pack as a whole was very impressive.
- Coles was absolutely outstanding in my opinion. I had concerns when he was introduced last season, but I'm more than happy to have been proved wrong. With his skills he wouldn't look out of place in the backs. He was stepping players, making pinpoint kicks, and making perfectly timed passes. More importantly he was doing his core roles as a hooker brilliantly too. He made all his tackles, hooked the ball well in the scrum, and his lineout throwing was pinpoint accurate. The only problem with him performing so well is that in emphasizes the massive gap in class between him and the rest of the NZ hookers...
- It would have been hard to play better than Coles, but I believe Retallick did that. He was immense. I'm not sure why Australia kept kicking the ball in his direction at the kickoff as his kick-off receptions were world class all night. He was hitting rucks like a mad-man, turning over Australian ball at the breakdown, and made numerous powerful runs in the midfield. He was my man of the match. Sam Whitelock played very well too particularly in the lineout and on defense. They are clearly the premier locking combination in world rugby in my opinion.
- Despite a dominant performance I thought the loose-forwards were perhaps a bit quiet (at least in comparison to Coles and the locks). Messam showed some good line speed on defense, but his handling really let him down in the 1st half, losing the ball 3 times when the AB's were hot on attack. McCaw played a better than last weekend, but I don't think he was as standout IMO. He made his tackles, and made a couple of good runs, but didn't make that much of an impact at the breakdown, and got penalised a couple of times (fully deserving the yellow card). He certainly had a solid game, but not the outstanding match some on the media have suggested (probably on the basis of him scoring 2 tries). Read was the pick of the loose-forwards. He didn't really feature in the wider channels as much as he can (Messam seemed to be out there a lot more for some reason?), but he was very accurate in everything he did, and his lineout ability is a massive asset for the AB's. Luatua took his try very well at the end.
- Aaron Smith was very good this week. His passing was as accurate as ever, and it was good to see him identifying the space close to the breakdown and taking the gaps. He will be disappointed to have missed that tackle on Hooper, but he won't be the last halfback that Hooper goes around!
- Who needs Dan Carter? Cruden had a dominant display at 10. His ability to identify space - either with the boot or through running/passing - is 2nd to none, he made his tackles, and his goal-kicking was accurate (though he did seem to get a lot of easier kicks this weekend). I've said it before but I will say it again: I think Cruden has overtaken Carter as the AB's premier 10.
- Crotty had an outstanding starting debut - it was a pity he had to go off injured at halftime. I thought the backline functioned very well with him at 12. I don't know what has happened to him this season but he almost inevitably breaks the 1st tackle these days, and his defense has always been quality. It is probably too soon to start suggesting it, but I wouldn't mind him continuing to start at 12 even when Nonu is back fit. Obviously he wouldn't provide the game-breaking ability that Nonu can bring, but he brings a stronger defensive game, a better passing game, far less chance of giving away stupid penalties (e.g. no shoulder charges!), and possesses a pretty handy running game in his own right. Conrad Smith was Conrad Smith. It was great to have him back. Fekitoa runs hard and straight but is still a bit raw. If it came down to a choice between Crotty and Fekitoa I would probably opt for Crotty.
- Savea and Jane both played well, but don't actually get that much space out wide as the AB's did a lot of their damage in the centre of the park, and when the ball did get wide it seemed to be the AB's forwards lingering out there (and dropping the ball in Messam's case....). Savea's kick chasing was feature. Ben Smith was outstanding (as usual). Not only did he inevitably break the first tackle, but he was rock solid on defense, dominated in the air, and his passing was a real feature. He continued to put players in gaps that whole first half - the only mistake he made was throwing that intercept pass to Folau (which Barrett did a fantastic job of saving!).
- I have been informed Australian players played in this match too, but I can't recall them doing a lot
- Hooper was a bit of a one man band for Australia, but even he made a few mistakes (mainly missed tackles). Were Fardy and Palu playing?
- White was pretty average again, but Phipps (again) made a good impact when he came on. I'm not a big fan on Phipps, but he has made a strong case to start the Wallabies next test.
- Will the Beale experiment continue? Not only has the attack been rather lateral with him at 10, but the "hide Beale on defense" tactic appears to have led of confusion among the backs on defense. Surely Foley will start at 10 next match?
- There is no doubt Folau is the best attacking fullback in world rugby, but he still has a lot to learn about other aspects of the game. He still doesn't have a great tactical appreciation of a fullbacks role, and still needs to work on linking with his team-mates. I suppose the most impressive thing is that the opposition knows exactly what he is going to do but can't stop him (reminiscent in some ways of the great Christian Cullen). If Folau can add some other aspects to his game he will be less predictable, and even more unstoppable!
austingtir
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My main annoyance is still with the NZ scrum. Sure they gave them a good kick in the balls when they were down to 14 but I thought they really could of pressed it home even with 15 on the park. This Australian pack should not be able to hold it together against a top NZ scrum. Argentina is going to have an absolute field day against these guys...
I think the Argentina game will be a good marker for where our scrum is at. If we are going backwards like SA did we need to look at it hard imo. I still think its not good enough.
In saying all that the NZ scrum does seem to be able to pick up another level at crucial times (we've seen it against SA last year and Eng) which is a good sign.... but this was only Australia.
And Darwin I dont agree with your analysis of Mccaw to me before the yellow he was like superman. Havent seen him play like that since like 2004 or something.
And Crotty was good but this is not SA once he performs like that against them I will agree he's surpassed Nonu.
I think the Argentina game will be a good marker for where our scrum is at. If we are going backwards like SA did we need to look at it hard imo. I still think its not good enough.
In saying all that the NZ scrum does seem to be able to pick up another level at crucial times (we've seen it against SA last year and Eng) which is a good sign.... but this was only Australia.
And Darwin I dont agree with your analysis of Mccaw to me before the yellow he was like superman. Havent seen him play like that since like 2004 or something.
And Crotty was good but this is not SA once he performs like that against them I will agree he's surpassed Nonu.
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It's funny when you watch games when you're team gets blown off the park like that. I almost don't feel bad; we were just never in it, so the prevailing sensation is a sort of cold detachment.
When my favourite teams (Wallabies, Tahs - Roosters, Blues, Roos) lose in tight, big games, I feel like someone who's just been in a massive car accident and yet somehow survived, but suffering a bit of shock and trauma (yea, I get into my sports a little too much). But in games like last night, the sensation is more akin to being at the site of a large crash to conduct an insurance assessment; it's horrible, but I don't really feel anything.
In terms of my assessment, the take away I have is fairly straightforward:
- Fitness: The All Blacks looked fitter from the outset and played the game at incredible pace, which the wallabies really struggled to keep up with the game even after 20 minutes.
- Defence: the Wallabies looked poorly organised and had no punch. They both read the ABs poorly and lacked commitment in their tackles with 13 missed tackles already by half time.
- Support play: when the Wallabies did have the ball and made breaks, they either didn't use their support or there was none to speak of. Link really needs to look at this, because the Waratash look better with their support than the Wallabies (Gibson is clearly the better attack coach).
- Guts and passion: I've brought this up before, but it's telling that NSW Blues coach Laurier Daley spent time with the All Blacks last year after losing an 8th straight series to A freakishly talent Qld team. The Wallabies had nothing like the guts and commitment of the Blues in Origin - the summit both sides were trying to climb was similar, but the wallabies had nothing like the level of absolute intensity, commitment and desperation shown by the Blues in Origin.
When my favourite teams (Wallabies, Tahs - Roosters, Blues, Roos) lose in tight, big games, I feel like someone who's just been in a massive car accident and yet somehow survived, but suffering a bit of shock and trauma (yea, I get into my sports a little too much). But in games like last night, the sensation is more akin to being at the site of a large crash to conduct an insurance assessment; it's horrible, but I don't really feel anything.
In terms of my assessment, the take away I have is fairly straightforward:
- Fitness: The All Blacks looked fitter from the outset and played the game at incredible pace, which the wallabies really struggled to keep up with the game even after 20 minutes.
- Defence: the Wallabies looked poorly organised and had no punch. They both read the ABs poorly and lacked commitment in their tackles with 13 missed tackles already by half time.
- Support play: when the Wallabies did have the ball and made breaks, they either didn't use their support or there was none to speak of. Link really needs to look at this, because the Waratash look better with their support than the Wallabies (Gibson is clearly the better attack coach).
- Guts and passion: I've brought this up before, but it's telling that NSW Blues coach Laurier Daley spent time with the All Blacks last year after losing an 8th straight series to A freakishly talent Qld team. The Wallabies had nothing like the guts and commitment of the Blues in Origin - the summit both sides were trying to climb was similar, but the wallabies had nothing like the level of absolute intensity, commitment and desperation shown by the Blues in Origin.
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Lachie
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Yep, alright. I'm not going to contest the fact we looked amateurish. I was just offering a hypothetical situation where we received the penalty for Jane's coat hanger, which would undoubtedly make it a closer contest going into the break.
In terms of our overall playing style, I don't want Beale at 10, and I don't want two centres on the wings, our attack is bland enough as it is. Defensively we were extremely weak too; New Zealand were passing fantastically, but that doesn't account for a new hole opening up every 90 seconds.
Our lineouts were okay(?) Phipps was electrifying when he came on, and Hooper was solid as always. Cut out the handling errors, add a fit Moore, Pocock and Genia to that team, and you've got a competitive Wallabies lineup.
In terms of our overall playing style, I don't want Beale at 10, and I don't want two centres on the wings, our attack is bland enough as it is. Defensively we were extremely weak too; New Zealand were passing fantastically, but that doesn't account for a new hole opening up every 90 seconds.
Our lineouts were okay(?) Phipps was electrifying when he came on, and Hooper was solid as always. Cut out the handling errors, add a fit Moore, Pocock and Genia to that team, and you've got a competitive Wallabies lineup.
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I don't want to admit, but after this rugby lesson I must say: These All Blacks are the best team in Rugby history or at least in the professional era. What they did today was amazing. It's often said that Wallabies had many injured (In the last years) or that they had a bad coach.
Today there are no excuses, Wallabies had a good starting XV (Forgetting Beale at 10) and they were crushed by the ABs.
What would be the best starting XV of Australia??
1 James Slipper
2 Stephen Moore
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Rob Simmons
5 Sam Carter
6 Scott Fardy
7 Michael Hooper/David Pocock
8 Wycliff Palu
9 Will Genia
10 Quade Cooper/Bernard Foley
11 James O'Connor
12 Matt Toomua
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Henry Speight
15 Israel Folau
Not much difference in key positions today Wallabies had world class players such as: Michael Hooper, James Slipper, Sam Carter, Wycliff Palu, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau and yet they were crushed. This is one of the best Wallabies teams of the past years (Waratahs won the Super Rugby and Wallabies won 7 games in a row) and had no chance against NZ. If ABs play their highest level, no team in the world can against them.
Today there are no excuses, Wallabies had a good starting XV (Forgetting Beale at 10) and they were crushed by the ABs.
What would be the best starting XV of Australia??
1 James Slipper
2 Stephen Moore
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Rob Simmons
5 Sam Carter
6 Scott Fardy
7 Michael Hooper/David Pocock
8 Wycliff Palu
9 Will Genia
10 Quade Cooper/Bernard Foley
11 James O'Connor
12 Matt Toomua
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Henry Speight
15 Israel Folau
Not much difference in key positions today Wallabies had world class players such as: Michael Hooper, James Slipper, Sam Carter, Wycliff Palu, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau and yet they were crushed. This is one of the best Wallabies teams of the past years (Waratahs won the Super Rugby and Wallabies won 7 games in a row) and had no chance against NZ. If ABs play their highest level, no team in the world can against them.
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What you saw last night will only be partially fixed by bringing back good players.
The AB's have been the fittest team in rugby for years.
But it is also a mindset and a culture.
The AB's used to be really bad chokers in my opinion, when they got behind they fell into a rut and struggled to believe they could get out, that is gone now, this team believes they can come back from anywhere, they have a culture amongst them and I do believe keeping some of the older players around is also about instilling that culture on the next generation coming through.
Darwin
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What exactly did McCaw do that was "Superman like"? Obviously I will have to watch the match again, as I don't think he stood out at all (at least compared to the two locks and Coles). He did force a turnover (or 2?) at the breakdown, but I would expect any international class 7 to be able to do that on a regular basis. He was penalised twice (once rather harshly in my opinion), but was at risk of being penalised another 4-5 times for "hinging" around the breakdown (coming in from the back then illegally going around the side of the Australian defenders and flopping in the general direction of the ball). He got away with it, but he won't get away with it very often. He made a couple of big errors on defense too. He missed a crucial tackle on Folau (before Jane? high tackled him), and was along with Aaron Smith responsible for Hooper's try (he was directly in front of Hooper at the start, but didn't have the pace to keep up with him). It was certainly a good solid performance from him (silly yellow card aside) - I would be happy if he performed to that level every week - but he was hardly a standout in my opinion.
Anyways.... Disappointing to hear that Crotty has been ruled out for 4 weeks with a broken jaw. He may not have even featured in the 23 even if fit (as Nonu is expected back for the next test), but it would have been good to see him get another chance.
Sad to see Pat McCabe has suffered another neck injury (or re-inflamed his old injury?). If I was him I would seriously consider retirement, as I'm not sure it is worth the risk continuing to play....
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austingtir
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^^Nah he was super good other than the yellow and generally living on the edge but he got away with most of it. Most of it was a nothing imo.
He scored two tries. Setup up another one at 49:25 due to very hard fought turnover which Read grabbed and scored down field. Will have to watch the game again but what I saw in the first 10 minutes before the yellow set up the whole game for me. I thought what he did even if it was on the boundaries was about as good as I have seen from him in years.
He scored two tries. Setup up another one at 49:25 due to very hard fought turnover which Read grabbed and scored down field. Will have to watch the game again but what I saw in the first 10 minutes before the yellow set up the whole game for me. I thought what he did even if it was on the boundaries was about as good as I have seen from him in years.
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Guilty
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I've had some time to digest what I witnessed last night and gather a few thoughts.
There is no doubt about it, we were comprehensively and systematically annihilated last night by a far from "on the decline" All Blacks side. I made a post about 30 minutes before kickoff explaining why I thought (or hoped) the Wallabies might win and how they had turned the corner mentally and culturally, it turns out I couldn't have been more wrong.
Selection Mistakes
It should be abundantly clear to Ewan McKenzie that the Kurtley Beale experiment has been a failure. Credit to him for playing his cards and sticking to his guns but it was a risk he should not have taken.
One has to ask the question about how much pressure McKenzie has added to his job with a disastrous selection policy? Lets not forget that McKenzie won the job from Deans on the back of a very public and successful campaigning. He is a popular coach in Australia which is probably the biggest reason he won the job over Jake White. I do not think he has done himself any favors and with a hot Michael Cheika waiting in the wings, McKenzie may just be starting to feel the heat.
Beale is a world class player but he is not a flyhalf. I was watching the rugby with my dad who is an AFL boy and pointing out to him repeatedly, how Beale was running sideways which allowed the All Blacks to very easily drift with him taking away space from our backline and allowing them to suffocate us. Kurtley is at his best when he has space to put himself and his teammates into gaps. You don't have the space at #10 to be successful with his style of play - at least not against the All Blacks.
A Few Positives
There was not a lot of good news to take out of this game if you are a Wallabies supporter but there were some positives. James Slipper, Michael Hooper and Israel Folau were excellent last night and just as good as the men in black, if not better. Unfortunately they did not get any help from their teammates. Matt Tamoua deserves a mention for a solid defensive game. Despite the 10 minutes when Rob Simmons was in the bin - the scrum was actually quite good I thought and the lineout solid all game. Lastly, Scott Higgenbotham, Nick Phipps and Benard Foley injected significant energy and structure when they came on again. I would start all 3 next week.
Poor Refereeing But Ultimately Irrelevant
I must admit I have been quite amazed reading some of the comments by some of our NZ friends on these forums claiming that Romain Poilte had a good game last night. He was woeful, missing AB's playing the ball on the ground and allowing them to come into the rucks illegally for much of the game. The "negative" style of play was in full force last night but you know what? It did not matter in the slightest as New Zealand were simply far too good and showed why they are the best side in the world.
Australia clearly got the rub of the green in the Sydney test and got a draw. In my view, NZ clearly benefited from a poor refereeing performance in Auckland and won in a good old fashioned massacre. This is the difference between the two sides and why the refereeing, while bad - was irrelevant of the outcome of the game at the end of the day.
Moving Forward
McKenzie has a very tough job regrouping and galvanizing the squad for an important game against South Africa next week in Perth. Did anyone watch the presentation ceremony at the end of the game? The Wallabies players were devastated and with a loss like that, very likely demotivated. Next week should be a close match but if they guys are not able to get their heads back in the game, it could be ugly. This next match is crucial to not only getting back into the RC but setting the tone for the rest of the year. We absolutely do not want to have a repeat of 2013.
Worst Poster on TRF?
Just a quick mention to the one and only austingtir. Congratulations on the award, well deserved.
There is no doubt about it, we were comprehensively and systematically annihilated last night by a far from "on the decline" All Blacks side. I made a post about 30 minutes before kickoff explaining why I thought (or hoped) the Wallabies might win and how they had turned the corner mentally and culturally, it turns out I couldn't have been more wrong.
Selection Mistakes
It should be abundantly clear to Ewan McKenzie that the Kurtley Beale experiment has been a failure. Credit to him for playing his cards and sticking to his guns but it was a risk he should not have taken.
One has to ask the question about how much pressure McKenzie has added to his job with a disastrous selection policy? Lets not forget that McKenzie won the job from Deans on the back of a very public and successful campaigning. He is a popular coach in Australia which is probably the biggest reason he won the job over Jake White. I do not think he has done himself any favors and with a hot Michael Cheika waiting in the wings, McKenzie may just be starting to feel the heat.
Beale is a world class player but he is not a flyhalf. I was watching the rugby with my dad who is an AFL boy and pointing out to him repeatedly, how Beale was running sideways which allowed the All Blacks to very easily drift with him taking away space from our backline and allowing them to suffocate us. Kurtley is at his best when he has space to put himself and his teammates into gaps. You don't have the space at #10 to be successful with his style of play - at least not against the All Blacks.
A Few Positives
There was not a lot of good news to take out of this game if you are a Wallabies supporter but there were some positives. James Slipper, Michael Hooper and Israel Folau were excellent last night and just as good as the men in black, if not better. Unfortunately they did not get any help from their teammates. Matt Tamoua deserves a mention for a solid defensive game. Despite the 10 minutes when Rob Simmons was in the bin - the scrum was actually quite good I thought and the lineout solid all game. Lastly, Scott Higgenbotham, Nick Phipps and Benard Foley injected significant energy and structure when they came on again. I would start all 3 next week.
Poor Refereeing But Ultimately Irrelevant
I must admit I have been quite amazed reading some of the comments by some of our NZ friends on these forums claiming that Romain Poilte had a good game last night. He was woeful, missing AB's playing the ball on the ground and allowing them to come into the rucks illegally for much of the game. The "negative" style of play was in full force last night but you know what? It did not matter in the slightest as New Zealand were simply far too good and showed why they are the best side in the world.
Australia clearly got the rub of the green in the Sydney test and got a draw. In my view, NZ clearly benefited from a poor refereeing performance in Auckland and won in a good old fashioned massacre. This is the difference between the two sides and why the refereeing, while bad - was irrelevant of the outcome of the game at the end of the day.
Moving Forward
McKenzie has a very tough job regrouping and galvanizing the squad for an important game against South Africa next week in Perth. Did anyone watch the presentation ceremony at the end of the game? The Wallabies players were devastated and with a loss like that, very likely demotivated. Next week should be a close match but if they guys are not able to get their heads back in the game, it could be ugly. This next match is crucial to not only getting back into the RC but setting the tone for the rest of the year. We absolutely do not want to have a repeat of 2013.
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Just a quick mention to the one and only austingtir. Congratulations on the award, well deserved.
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Lachie
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I don't think refereeing was the main reason why the ABs didn't do what they did at Eden to us at ANZ, they just had a bad day execution wise. Fumbling passes, poor running, no cohesion. Not the team we saw win 51-20.
But ultimately, yes. If you are reading this Kurtley Beale, please evacuate the number 10 jersey. Sincerely, Australia.
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