Wallabies need to front up again
by Gavin Rich | 17 September 2009 (20:22)
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| Robbie Deans © Gallo Images |
There is no Tri-Nations or Bledisloe Cup trophy on the line, but for Australia the final match of the southern hemisphere international season is an opportunity to prove that their last game was no fluke.
Their record for the competition shows that they have only one win in five starts, but that win came over World Cup champions South Africa in Brisbane, and was emphatic enough to suggest the Wallabies may just be getting something right as they look to the future and the immediate goal of being ready for the 2011 World Cup.
When the Springboks ended the 2008 Tri-Nations, they sounded off with a big win over the Wallabies in Johannesburg. It did not prevent them from coming last, but it was a resounding confidence booster, and they have only lost twice since then as they used the recipe for success as their template for a successful end of year tour and 2009 campaign.
Australia do tend to win most of their games on the faster surface at Suncorp Stadium, but it was the manner which they stood up to, and even dominated, the Springboks physically that was most impressive.
It was the only time outside of the second and third British and Irish Lions test matches that the Boks of 2009 did not intimidate and inspire panic through their opponents, and for once it was the opposition who were getting ahead by being physical.
It should have pleased the Wallaby coach Robbie Deans, for he has been talking about the Wallaby need to step up the physical aspect of their game since he took over as coach after a successful career at New Zealand Super 14 franchise, Crusaders.
But Brisbane will go down in the record books as a meaningless one-off if the Wallabies don’t show that it was the step towards doing it more consistently, and there is no better way to underline their intent than to repeat the dose against a smarting All Black team on New Zealand soil.
Australia have an average age of just 23, so it is no exaggeration to say they are a young team building, and a second successive win over one of their fellow southern hemisphere super-powers will be a definite step in the right direction.
In both previous games between these teams in 2009, it has been the Wallabies who have started as if they have a train to catch and who have led at half-time, only for the All Blacks to grind them down in the second half.
And that is the crux of the matter for the Wallabies: Forget the Boks, the Australians do seem to have a bit of an inferiority complex when it comes to the All Black pack. The Kiwis forwards took control in the second half in both matches, but that should really not be the case if you consider that the Wallabies gave the Springboks more to think about at forward than the All Blacks did.
So for Australia this final match should be all about showing that what they did against South Africa they can also do against New Zealand, and thus sound a loud warning to both nations as we head into the two year build-up to World Cup 2011. The Wallaby back row, with two fetchers working in tandem, were outstanding against South Africa, and should fancy their chances of the reversing the trend of New Zealand domination at the breakdowns in the recent Trans-Tasman clashes.
For New Zealand the situation is a lot more negative in that this match is more about saving face than making any significant gains. Coach Graham Henry has made five changes to his starting team, however, and a resounding finish to the competition with a newish team will at least salvage some pride after a disastrous season. The man who will be watched closest will be new lock Tom Donnelly as he is the only real newcomer to this level of rugby in terms of never having been there before.
The All Blacks will start as favourites because they are playing at home and another defeat will further increase the already significant pressure on Henry and his coaching team.
Teams
New Zealand - 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Isaia Toeava, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c),6 Adam Thomson, 5 Tom Donnelly,4 Brad Thorn, 3 Neemia Tialata, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock. Reserves: 16 Aled de Malmanche, 17 John Afoa, 18 Jason Eaton, 19 Rodney So’oialo, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Hosea Gear.
Australia- 15 James O’Connor, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 George Smith (c), 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson. Reserves: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 Wycliff Palu, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Quade Cooper, 22 Peter Hynes.
Kick-off: 9.35am SA time (7.35pm NZ time).
Read more on the Tri-Nations page.
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