Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Saturday Sep 21, 2024
Tuesday, 20 August 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Bledisloe cup clash over the weekend was indeed an anticlimax. Much was expected of the Wallabies, under their new coach and they failed to deliver when it was needed the most. McCaw was back in the side after a gap of six months and if anyone thought that he was going to be rusty, they were in for a rude shock as did the Wallabies. In the final analysis, the All Blacks simply outthought, outplayed and outsmarted the Wallabies out of the game. The Wallabies have loads of rebuilding to do, and it will be some time before they could be considered as a force to be reckoned with. They have seven days to rethink, regroup and reengineer their game plan against a clinical and ruthless All Blacks. McCaw as usual played the fine line that divides from being offside and being legitimately able to play the ball. The battle between the two flankers, McCaw and Hooper was fantastic but in the end the more experienced All Blacks skipper stamped his class. Without Dan Carter, there is always a cloud, but Cruden stepped in well although the pinpoint accuracy of the restarts by Carter is something Cruden will have to work on.
The Wallabies three-quarter line was new again with James O’Connor shifted to the wing. He was out of position on a number of occasions and even the first try was conceded as a result within the first five minutes of the game. Whether he will retain his position is a matter that will be discussed at length, but given the poor bench strength, due to injuries, he just might. The All Blacks capitalised on this apparent weakness and the bulk of their attacking moves were on O’Connor’s side of the field. The All Blacks used the switch play to devastating effect and were often able to get behind the Wallabies defence which hurt the Wallabies no end. The All Blacks’ experienced guys had good games, with McCaw, Smith, Cruden, and Nonu leading from the front.
The only consolation came in the form of a solo effort between Hooper and Genia against the run of play. Having spotted that the All Blacks were heavily lined up in attack on the side of O’Connor, Genia ran well in the opposite direction and scored. I suppose that fact that he was at the furthest point from Savea had a bearing on the outcome.
In the second game it was as if the Argentineans were lambs that were led to the slaughter. They looked hopelessly outclassed in the game and were never in with a chance at any point in the game. They have a lot of rebuilding to do, and it will not be complete by the time the Championship games draw to a close.
The revised scrummaging laws were in force and it was interesting to note that the referee continuously kept advising the scrum half that the ball must be put in straight. There is now a need for the hooker to actually strike the ball with his foot and the subsequent need for the second rowers to control the ball in the scrum. On a few occasions, the ball was not controlled and scooted out of the scrum from the side as opposed to the feet of the No.8. The breaks that are undertaken by the No.8 have to be executed carefully as the control of the ball at the base of the scrum is now of paramount importance. We are indeed in for some interesting times in this aspect of the game, and the quality of the hooker will now be brought into sharp focus.
(The writer can be reached via [email protected])
