Why Australian fans can be optimistic after Super season
The Waratahs 77-25 win over the Sunwolves has set them up for the Super Rugby Finals very nicely.
They were in second gear last week against the Rebels, lucky to win 31-26, but all the structures are in place to prove their worth as a finals team.
I think the Rebels are a very well coached team but lack the punch in the tight five to be a serious finals contender. The Rebels scrum was outpointed by the Tahs last week and completely monstered by a Taniela Tupou-inspired Reds scrum in their 37-23 defeat over the weekend.
The scrum, so long a problem for the Wallabies and Australian Super Rugby teams, is looking very solid for once. The Wallabies scrum was excellent against the Irish and managed to exert a lot of pressure at times.
Over the weekend the Brumbies clearly outpointed the Chiefs in the scrum battle, even with All Black Karl Tu’inukuafe at loosehead. Watching Tu’inukafe smash up the Highlanders with his power scrummaging and big runs in Suva the week before, I thought the Brumbies would be in trouble up front. Allan Alaalatoa handled him very well and was often getting over Tu’inukafe in the scrum contest. Nic Mayhew at loosehead for the Brumbies also surprised with his strong scrummaging. The Brumbies were unlucky to lose the game 24-19.
In Brisbane, Reds tighthead prop Taniela Tupou put on a display of power scrummaging and made life hell for Rebels No. 1 Tetera Faulkner. Tupou was so dominant. Even when he hit the ground first in a scrum collapse, referee Paul Williams gave him the benefit of the doubt and penalised Faulkner.
Tupou’s scrummaging was a lesson in tighthead play. Dominant engagement and all the weight through the right shoulder, locking the loosehead in tight with the right hand, elbow slightly down. When the weight comes on Tupou likes the inside angle, driving the loosehead out with his right hand and putting the weight more through the opposition hooker.
This enabled the Reds scrum to break away completely from the Rebels pack at times – but they were unable to keep the scrum straight and the ball at the Number Eight’s feet. Tupou is great off the bench for the Wallabies and will play many more Test matches over the coming years.
The lineout is still a problem for all Australian teams, with the Rebels possibly having the most effective lineout of the lot over the last two weeks. The Wallabies also had problems with accuracy and defending driving mauls from five metres out. So many times the Wallabies followed up a great scrum with a poor lineout over the course of the three-Test series against the Irish.
All Australian Super rugby teams have problems putting on an effective driving maul and defending a driving maul from a lineout. For a driving maul from lineout to succeed the jumper and two blockers have to be moving forward even before the jumper hits the ground, the focus of the drive has to be the ball and the maul can never be wider than the three players at the front.
So many times this season I have seen Australian teams trying to drive a maul that is four or five players across, too wide and no focus for a drive. New Zealand teams are generally defending the driving maul so much better and putting on a drive much more effectively. Maul defence and attack requires a narrow focus at the front and as many players directly driving on the ball or as close to it as possible.
Watching the Blues beat the Reds 39-19 and the Chiefs beat the Highlanders 45-22 you really saw the art of phase play that New Zealand teams do so well – an art that has been lost in Australia. When quick ruck ball is required, New Zealand forwards really blow past the ruck ball in numbers, taking out all opposition players and going a number a number of body lengths past the ball.
This gives the attacking team a number of benefits, it removes all the jackals and any chance of the opposition slowing the ball down, it also moves the defensive line back. The main benefit is really quick, clean ball with the opposition removed.
I watched the Brumbies get stuck in the pocket behind the ruck for phase after phase against the Chiefs, going nowhere. There were one out runners, no one supporting the runner with a hammer or latch and everyone stopping at the breakdown and unable to get past the ball. At one stage the Chiefs had knocked them back 15 metres after three Brumbies hit-ups. We do not attack around the ruck anymore in Australia nor do we really clean out and blow past the ball when required.
When Australian backlines have space and time they look fantastic, as the Waratahs did against the Sunwolves. Flat backline attack works. The very accurate long cut out passes from Bernard Foley and Kurtley Beale were great, as were the inside balls, and Israel Folau was given a free reign to hit into the backline anywhere.
The go-forward across the field is there, using the width of the field to make the line breaks. Best set play try so far goes to Dane Haylett-Petty last week against the Waratahs in the 36th minute from a lineout. Billy Meakes held the ball up as Tom English took an inside run towards him, Meakes then threw a flat pass to Haylett-Petty, hitting the line at full pace to score untouched.
Unfortunately, teams really know how to shut down this style of attack, as the Irish did in the third Test and the Chiefs against the Brumbies over the weekend, keeping them stuck in the pocket and moving backwards.
Australian backlines look great with space and time; we need better attacking systems to give them this. The old adage of ‘you must go forward before you go across’ comes into play, especially when playing very tight games against New Zealand and South African Teams.
Why not clean out instead of stopping at the breakdown every ruck, why not grab hold of the ball carrier and assist him through every tackle, why not just pick and go if you have cleaned out the ruck well. Why not double team the one pass off the ruck and put the go-forward focus here. All of this designed to break down the defence, get in behind them and let the backs do their thing.
Regardless, I can honestly say I am lot more optimistic at this stage of the season than I was at the start. Australia has some good young and tough forwards coming through, which we have not had for a while. It’s great to see the scrummaging across the board improve and gain some much-needed respect. Some good hard running backs are coming through – Jack Maddocks from the Rebels impresses with every outing. Still a lot of work to do but I definitely think Australian Rugby fans can feel a lot more positive than they did at the start of the season.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Sorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
1 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
2 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
2 Go to commentsIt’s the massive value he brings with regard team culture/values, preparation, etc. Can’t buy that. I’m hoping to see the young locks get their chance in the big games though.
10 Go to commentsAll good, Gregor, except that you neglected to mention Sam Darry amongst that talented pool of locks. In fact, given Hannah’s inexperience and the fact that Holland won’t be eligible until next year, Lord and Darry might be the frontrunners this year, to join Barrett, Tuipoluto, Va’ii and possibly Whitelock. In fact there might be room for all of them if Barrett played 6 (like Ollie Chessum).
10 Go to commentsHis value is stabilizing the ship 20 - 40 minutes out from the final whistle plus his valuable experience to the underlings coming through.
10 Go to commentsWhat is criminal is she acts like it's no problem her actions have have cause the Italian player to lose her playing career, lose salary, if she did this in day to day life she would be in jail, she is a complete thug!!!
3 Go to commentsCorrect me if i’m wrong but the sadas have to win all games running into the finals yeh nah?
1 Go to commentsDon’t like Diamond but the maul is a joke, the sight of a choke tackle creating a maul then players in offside positions flopping on it killing the ball but then getting the put in? Banal.
3 Go to commentsHopefully Tabai Matson returns to Crusaders as head coach next season.
1 Go to commentsstorm in a teacup really. Penalty only so play on as the try was scored. Now the real question is: why was Maitland allowed to pass the ball off the floor? That is illegal but refs never pick it up.
1 Go to commentsWhen Beauden Barrett signed his contract before the 2023 RWC to play in Japan in 2024, it was NOT part of a sabbatical agreed to with NZRU prior to his signing, as was Ardie Savea and Sam Cane. Barrett changed his mind after the fact and negotiated his return to NZ Rugby and he was given permission to be eligible for All Black selection straight away once he signed a new contract to return to the Blues in 2025. Therefore, why would anyone argue against Whitelock returning to the All Blacks straight away after his season is France is finished if he signs a new contract with NZRU which includes a Super Rugby contract in 2025? If Barrett can, Whitelock should be allowed too.
10 Go to commentsThe All Blacks will select 5 locks this season. Scott Robertson will most likely want to select 2 veteran locks who can start right away in 2024 and 3 young promising locks who he would like to be pushing hard for selection in the starting XV in two years time- 2026. Scott Barrett is a world class lock. Who would you rather start beside him this season against England, South Africa, Ireland, and France- Sam Whitelock or Patrick Tuipulotu? I would choose Whitelock over Tuipulotu all day, every day.
10 Go to comments