Cheika’s Wallabies primed to finally deliver – Rugby Championship preview
Michael Cheika’s Wallaby coaching record has taken a beating since the World Cup final, with slim takings across the Rugby Championship and inbound and outbound touring visits.
Add another series defeat at home against Ireland in the June international tests and hopes look dim ahead of next year’s World Cup. Time is running out for the Wallabies to build any momentum, and this year’s Rugby Championship must yield results outside of beating Argentina.
Last year the Wallabies ended the season on a high note by beating the All Blacks in Brisbane in the final Bledisloe, breaking a run of losses going back to 2015. They almost had a thrilling upset in Dunedin in the second test but were pipped at the death by a Beauden Barrett try.
If they are to reclaim the Bledisloe for the first time since 2002, this weekend’s opening test in Sydney is a must-win. They cannot afford to leak 54 points as they did on the same ground last year. With the second test back at the graveyard Eden Park, the Wallabies need this one. A neutral venue for the third and final test in Yokohama, Japan also gives the Wallabies a chance should they have the series leveled by then.
Rugby Australia’s repatriation programme has continued, with the return of Matt Toomua from Leicester. He gives the side options at 10 and 12, bolstering depth in a position severely lacking in Australian rugby.
With Bernard Foley the only real option at flyhalf, Toomua can slot into the axis as a replacement for either Foley or Kurtley Beale in either position. A left-field answer to the centre problem could also see Israel Folau play in the midfield, Beale move to fullback and Toomua slot into 12.
Rugby Australia has come under criticism for pandering to players’ overseas adventures, but the patient approach is starting to pay dividends.
Kurtley Beale, David Pocock and Will Genia have all returned back to play for local Super Rugby sides, bringing back world-class play and experience which has seen more competitive results this year.
With captain Michael Hooper secured for another five-years last week, the commitment brings a sense of positivity around the team. Israel Folau’s contract is said to be down to negotiating the length of the deal and another boon for Rugby Australia is likely around the corner.
There is enough talent there to beat the All Blacks, but the Wallabies can’t afford injuries or brain fades. The centre crisis with Samu Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani out will already put enormous pressure on the midfield, with stopgap utility Reece Hodge set to cover. The slightest mishap could cost them and no doubt will be an area that is targeted by all opposing teams.
The forward pack is a mix of experience and youth, with the dynamic backrow partnership of Pocock and Hooper headlining the pack. Young enforcer Lukhan Tui could fill the six role, while young lock Izack Rodda will likely partner Adam Coleman in the second row.
The front row will include established props Scott Sio and Sekope Kepu, while the experienced Tatafu Polota-Nau looks to start at hooker with Jordan Uelese suffering a long-term ACL injury.
The emergence of Taniela Tupou continued this year at the Reds, and he could be the catalyst for points as an impact player of the bench. His scrummaging has come a long way in the three years since he joined the Queensland side but his power running is as good as ever.
The Wallabies will play three of their first four games at home, with only a short trip across the Tasman in between. This will give the side a prime opportunity to head into the final rounds away in a good ladder position, provided they can defend their home turf.
An early win against the All Blacks could be the catalyst for a decent run in this year’s Rugby Championship, which makes this opening clash more important than ever.
It has been a lean few years for the men in green and gold, and Rugby Australia’s investment in older players needs to pay off this year. There is no denying that this is an aging team, full of superstars that hit the scene in the late noughties.
The Wallabies and Cheika are putting all the chips in for one last hurrah from this generation of players.
Whether that has any chance of paying off or not starts now.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments