Despite loss one Wallaby has been singled out for lavish praise
Matt Toomua has received universal praise from fans and pundits in Australia after his heroic performance in the loss against Wales on Sunday.
The Melbourne Rebels back entered the fray on 44 minutes, replacing Bernard Foley, with the Wallabies trailing 26-8. Within seconds of being on, he made a break down the left side of the field, which ultimately led to Dane Haylett-Petty’s try and Australia’s comeback.
The difference Toomua made once he came on was ostensibly clear, as the Wallabies played with significantly more tempo and pinned Wales in their own half for much of the second half.
In the space of 25 minutes, the former Leicester Tigers utility back took the Wallabies within one point of Wales, although Warren Gatland’s side showed just enough to pull through 29-25 in the end.
However, the contrast in performance between Foley and Toomua has been noted by many Australians, who have questioned why Michael Cheika ever opted to play with the New South Wales Waratahs flyhalf. Foley has always been a conservative but popular option for Cheika, but he struggled to get Australia going in the first half. However, credit must be given to him, as he orchestrated Adam Ashley-Cooper’s first half try with a cross-field kick in what was Australia’s only chance of the half.
But the stark contrast in performance in the second half once Foley went off does not bode well for the 70-cap standoff for the rest of the Rugby World Cup, or indeed his international career.
Christian Lealiifano had been the prefered choice at ten for the Rugby Championship, but Cheika went for the player he has relied upon for the majority of his tenure, but it backfired majorly.
The surprising thing is that Toomua did not even need to do a lot to change the game. He was just more direct when he carried the ball and added a bit more urgency into the play. The 29-year-old is probably more comfortable as a centre, but he undoubtedly improved Australia’s lacklustre display. He was also helped by the addition of Nic White at scrumhalf, but he had already started to make inroads with Will Genia on the field too.
It was an impressive performance, which came close to saving the game for the Wallabies, and this was the reaction on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/LvonFeuerbach/status/1178251591758958592?s=20
https://twitter.com/Jack_Quigley/status/1178233831742156802?s=20
https://twitter.com/Budulnya/status/1178233344401629184?s=20
https://twitter.com/waratahjesus/status/1178280973156282368?s=20
https://twitter.com/BKolia/status/1178246164321198080?s=20
https://twitter.com/RobSutton22/status/1178235929481355264?s=20
https://twitter.com/lucasholmes12/status/1178240398902226944?s=20
https://twitter.com/nightterror92/status/1178245235781955584?s=20
https://twitter.com/thornado_/status/1178233489335959552?s=20
That was probably Bernard Foley’s last game for the Wallabies and it just exemplifies how much of a role confidence, or lack of it, plays in success. Bernard exuded no confidence at all while Toomua played well and should take it from here you’d think.
— ?Wayne Longbottom (@WayneLongbottom) September 29, 2019
This leaves the Wallabies with a tough route for the rest of the RWC, as they look set to finish second in Pool D. That means they are likely to face Pool C favourites England in the quarter-final with the likelihood of facing the All Blacks in the semi-final should they pass that test.
The only positive for Australia is the flyhalf debate has been put to bed, as both Lealiifano and Toomua now seem ahead of Foley for the rest of the competition. If they are not, Cheika will be on the receiving end of a lot of criticism.
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
2 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments