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Why no Australian side can beat a Kiwi team

By Ben Smith
Aussie Cover

It’s now been 687 days since an Australian side beat a Kiwi side in Super Rugby. After two contests in 2018, it doesn’t look promising. The rejuvenated Rebels, who started the season well, put up a spirited first half before being blown away 50-19 by the Hurricanes. The Brumbies were a similar story last night.

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Brumbies head coach Dan McKellar claimed leading up to the clash against the Highlanders “Australian teams are not respected in New Zealand”.

He is right.

There isn’t the respect the way that the New Zealand teams would look at each other. Australian sides aren’t clinical, aren’t creative, aren’t fit enough and lack basic fundamental skills. Many of the sides run the same systems as the New Zealand sides, for example, the Brumbies and Hurricanes both use a 1-3-3-1, but that’s where the similarities end.

Here is the same situation for both sides that will highlight the differences between the Australian and New Zealand sides.

The ball has been spread to sideline through the backs and both sides are looking to reset their 1-3-3-1 pattern, playing back to the open side.

The first three forwards in the Hurricanes 1-3-3-1 take a hit up.

Here we see the first Hurricanes pod of three with Barrett as a backdoor option. Fifita decides to truck it up to set a ruck on the 15 metre tramline.

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The second phase setup in the Hurricanes 1-3-3-1.

The next phase Barrett moves into first receiver and has the second line of three forwards outside him, with Laumape (12) the back-door option on the swivel pass.

As the play unfolds, we can see a distinct separation between the three forwards on the first level and Laumape as a back-door option on the second level. The Hurricanes forwards are running onto the ball at speed and move together.

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Umaga-Allen engages the Chiefs defender into contact and his outside option has also done enough to hold the next man. The Hurricanes are direct and moving forward which holds the space on the outside. Laumape is able to time his run to hit the swivel pass at speed.

Now let’s look at the Brumbies in the same situation. The ball has moved wide left and the Brumbies are setting up to come right.

The Brumbies 1-3-3-1 is far less ordered, with players at all sorts of depth.

We see less separation between each first level of three forwards and the back-door option. Each pod of three appears jumbled, with uneven triangle formations with players at different depths.

In both pods, the backdoor options, Tom Banks (15) and Harewa Wharenui (10) appear to line up behind the first forward, and in Banks case, actually inside him.

These are all minor details but are important, as we will see. The Brumbies use the swivel pass on the first pod instead of taking a hit up. As Wharenui looks to pass onwards we can see problems already with the next pod.

The third Brumbies runner is out of position, which is going to mess up the movement.

The third forward is not in a position to be a tip option on the first level. He is almost side-by-side with Banks in the second level, which is going to mess the whole movement up. He was too deep to begin with and can’t catch up.

Poor catch-and-pass. The Brumbies lock is not a playmaker.

Secondly, the lead runner Arnold unnecessarily jumps in the air to catch a perfectly catchable ball, which throws off the timing of everyone. He lands and becomes stationary, swivels around in the opposite direction around loops a terrible pass to Banks.

Momentum lost – the play has already stalled.

Arnold doesn’t have a second outside option on his right and hasn’t engaged any Reds defenders into contact, allowing all of them to slide. The third runner is also now in the way of Banks and risks being called for obstruction, as Banks hasn’t got past his outside shoulder.

Disjointed – the third runner now ends up in the way, risking obstruction.

Banks is not able to get outside Reds centre Chris Feauai-Sautia (2), which the play is supposed to create. The third runner is supposed to pull his attention in, while Banks coming around the back at pace is able to get around him. Even still, quick ball could get the ball to the edge to take easy metres but Banks cuts back into the sliding defence.

In contrast, Laumape gets outside his man as the play is designed, draws the next one into contact (Damian McKenzie) and pops a brilliant offload to Lam into the lane that just opened up. Each player in the movement doing their job properly creates the space.

Everyone plays direct, understands their role and has the necessary skills to do so.

The Brumbies, by contrast, are the opposite. The players either don’t know what their jobs are, are too lazy or aren’t good enough to perform them. It’s sloppy from start to finish with a lack of timing and decent passing. It’s this lack of attention to detail that plagues all the Australian sides and why their attack struggles when they play New Zealand sides.

We don’t sit in on the coaches review each week so we have no idea what kind of details get brought up in film review, however, it doesn’t take long to find constant examples of poor execution like this.

The Reds under their previous coaches were deplorable, they have taken big strides under Thorn but have also simplified a lot of what they do keep things basic. Their attack is very one-dimensional and will get blown off the park when they play the New Zealand teams.

The Rebels have improved markedly under Wessels and the ex-Force movement. Their set-piece attack has become the best in Australia, strategically. They deserve credit for the way they use the platform to strike the opposition with elaborate back play, usually with Will Genia involved heavily. Other areas are a concern and yesterday’s loss to the Jaguares proved so.

Australia’s top side is the Waratahs, they now sit atop of the Aussie conference with five wins from seven and are yet to play a Kiwi side. They will get their chance during May when they play four New Zealand sides in a row. They present the best chance to end the streak, perhaps when they play the Blues in Sydney.

If the Waratahs don’t beat the Blues, it will likely be another winless year for Australian sides against the New Zealand conference.

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Trevor 19 minutes ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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