'Of course it's a setback': Wallabies looking for answers after England loss
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie was left to rue missed opportunities yet again as Australia fell to their eighth consecutive loss to England in front of a boisterous crowd at Twickenham.
Against all odds, the Wallabies were right in the game up until the 70th minute, but poor execution and ill discipline stifled the Wallabies attack. When opportunities did present themselves, the Wallabies were not able to capitalise, and England’s stranglehold on the game eventually took its toll. The Wallabies conceded their second try late in the game to blow out the lead.
Reflecting on the loss in the post-match press conference, Rennie lamented that they weren’t able to put paid to chances created, a recurring theme from the Wallabies in recent years.
“We couldn’t get anything going. We got hammered in the penalty count. The possession and territory stats were in the sixties in favour of England and they choked us down there. We made too many errors and dumb penalties that put us under pressure. It’s frustrating.”
“There was a lot of character shown tonight. At halftime, we hadn’t had a lot of territory or ball, but at 16-12 we fought hard, and we felt if we could have strung a few phases together we could put them under a bit of heat. We weren’t able to execute and weren’t good enough tonight.”
When quizzed on whether he thought the Wallabies were unfairly treated by the ref, Rennie conceded that it was down to the players to fix their discipline.
“We’re not going to complain about Jaco’s refereeing. I thought he controlled the game pretty well. Most of the issues were our own doing. We got ourselves in a good position with the ball but we got stripped about three times. We’ve got to be better.
“We were turning over too much ball. [There were] some individual mistakes and it put us under pressure.”
Wallabies captain Michael Hopper echoed Rennie’s sentiments, adding that the Wallabies were inaccurate and failed to build momentum.
“It’s frustrating. We were not able to play the game we wanted to play. We certainly weren’t able to unlock the England defence. We felt starved of the ball and they did well to keep us in our end of the field.”
How Australia fared in the loss to England at Twickenham. #ENGvAUS https://t.co/S6SLSUNKMO
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 14, 2021
For the Wallabies, a bright light in the test match was their defensive shift, which made some crucial stops at important moments, particularly Nic White’s timing to knock the ball out of Jamie George’s hand as he attempted to score. Rennie was quick to point out that they need to turn that defensive pressure around and put points on at the other end.
“There’s plenty of courage and character in this group. What we need to be able to do is score points on the back of that good defence.”
Attention now turns to their final match of the spring tour against Wales. The two nations have had some great battles over their years, most recently in the pool stages of the 2019 World Cup. Rennie and the Wallabies will target this match for a win to end their season.
“It’s hugely important. The support we have back at home, and the support we have here deserve better. We definitely want to finish on a high.”
They will look to arrest the shift in momentum since embarking on the spring tour, with Rennie admitting they have not met expectations.
“Of course it’s a setback. The plan was to come over and keep building on that [momentum]. We haven’t performed with the accuracy and consistency that we needed over here. They [Northern Hemisphere teams] ask a lot of questions of you. There’s a lot of ball in the air and they play plenty of territory. You don’t get a lot of opportunities at this level. You have to be disciplined, and you have to be accurate. We were neither tonight.”
In some good news, Rennie expects Allan Allalatoa and Taniela Tupou to be available for the Wales game, while Hooper left the field with a foot injury in the second half against England but is hoping to be fit for next weekend.
“I have done something to my foot,” Hopper offered post-game. “We will take a look at how it looks.”
“It feels alright. The staff have buoyed me a bit with how it is so that’s good. It was a part of a tackle, so just a rugby injury.”
When asked about his chances to recover in time to meet Wales, Hooper said: “I’ll give it every chance I can.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
7 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
13 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
13 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments