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'We're pretty soft at the moment, and that's the honest assessment of it'
Scrumhalf Tate McDermott has described the Wallabies as soft following the team’s latest flop against the All Blacks, saying Sunday’s 38-21 loss felt like Groundhog Day.
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Despite being without stars Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith and Richie Mo’unga due to paternity leave, the All Blacks ran in six tries to three to secure the win in front of 52,724 fans at Optus Stadium.
The All Blacks were dealt a huge blow in the 28th minute when fullback Jordie Barrett was given a red card for a studs-to-the-face incident on Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete.
Barrett had leapt to catch a high kick and thrust out his right leg as he was coming down to the turf in order to protect himself.
Trailing 13-0 at the time, the Wallabies needed to make the most of the numerical advantage they would have for the next 20 minutes before Barrett could be replaced.
Instead it was the All Blacks who pounced, with a powerful rolling maul allowing inside centre Dav id Havili to cross just seconds before half-time, giving the visitors an 18-0 lead.
It was a similar case in the recent 57-22 loss in Auckland when the All Blacks managed to power ahead during the period in which they were down to 14 men.
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Another similarity on Sunday was the two long-range intercept tries the Wallabies conceded when on attack.
It meant the Wallabies had given up a total of five intercept tries on the way to losing the Bledisloe Cup series 3-0.
Overall they conceded 128 points in the three Tests while scoring 68.
“It’s so disappointing and frustrating from our point of view,” McDermott told Channel 9.
“It’s Groundhog Day. Every time we say we’re going to do something, we don’t do it.
“We’re pretty soft at the moment, and that’s the honest assessment of it.”
The Wallabies didn’t score their first points until a 50th-minute try to hooker Folau Fainga’a.
Was it a red? ?#Bledisloe #RugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/5bBwNz5XQb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 5, 2021
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Australia will now lick their wounds befo re fronting up to world champions South Africa on the Gold Coast next Sunday as their Rugby Championship campaign continues.
The All Blacks kicked two penalties to open proceedings on Sunday, and Beauden Barrett set up the first try in the 17th minute with a perfectly-weighted grubber kick that sliced open the Wallabies’ defence.
The Wallabies were unable to score any points during the 20 minutes New Zealand were down to 14 men.
But just moments after the All Blacks were back to their full complement, a smart break from McDermott set up the home side’s opener in the 50th minute.
With the margin back to 11 points there was a glimmer of hope, but it was quickly snuffed out by All Blacks flanker Akira Ioane, who broke three tackles in a powerful run before offloading to Will Jordan for an easy try.
The All Blacks have been dealt three red cards in their last four games in Australia against the Wallabies. #NZLvAUS #BledisloeCup https://t.co/Pu2Kqb62hy
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 5, 2021
Then came the intercept tries.
A wayward pass from lock Matt Philip was picked off by David Havili, who ran 80m with Kerevi in hot pursuit to touch down.
The other intercept try came in the 72nd minute, when reserve scrumhalf TJ Perenara picked off a pass and made an important burst before unleashing a cross-field kick for George Bridge to cross.
“In the end, we had chances to score and we didn’t,” Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said about his team’s inability to capitalise on the red card.
“It’s about us being clinical. We thought we had scored, it was disallowed, and three minutes left in the half they piggyback a couple of penalties and then hurt us at our end.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’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.
10 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.
9 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 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?
5 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 comments