'That was Cheika-esque': Wallabies hard loss to France 'C' team
Another close contest between Wallabies and France has resulted in a level series heading into the third and final match of the series, with the visitors sealing a 28-26 win with a penalty three minutes from full time in Melbourne.
The entertaining series has been an even one so far, but not lost on Wallaby fans is the fact that this France team is effectively a third or fourth choice side without the likes of stars Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Charles Ollivon, and Virimi Vakatawa.
After escaping in the first test after a French brain fade, losing in the second has brought disapointment over the realisation where Dave Rennie’s side is at in their development.
After a promising Rugby Championship in 2020 which saw a win and draw over the All Blacks from four contests and two draws from two with the Pumas, doubt is creeping in over where the Wallabies are headed.
Australian rugby writer Hugh Cavill called the side ‘honest toilers’ lacking enough game-breaking ability. Koroibete was identified as the only back that could make plays.
Fans lamented not being able to ‘compete with the French C side’ and the state of the Wallabies breakdown, which was under pressure all night from a French side intent on slowing the ball down.
I thought that last penalty was fair enough. France deserved to win. We're a team of honest toilers at the moment, need more game breaking ability.
— Hugh Cavill (@hughcavill) July 13, 2021
How do the boomers beat the dream team and the wallabies can’t compete with the French C side. #AUSvFRA
— Rugby Report Card (@rugby_podcast) July 13, 2021
Coming off the long run. Rubbish crowd, pushed to GEM, effectively lost to France C and D squads in 6 days. No breakdown, lost line out and scrum at key moments, still running out of our own half, deluded that fitness wins test rugby, not taking the 3, no game management.
— Rugby Report Card (@rugby_podcast) July 13, 2021
Considering this is a 2nd/3rd string French side that’s a phenomenal win. It’s scary how good France could be on home soil at RWC 2023. #AUSvFRA
— Steffan Thomas (@Steffan_Thomas1) July 13, 2021
Just imagine the carnage if Dupont and Jalibert were playing
— Linebreak Rugby ????? (@LinebreakRugby) July 13, 2021
If I was RA I would sack Rennie right now.
Any coach that says we have great conditioning is a man without a plan.
No improvement, no variety & stupid decisions.
This is clearly a team with no concept of what test rugby is.
— Brumbies Boy (@brumby_fan) July 13, 2021
Wright, Banks, Paisani all pedestrians. Good kicking from Lolesio but Marika is the only one of the backs making plays.
— Gibbo (@brett_gibson) July 13, 2021
Melodramatic but some truth. What was with the run it from everywhere and do the stupid out-the-back play. That was Cheika-esque.
Campo talking himself up in a losing SF before the game then calling Koroibete Kurindrani was awful. Get that arrogant hasbeen away from the mic.
— Tim Phillips (@timbo_phillips) July 13, 2021
Focusing on the refs while the wallabies backline is a disaster and the game was lost in a scrum that the first line should have performed… Let’s fix our own backyard first
— Papa Piquillo (@EcheD) July 13, 2021
Hooper seemed to be the only bloke actually trying to compete at the ruck. Wallabies looked to be deliberately standing off. Compared to the French who were going in pretty much every second ruck and slowing things down.
— Huw Tindall (@HuwTindall) July 13, 2021
Fans weren’t happy with the ‘run it from everywhere’ approach, which one described as ‘Cheika-esque’, the former Wallaby coach whose side played recklessly up until the 2019 World Cup campaign.
One of the hallmarks of Dave Rennie’s time at the Chiefs was their willingness to run it out of their own 22, but applying that strategy in test rugby is an entirely different kettle of fish it seems.
Rennie spoke about ‘knowing when to get the balance right’ in his post-match press conference, while he gave France credit for their work at the breakdown.
“We made some key errors and there were probably only two stats we lost, one was breakdown penalties and the other was the kicking battle,” he said.
“While we wanted to play and we did some really good stuff from deep we’ve got to get the balance right of when to kick on the front foot.
“You’ve got to give France credit, they were really good over the ball, I think we got penalised nine times at the breakdown and obviously that had a massive effect on our continuity and our ability to hurt them.
“We tried to go back door and go around them at times when they were flying up and shutting us down.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..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.
5 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 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?
4 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.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments