Wallabies discuss how aerial game will feature in new-look attack
Harnessing the aerial capabilities of wingers Mark Nawaqanitawase and Suliasi Vunivalu is part of the Wallabies’ plan to “play to their strengths” through the Rugby World Cup, according to assistant coach Jason Ryles.
The Wallabies open their tournament with a pool game against Georgia on Sunday (AEST) in Paris where they will look to end a five-game losing streak and stamp themselves as genuine title contenders.
Since replacing Dave Rennie as coach, Eddie Jones has talked about playing the “Wallaby way” and Ryles said that meant changing the attack to suit the players.
The former Melbourne Storm player and assistant, who worked under Jones when he was England coach, was a late replacement for the Wallabies after Brad Davis quit the post just before the squad flew to Europe.
Having observed training and the Wallabies’ 41-17 loss to France in their final warm-up match, Ryles said he could see shifts in the attack.
“I definitely think it’s improving – it was four tries to three (against France) and we could have had another one or two had the bounce of the ball gone our way,” said Ryles, who will return to the Storm post-World Cup.
“It’s heading in the right direction and it’s a Wallabies style. What I’ve picked up really quickly is that it’s less structured, it’s more about playing to the players’ strengths and then building the game plan in and around that.”
One of Australia’s tries against France was scored by Vunivalu after he soared to collect a high ball kicked by halfback Issak Fines-Leleiwasa.
A former Melbourne NRL winger, Vunivalu regularly utilised the tactic with the Storm on his way to collecting the competition’s top try scorer gong in 2016 and 2017.
While hard-running Marika Koroibete is expected to be a lock for the other wing berth, Nawaqanitawase offers similar aerial strike power to Vunivalu.
High balls were frequently exploited by former Wallabies fullback Israel Folau, who also started his career at the Storm.
“You haven’t bugged our meetings, have you?,” Ryles joked when questioned about the Wallabies’ kicking ploy.
“It’s there to see, it’s certainly one of their strengths.
“That’s one of the things you would have seen in the France game, that Suli and Mark had opportunities in the air one-on-one in those contestables.
“That’s certainly something that we’re moving towards and building on.
“It’s a strength of ours and it’s something that when the time’s right we want to make sure we give them an opportunity to show what they can do.”
Ryles, who ended his 249-game NRL playing career with Melbourne in 2013, held up a rough patch of five successive losses through the club’s title-winning 2012 season as proof of how quickly fortunes can change.
“It was basically one game … but it broke that drought of not winning,” he said.
“Sometimes it takes that game and the confidence and belief builds and you turn that corner, and then you turn one win into two, into three.”
The Wallabies may be without Samu Kerevi for the Georgia match, with the strike centre only just resuming training following his broken hand, while props James Slipper (foot) and Pone Fa’amausili (calf) remain sidelined.
Comments on RugbyPass
I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
43 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
43 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
43 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
6 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
6 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to comments