Wallabies halfback Tate McDermott slams 'embarrassing' defence
Following last month’s two shell-shockings at the hands of the All Blacks, Wallabies coach Dave Rennie suggested that the secret to scoring a victory over his home country was in keeping the All Blacks to under 20 points – or thereabouts.
“What we know is you have got to defend well against the All Blacks and clearly we didn’t do that well enough,” Rennie said in the post-match of the second test. “If you can reduce them to around about 20 points or less, they lose more than they won. That was certainly a goal heading into [the first two tests] and will be the goal again in the third test.”
That’s a theory that stacks up well to scrutiny – and defence has unsurprisingly been a big focus for the Wallabies ahead of the third test of the series.
While it’s a dead-rubber from a Bledisloe Cup point of view, with back to back defeats ensuring Australia would have to wait another year before reclaiming the prized trophy, the Rugby Championship is still very much wide open and a win on Sunday could pave the way for a golden run for the Wallabies.
Halfback Tate McDermott has acknowledged, however, that they won’t have any chance of tipping over the more-fancied All Blacks in Perth if they can’t recover from their “embarrassing” defensive display in the second test, which saw the side concede their worst ever score against the men in black.
“We’ve got to hold the ball, we’ve got to respect the ball and then on the flip side it’s about our defence,” McDermott said. “It was nowhere near good enough, especially in that second test, when we conceded 57 points.
“To call ourselves a tier-one nation and do that is really quite embarrassing.
“That’s one area that we’ve really got to lift. Scramble defence, but also our set-piece defence as well.”
The All Blacks have travelled to Perth without three of their key players, captain Sam Whitelock, halfback Aaron Smith and first five Richie Mo’unga. Their absences, however, aren’t of any consolation to McDermott, who suggested on Wednesday that the three players who are selected to take their place will be equally as potent.
“You know very well who they are going to replace them with and it’s just as much experience, if not exactly the same,” he said.
“Guys like TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, if we’re taking them lightly we’re kidding ourselves.
“Yes, they did leave behind three of their key players but they’ve replaced them with three world-class players. Whoever wears that black jersey, they always do a job so we’ve got to be on them.”
Dave Rennie has suggested there's one key way to beat the All Blacks – and the numbers back it up. #Wallabies #AllBlacks #AUSvNZL
?? Gregor Paulhttps://t.co/hOlKn9A6TY
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) August 23, 2021
22-year-old McDermott, with just seven caps to his name, has been one of the Wallabies’ best and brightest throughout 2021 but could find his spot in the starting lineup under pressure form Nic White, who made his injury return in the most recent Bledisloe Cup match.
There have also been some suggestions that New Zealand-born pivot Quade Cooper could make his Wallabies return on Sunday.
Whoever starts in the 9 and 10 jerseys, however, they’ll certainly be facing new opposition, with the All Blacks needing to swap out their first-choice combo due to the absences of Smith and Mo’unga.
Both sides will be named on Friday afternoon.
Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets 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?
11 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.
11 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.
17 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 comments