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Wallabies’ World Cup fallout: All Blacks have ‘head start’ in 2024
It’s almost hard to describe what the atmosphere was like at Lyon’s OL Stadium in September after the Wallabies’ record 40-6 Rugby World Cup defeat to familiar foe Wales.
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The result left the Wallabies on the brink of a first-ever pool stage exit at the sport’s showpiece event. It was an all-time low for Australian rugby, and you could feel that in the stadium that night.
Players and fans alike were left gutted, disappointed and heartbroken as the darkest night in Australian rugby history was etched into the record books.
Coach Eddie Jones was uncharacteristically quiet after the Test, too. The Wallabies went on to bow out of the Rugby World Cup before the quarter-finals.
“Deep down we thought we could go further in the competition and we probably should have. It was obviously very disappointing,” starting flyhalf Ben Donaldson told RugbyPass.
“It took a couple of months, probably up until the start of pre-season here with the Force to really kind of get over that.
“As soon as the World Cup finished we were on break for seven or eight weeks so you’re not doing any rugby, you’re just with your friends, with your partners just chilling out but that’s always lingering in the back of your mind.
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“What could I have done better? What could we have done better? Because essentially we let our country down. We didn’t play the kind of footy we wanted to.”
While the Australian players went on a break, their arch-rivals across the ditch continued to pursue what would’ve been a fourth Rugby World Cup crown.
The All Blacks defied the odds and underdog status as they held on for a valiant win over Ireland in the quarters. New Zealand backed that up with a clinical win over Argentina a week later.
But their quest for glory would end there. Captain Sam Cane was sent off midway through the first half in the final against South Africa which unfortunately proved to be a pivotal moment.
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New Zealand mounted a comeback and had an opportunity to win the Test at the death off the boot of Jordie Barrett, but it wasn’t to be. South Africa became back-to-back world champions with a 12-11 win.
Both the Wallabies and All Blacks will be disappointed with how their World Cup campaigns ended for different reasons, but the New Zealanders are the first to officially put it behind them.
More than 70 days on from the one-point defeat to the Springboks, 22 All Blacks assembled for a brief two-day camp in Auckland with new coach Scott Robertson this week.
Meanwhile, across the ditch, the Wallabies are separated by Australian state borders as they continue to chip away at pre-season with their Super Rugby clubs.
“It’s obviously a bit of a weird situation. We don’t have a head coach at the moment, they’re still figuring out the high-performance team and program,” Donaldson said.
“We haven’t really had any conversations with anyone from the Wallabies since we left the World Cup whereas the All Blacks are in camp now, they’re already moving forward.
“It does feel like they’ve got a bit of a head start but most of us boys, we’ve all spoken and we’ve got full trust in Australian rugby at the moment and what they’re doing, how they’re moving forward.
“They’ve already appointed a few new people so we’re just focusing on the short-term at our clubs, just day-to-day really, just training… trying to get a starting position at the Force.
“If I’m playing well there (the Force) then everything else will take care of itself.
“We’ve got full trust in whoever is working in Australian rugby to get those positions filled and if all of us at our Super clubs can just keep working hard, when we do come into camp – not we, whoever gets picked to go into camp eventually – the boys should be ready to go.”
Playmaker Ben Donaldson didn’t take the field for a second during last year’s Rugby Championship. But a few months later, he was Australia’s go-to man on the sport’s biggest stage.
Donaldson, 24, received Player of the Match honours after scoring two tries against Georgia in Australia’s World Cup opener. He started the first two Tests at fullback before replacing Carter Gordon as the Wallabies’ No. 10.
But with all that in the past, Donaldson is looking to channel the learnings from that World Cup campaign ahead of a Super Rugby Pacific season with a new team.
The NSW Waratahs let Donaldson go last year, with the playmaker linking up with Wallaby veteran Nic White out west with the Force.
“Being at the Tahs for four or five years, ever since I left school, and leaving the way it all happened, a little bit of bitterness there but I think I was ready for a move, a new experience, a new challenge,” he added.
“I think this move over here to the west is probably the best thing for me.
“The World Cup, obviously not the results we wanted but I took so many learnings and so many experiences out of that that will help me moving forward as an individual and as a playmaker for the Western Force.
“There’s definitely that bit of fire in the belly. I’ve been to a World Cup now, started every game and also I’m at a new club and you want to prove some people out there wrong.
“At the end of the day I know what I can do, I know what I’m capable of and thankfully Crono has got full backing of me and the boys of this team as well.
“I’ll take those experiences from the past couple of years and the World Cup and just take them into the 2024 season.”
The Western Force will kick off their Super Rugby Pacific season at home to the Hurricanes on February 23.
Comments on RugbyPass
Karl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI 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)
45 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.
5 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.
45 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.
45 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.
5 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 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.
8 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 comments