Bob Dwyer Rugby Workshops

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.  Saturday, 24^th July, 2010.

A much improved Wallabies performance, at Suncorp Stadium last night, condemned the travelling Springboks to a third straight loss and virtually no chance of successfully defending their Tri-Nations title. Once again, a lack of discipline saw the Boks with yellow cards in the 3^rd and 45^th minutes, with numerous other penalties - a number of which resulted from Wallaby pressure – resulting in four Giteau conversions and a 12-3 lead, with the first half all but over. Mitchell’s try in the 40^th minute gave the hosts a telling 14 point margin at the break.

I have described the Wallabies performance as “much improved” and declared them “on the right track”. This is accurate and I don’t want to give cause for too much optimism – yet! Over the past two weeks, I have described the Springbok performances as poor, so a performance with any sort of quality should have produced a win against them, with their current squad and form. They have, after all, conceded about 100 points in the last three weeks!

Over the last couple of seasons, I have been encouraged by an occasional improved performance from the Wallabies, only to have my hopes dashed the very next week, but some elements of this performance, both team and individual, have long-term potential. The fundamental elements of this improved performance centred around the ’ tackle contest’ and ‘ straight running’. Our numbers and our intent at the tackle contest were as required. Our intent was to drive’ them’ backwards, whether on ‘ our’ ball or on ‘ theirs’. This intent forces good, low body-position and powerful leg drive – it’s as simple as that. For the first time in a couple of years, Mat Giteau ran straight and subsequently played much better. It’s impossible to play quality attacking rugby with an inside centre who runs across field, so full marks to those involved in this improvement. Indeed, straight running was a feature of this Wallaby performance, as it must always be.

There are a number of Wallaby players who have great footwork – O’Connor, Mitchell, Cooper, Genia , to name a few – and straight running gives opportunity to display this quality. Giteau’s half break in the lead up to Mitchell’s try is a perfect example. He straightened on to Zane Kirchner (I think) and then accelerated around him to attract an outside defender for the overlap to Mitchell.  Rocky Elsom also ran straight for the most part, in a much improved display, and his strength and change of direction made him a difficult proposition for the Springbok defence.

The intent of the Wallabies, arriving in numbers at the tackle contest, gave the lift in physicality that Robbie Deans has been seeking and many Springbok attacks were literally stopped in their tracks by powerful Wallaby tackling. The Boks did score two late tries, but I’m thinking that the Wallabies had switched off mentally at that stage. They certainly regrouped very quickly and finished well on top, with Genia’s late try.

I continue to be reminded that, in its fundamentals, the game hasn’t changed much. The basic elements of successful performance have remained consistent over the decades and even the ‘old’ starter plays from many years ago, are still  enough to cause problems for modern defences. Last year, I saw England pull a “Baffler” – an old Matraville High School play from the Ella era – for a try at Twickenham, and on Saturday the Springboks pulled a “Riff-Raff” switch play – named after the Ireland backs coach, Alan (Riff-Raff) Gaffney, which I first saw over forty years ago.

The only downside for the Wallabies is that, despite their obvious superiority, they led by only ten points with five minutes remaining. ” Lack of finishing” of the try-scoring opportunities which they created, limited their total and this was mentioned by more than one person at the post-match press conference. As always, this deficiency is caused by poor technique –a failure to “straighten after the break” being a major factor – and this must be addressed, if the team are to progress to the highest level. Still, there is cause for some optimism and with Alexander, Horwill, Palu, Poloto-Nau, Ioane still to return, our future is looking brighter. If Dan Vickerman can return as the same player who left, we will be even stronger.

What then for the Springboks? Their capitulation on last season’s end-of-year northern tour was nothing short of astonishing and that same form has continued into this year’s internationals.  Certainly, they are missing Fourie du Preez (who wouldn’t), Heinrich Brussow and Janie du Plessis but their established players are just not producing. Dare I say it; Victor Matfield and John Smit look past it and even the great Bryan Habana is having no impact on the game. Selections, at times, remain a mystery to me - De Villiers not at inside-centre, no open-side flanker? Come to think of it, it’s been a while since South Africa produced a performance worthy of the World Champions tag.