Contenders or Pretenders
An insight into the Wayward Wallabies
F. A. Loxton
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WATCHED THE WALLABIES RECENTLY their performances have been nothing short of unforgettable. With a younger team than most international opponents, it seems a lack of experience coupled with an inability to put together a full game performance has left them 3rd on the Rugby Championship Ladder. And, with the Bledisloe Cup and a strong New Zealand outfit ahead, it’s only getting harder.
Australia’s international season began in July with a 2-point victory over England. Whilst it was a good performance from the team, the Wallabies lapsed in concentration when the game was won, allowing England to score two converted tries in the final minutes. This swing in momentum led to English dominance for the rest of the series, closing out the next two matches. After a promising start, the series was the beginning of their inconsistency and was exacerbated in the following Rugby Championship.
The Rugby Championship began with Australia claiming a good win over Argentina. The team started slow but managed to recover, taking the lead in the 65th minute. However, early in the second half Australia suffered a huge loss, as Quade Cooper ruptured his Achilles, putting his experience in question for the Rugby World Cup next year. Round 2, in typical Wallabies fashion, proved to be a huge challenge as the team were blown out from the very first minute. With both Michael Hooper flying home and Quade Cooper injured, the experience highlighted the considerable cracks in the team..
In recent weeks, the Wallabies took on South Africa at home. Their opening match proved a comeback performance with dominance from the outset. However, South Africa remained resilient in the closing minutes, scoring two converted tries to make the margin just 8 points. The next week was starkly different. After ascending over New Zealand in Round 1, South Africa was determined in victory, with the Wallabies unable to score until the 78th minute. Questions were raised about the Wallabies’ game plan and team selection, as they could not gain territory and the backs were outclassed by South Africa’s kicking game.
However, in Round 5 the Wallabies will face their biggest challenge yet, the All Blacks. In recent months New Zealand has had similar inconsistency to the Wallabies, going down in four of their last seven games, including a loss to Argentina in Christchurch. Their form has been questionable, although the rivalry remains between the struggling sides. With the Bledisloe Cup at stake, it will take a full game performance for the Wallabies to win, a performance that would recover respect. This win would prove the team are genuine contenders for the Rugby World Cup, not just pretenders.
The Wallabies 2022 season so far has been stagnant at best. But what has changed since the 2015 World Cup final days or defeating #1 ranked South Africa twice this time last year? Experience and development. Firstly, Australia’s 2015 Rugby World Cup side featured a diverse range of emerging players as well as veterans coming out of retirement. This brought a wealth of knowledge and tactics to the team, something Australia currently lacks. Further, the growth of Rugby League in recent years has been subject to diverse player development programs, gathering players from a range of areas and backgrounds. Within rugby union, these player development systems are majorly tailored to private schoolboys, a minority when it comes to youth rugby union. Rather than trying to recruit players from the NRL with limited funding in rugby union, Rugby Australia should look to their systems of developing current youth players who will be the future of the sport.
Ultimately, the Wallabies’ problems have been the result of inexperience and a lack of youth development, and, with the World Cup looming, the side will need to turn around their current form to make a strong campaign against the best teams in the world.