The 2013 rugby season in Australia has been a big one not only in terms of physically but also mentally.
The highly anticipated visit by the Lions kicked off the Wallabies Test season in June and has just concluded with the five match Spring tour to Europe. But for most of the Wallabies contingent their 2013 season began way back in mid February with the start of Super rugby, a week earlier than the other countries to accommodate the Lions series.
They will now get about a month off before commencing pre season with their respective sides in the new year before doing it all again for 2014. A month off may sound good around this time of year but is it enough after such a heavy schedule in 2013?
The Super rugby season is tough enough, but the Brumbies had a massive workload that saw them travel in excess of 30,000 kms in the last few weeks of the tournament leaving them wondering ‘where the hell am I?’ and needing a boarding pass to work that out.
By the end of 2013, the Brumbies Wallabies members had played in New Zealand a total five times – two regular season Super rugby games, the Super rugby final and two matches against the All Blacks – three visits to South Africa, a stop in Argentina and the Spring tour. Imagine all those frequent flyer points!
The numbers are distorted by the fact the Brumbies played extra games during the finals.
It took four matches under McKenzie to get back in the winners circle, albeit a one point win in the rain over Argentina in Perth but it wasn’t until the 54-17 win over Argentina in Rosario that fans thought the tide had turned.
Another loss to New Zealand in Dunedin was followed by a disappointing loss to England that blew the grand slam chance before it even got started but four straight wins to end the tour has some fans thinking the signs look good heading into 2014. The tour also saw a total of 17 tries scored (admittedly with one extra game) way up from the 3 on the 2012 tour.
At the end of 2013 the Wallabies win/loss ratio is actually worse than 2012 but the tries and points scored are way up which seems to be the benchmark set by fans and supporters alike. The only downsides are the negative for and against and the number of penalties conceded.
- 36 tries compared to 15 at an average of 2.4
- 365 points scored compared to 259 at an average of 24.33
- 386 points conceded compared to 300 at an average of 25.73 – Three games had over 40 points conceded
- 178 penalties conceded at an average of nearly 12 – Only 3 games had single figure penalties conceded
Below is a chart of the top 10 Wallabies playing minutes in 2013. Ben Mowen played all but 37 of the possible Test minutes and just shaded Israel Folau, who probably would have played 80 minutes in all 15 Tests except for his hamstring injury in the third Lions Test. In the absence of David Pocock, 2013 John Eales medalist Michael Hooper stepped up and finished third overall. Adam Ashley-Cooper and Stephen Moore rounded out the top 5 after a very solid 2013.
One thing is certain, these boys need a well deserved break after a massive 2013 and if they have a slow start to 2014 then maybe we’ll understand why.
