The Wallabies made a great start to their World Cup campaign with a decisive 32 points to 6 victory over the always difficult Italians. Their performance had flaws, for sure, but I know from experience that a team needs to build into a tournament, to work gradually and systematically to peak level when it’s needed. A more difficult opponent along the way early in the tournament can be a problem – just as Ireland poses next weekend – but the team must be capable of over-coming this hurdle.
For an assessment of the quality of Australia’s performance, just consider the record of the Italian team in recent years. They have victories over the Scots and the French, and they really should have beaten Ireland in the last Six Nations tournament. They have run both New Zealand and Australia to the wire and given the All Black scrum a real hiding in Milan. It’s been some time since they we on the receiving end of a 26 point margin.
The Wallabies had all of the early territory, but not all their own way. Less than perfect attack was met with quality Italian defence and it was clear that ‘better questions’ were needed to be asked, if the Italian line was to be breached. The Italians, on the other hand, produced some quality attack, albeit with accurate kicks and excellent chase. AAC was struggling with the high ball in difficult conditions, with heavy rain falling, and the Italian attack continued to test him.
Indeed, Italy went perilously close to the first try, when a spilt high ball was recovered and recycled for a long grubber into the in goal. Quade Cooper, who had a great game despite some claims to the contrary, read the threat very early and just beat the chasing Andrea Masi to the touchdown.
The first half was pretty much a stalemate, with some great scrummaging by the Italian pack. Castrogiovanni was excellent and Kepu was having real trouble just to try to contain him, whilst the evidence of the second half vision showed Lo Cicero with his hand frequently on the ground, illegally. This upset the Wallabies’ territorial advantage, but I felt that it was only a matter of time, before Australia cracked the Italian defence. At 6 points to nil, the game looked comfortable for the Wallabies, but in the space of 5 mins, just before the break, Italy are rewarded for some real pressure on Australia’s line, they take two penalties and draw level at 6 all.
In heavy rain with a slippery field, the Wallabies have been pressured into some dropped ball and Italy have been quick to turn the pressure back onto them. Some ambitious decisions were taken deep in their own territory and the Italian defence had been quick to capitalise. More was required in terms of quality attack and control, if the Wallabies were to seize back the initiative.
Full marks now to the Wallabies coaching staff! During the break they had obviously tweaked the attacking focus and both wingers became much more involved. Speed of support to the tackle contest suddenly became a priority, with the subsequent urgency in recycled ball. ‘Fast attack’ became the order of the day, with immediate distribution by whomever was at hand – one great clearance pass by Vickerman gave space for the eventual try by Alexander.
Whereas in the first half I had been surprised, after about 30 minutes, to suddenly realise that Ioane was actually playing, he was now everywhere. The injection of O’Connor early in the second term, added to this revived strategy. Cooper was now running the show and the Wallabies were consistently dangerous. It was high paced rugby, played by world-class ball-carriers, and now the Italian defence had no answers. I have said a few times in recent weeks that “there is no defence to perfect attack!” This was close to the mark.
What I didn’t like about the Wallabies:
- Our scrum was vulnerable between Kepu and Moore. This is a well used strategy – it looked a lot like the old Argentinian scrum to me – and Moore, especially, should have been able to fix the problem on the pitch.
- Some ambitious decisions, given the slippery pitch, in our back-field zone.
- No blindside wing participation in the first half.
- Poor support play again. Pocock’s great break after a lineout steal; similar break by Cooper following a turnover with Genia providing no option for him at all.
- Cut-out pass by Cooper to Beale which wasted a try-scoring opportunity early in the second half. I don’t like cut-out passes at all – have I said this before?
- Samo & Kepu off the pace. Moore not at his best and conceded a couple of silly penalties. Horwill needs to stay within the laws.
- Ioane’s injury! We now need Mitchell on the park and back to his best.
What I did like about the Wallabies:
- The half-time adjustments. This is not that easy and these were significant.
- James O’Connor’s efforts to re-establish himself. He was great!
- Vickerman’s and Elsom’s huge contributions in the ‘tight-loose’. If we can just get Samo, Moore and Horwill back on track again, I’ll be really happy.
- Pocock’s continued revival. I’m ‘marking tough’ here, but he can deliver.
- AAC back at outside-centre.
- All of the ‘whiz-kids’ operating together in the second-half. With Genia, Cooper, Ioane, O’Connor and Beale all firing behind powerful, dynamic forward play, we take some containing.
- TPN and Slipper back in the firing line. Now for Mitchell and Palu.
All in all, a satisfying start!
