Brian Smith: Picking up the pieces

Every team has a nightmare performance at some point in their journey and last night was exactly that for this Wallaby squad and the Michael Cheika coaching team. From a coaching perspective this is when good coaches really earn their corn. Coaching is an easy gig when things are going well but it’s when your troops have been humiliated that your leadership qualities a genuinely tested.

For the rest of the country Monday will roll around and we’ll all get caught up in our weekly routines. For Michael Cheika and his coaching team they have pick up the pieces and find a way to rally the Wallabies for the next game in Wellington. In many ways it’s best for the Wallabies that they only have a week to stew on this performance. But make no mistake it will not be easy for any of this Wallaby group to sleep until they have exorcised the demons of this performance.

So what happened last night?

1. How did we concede the first try?
   • The first try was conceded down our right edge from a loose kick off the left boot of Matt Giteau that picked out Israel Dagg…the Kiwis then spread the ball and for mine Dane Haylett-Petty had to do better defending the edge. At this stage the score is 3 v 7 so it’s still a contest and the Wallabies were still in the hunt.
2. How did we concede the second try?
   • The second try was almost the knock out blow because the Wallabies turned over 2 Lineouts in the lead up to the All Black’s second try. At this point the Wallabies pack will have been severely shaken and the team is partially shell shocked. This was not meant to happen…staying on task and focusing on the processes is now the Wallabies biggest challenge.
3. How did we concede the third try?
   • The third try was the death blow for the Wallabies. The Kiwis went wide off a scrum and we turned them over on our left edge, it was a double turnover thanks to the hand of Aaron Smith. The fleet footed Beauden Barrett then picked out Stephen Moore and Sekope Kepu in a disorganised Wallaby midfield and the game was effectively over as Waisake Naholo scored from the Barrett bust.

The defensive review probably stops there, that’s when the game was blown wide open. At the point, either Mario Ladesma or Micheal Cheilka will pile in with some lacerating words, these guys are passionate leaders and their words will cut deep. On top of that a number of senior players will step up and reinforce the message, that performance was unacceptable we all have to front up now. An honest and almost emotional good hard look in the mirror and the digestion of a Wallaby disaster has started…the first step in the road to redemption has begun.

Preparing for Wellington.

Most people would expect the Wallabies to go out and bash each other in training all this week as part of the exorcism. However, with a long injury list and a flight to New Zealand on the schedule the ‘Rollerball’ will probably be limited to Tuesday’s afternoon team session. This is when a few of the bench guys will get stuck in and look to impress the coaches with their desire and abrasiveness.

The coaching team have big selection challenge again this week:

1. Who plays in the Back Row?
   • Much was made of the back row selection for this match. Leaving Fardy out meant competing at the Lineout with only 2 genuine jumpers. The trade off was some extra mongrel that McCalman brings to any team. Did the Wallaby pack need the mongrel? Clearly they did, the All Black pack showed last night how tough and talented they are. The dilemma for the Wallabies, the Kiwis are also a bloody good Lineout unit. The coaches have a big call to make here…expect change.
2. Who plays in the Midfield?
   • It was carnage in Australia’s midfield with 3 massive injuries. Matt Giteau’s ankle looks bad, Matt Toomua’s concussion will probably rule him out and Rob Horne’s arm is also a big injury. The likely replacement is Samu Kerevi who’s Super Rugby stats are very impressive. Kerevi is the best midfield attacking weapon statistically (carries, clean breaks and defenders beaten) in fact he’s the only midfield back we have ranked in the Top 10 in any Individual Attack Stats.

In the past Michael Cheika has been ruthless after a loss so expect change in other areas as well. The coaches may promote fresh blood into the Tight Five but it’s a dilemma. On the one hand you must win your line out ball and on the other hand you have to win collisions. The All Blacks won the Gain Line 75% of the time so the stats say pick mongrels but these players by and large are not great aerial players.

It’s an odd thing to say but the Wallabies in many ways are liberated. They don’t have the pressure of expectation and they have absolutely nothing to lose. New Zealand will not be so clinical next weekend and we can expect the Wallabies to fight back. The team is usually an extension of the coach’s personality and our coach is a fighter. It’ll be an almighty battle in Wellington next weekend. A gutsy Wallaby showing is a must and win would be considered the icing on the cake.

Hopefully, by next Saturday the armchair critics will have vented all of their frustration and decided to back our team again. The entire Wallaby family is hurting right now but it’s important to keep the pointing fingers in our pockets. The players and coaches need some juice this week so c’mon the Wallabies…we’re with you Cheik!