Oh yee (I mean you and me) of little faith. Here we were five or six weeks ago bemoaning the lack of form from some of our regular Wallaby stars.
In fact, we (yes, I mean you and me again) were saying Rocky, Gits, Berrick and Phil were going to be supplanted by the new breed of Higgo, QC, A Faingaa and Matt Hodgson.
In some cases that could still be the go; however, as the Super 14 reaches a crescendo and the international season dawns the words of Mark Twain resonate: “the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
As we reach the business end of the competition the cream is beginning to rise to the top – the boys are back in town.
Even the old Waugh horse from the woeful Waratahs (in style that is) is having an Indian Summer, recreating from time to time his glory days of yore.
Importantly, the two world class players from the Brumbies are now back playing a form of rugby that had eluded them earlier in the season.
In Rocky’s case, I wonder whether that has anything to do with the length of his season. He had virtually no break to speak of between his Irish sojourn and his return home to international rugby apart from an injury-enforced gap.
Add on the Wallabies European tour and a form slump is perhaps inevitable. Did he actually have a break the year before when he first went over there?
Anyhow, in the past few weeks the Rocky of old is beginning to reappear. Those tell tale ball carries, lineout work, defensive hits and support play are again starting to feature.
It’s one thing to dominate in the Magner’s League but quite another to stand out in the Super 14 and you can feel the vibe (I was going to say mojo but that’s used too often) returning.
Apart from the work Rocky is doing, if you look at the overall Brumby game stats it’s Stephen Hoiles who stands out ‘like dog’s balls’. His workrate is phenomenal and its hard to believe that he won’t be getting an ARU top up on current form.
He’s another class act who’s getting better as the season progresses and although he seems a bit unfashionable, you would like to think that they haven’t quite written him off totally when he’s playing better than most other No 8’s.
But best of all, Matt Giteau is now beginning to display his prodigious talent in the Brumbies backline again – some would say 12 is his best position but he’s played well at both 10 (against the Reds) and 12 (the Highlanders) recently.
He’s been getting some slick service from Josh Valentine – I hate to think how he’d go if he was at the Tahs – but the return of Matt Toomua last week gave him a bit of time and space to weave a bit of magic.
The Quade Cooper/Matt Giteau conundrum is beginning to play out with the former not quite as dominant as he was when the Reds were peaking and Gits now catching fast. I guess they’ll probably be the pair; it’s just the configuration that’s in question.
If the Brumbies can overcome history in Christchurch and get into the finals it’ll give Gits a huge leg-up in cementing a Wallaby starting position, although I’m not in doubt that he’ll be starting in either one spot or another.
Now, Berrick Barnes has copped a smacking from many armchair pundits and Queenslanders in particular were not unhappy to see him struggle early on.
He seemed to have difficulty adjusting to his new environment and whether, like Adolf Eichman, was just following orders….to kick the leather off the ball….well, who knows.
He played more structured footy last week at five eighth against the Chiefs, creating plenty of play for his outsides and controlling the Tahs around the park.
We seem to have short memories though? A wee way back when he was playing crappily at five eighth everyone was saying he should move to inside centre, his best position.
Then he was playing crappily at inside centre everyone was saying he would be better off at five eighth, his best position!
Buggered if I know but playing a great game against the flaky Chiefs isn’t redemption so I think in his case the jury will convict or acquit after the Hurricanes match this Saturday.
But it is good for Australian rugby that ‘Young Fogey’ Sookface is starting to again look like an international player.
Sorry Rocky, Gits, Phil and Sookface…..we (I mean you and me) didn’t really mean it….he he.
