The players are back home after the Spring Tour, so it is time to look back on 2013 and see how far we have come.
It was a crazy year for Aussie rugby, with plenty of highs and lows to talk about. Today I will look at the 5 biggest positives for rugby this year. The negatives will be revealed in coming days.
So in order of importance, here we go:
1. The Spring Offensive
It is hard to go past the last eight weeks as the biggest positive for rugby this year. Ultimately the game in this country lives and dies by the performance of the Wallabies, and to see them back winning games and scoring tries is a thing of beauty.
Link took a while to get into the groove as the coach of the national team, but it was certainly worth the wait. We threw off the shackles against Argentina, performed well against the All Blacks away, had a week off against the Poms and then took the Northern Hemisphere by storm. We have unearthed a number of new Wallaby stars, while some old ones have found career best form and we are playing an up-tempo, pulsating style of rugby.
For the first time in a long time I can feel an enthusiasm about the Wallabies, and a genuine excitement for how they might perform in 2014 and beyond. Kudos must go to coach Ewen McKenzie, as well as CEO Bill Pulver who appointed him to the role. It looks like we are heading in the right direction.
2. Israel Folau is the real deal… and then some
Arguably the finest debut season I have ever witnessed in rugby. He started the season with big question marks over his ability to play the game, and his desire to stay in it for the long haul. By the end of the season there was absolutely no doubt as to the answer to either question. His reputation rose with every game, and he has firmly established himself as the central marketing focus of the game for the next two years.
He has single-handedly altered the way the Wallabies play, and the way opposition teams play against us. It was telling that last weekend we didn’t see one up-and-under from the Welsh, so often a staple of Northern Hemisphere sides. Plenty of column inches have been devoted to him this year, and in reality we don’t need to give him too many more here. All you can say is he lived up to the hype- a rarity in modern sport.
3. Quade Cooper is an International 10
Another question that was emphatically answered in the latter half of 2013 was the one pertaining to Quade. His form in Super Rugby was far from stellar, and his exclusion from the Lions series was unsurprisingly a major talking point. He got his chance with the change of coach, but big question marks still remained about his ability to perform at the international level. Critics argued his razzle-dazzle game wasn’t suited to big match footy, and his tackling was too weak to cope with its demands.
These were hardly dispelled in the first few games of the Rugby Championship, but slowly but surely he began to find his feet. The game against Argentina signaled a return to form, and he came on in leaps and bounds after that point. His combination with Matt Toomua and Israel Folau grew stronger, and he is now the talk of the Northern Hemisphere after a stellar Spring tour.
At the centre of this resurgence has been a newfound maturity, both on and off the field. He has shed the bells and whistles and focussed on the basics of controlling the game- accurate passing, long kicking and good game management. Tellingly I can’t remember one chip-and-chase all year. His off-field changes have also been noticeable, and resulted in a promotion to vice-captain that was well received by most Aussie fans.
4. The big games still drew big crowds
The British Lions series broke records around the country, and showed that there is still plenty of interest in rugby union if the product is right. It put rugby back on the agenda on panel shows, and recaptured the back pages of major metro papers. The streets were awash with red and gold, with hotels booked to capacity and pubs full to the brim.
Whilst it was a shame the Wallabies couldn’t capitalise on this attention by winning in Sydney, what the series showed was that the reports of the death of the sport are greatly exaggerated. Our big showpiece games can still draw a crowd, and the international stature of the game is a major selling point.
I am not trying to gloss over the many issues the game currently faces in this country. But what the Lions showed was that the glory days are not too long ago, and people still want to support the Wallabies. If Link can continue our current form into 2014 then I wouldn’t be surprised to see the crowds coming back to our game.
5. Big 3 Super Successes
The performance of the Waratahs, Reds and in particular the Brumbies was another major positive for the game this season. The traditional ‘big 3’ stood up against the big NZ and SA teams, and gave supporters plenty to cheer about in the first half of the year.
The focus has to fall on the Brumbies, though, and their incredible rise over the past few seasons. Jake White launched the careers of a dozen Wallabies in this time, and almost took them to the title. They are now back in their rightful place as competition powerhouses, and I eagerly await watching them next year.
Michael Cheika reinvigorated the tired Waratahs, and has supporters salivating at the thought of 2014. Surely this will be the year of the Tah! Meanwhile the Reds continued their finals strike rate, sneaking under the radar for most of the year before running into the Crusaders in the Semis. With most of their big names back another good year looks likely.
Am I on the money, or have I missed something? What are your big positives for the year?
