By GoldyLocks
Good morning, G&GR! What an honour it is to be part of the new-look newsweek at this esteemed institution. Like your local stalker or career politician, I’ve been loitering around the place for many years without really doing much, but I couldn’t risk letting the love fade away without putting my hand up first. So here we are, welcome to Wednesday!
Changes afoot
Rugby Australia chief propagandist William Nathanson reports the Wallabies have rung two squad changes ahead of the weekend’s clash with Argentina, with Pone Fa’amausili and Blake Schoupp called in as front-row coverage. Schoupp is understood to be covering co-captain James Slipper, currently under a training-induced injury cloud.
Meanwhile Pone does a one-two with Taniela Tupou, who slots into the Australia A squad with an eye to making his long-awaited return against Tonga. With the top side’s prop stocks thinning more rapidly than my crown, it can’t come fast enough.
A (very) small, shining light
Over the past few seasons I’ve found my blood pressure spiking concerningly anytime a Wallaby hooker gets near the pill for a restart from touch. So it was some relief to see Dave Porecki have a reasonably good night out with his lineout throws against the Boks. The tone was initially set with a slick (though admittedly easily read) long ball to the rear, and from there the Wallabies were able to execute a number of variations with relative ease, and even pinch a few against the throw. Indeed, the only occasion Porecki missed ultimately resulted in the Wallabies’ opening try, so I’m happy to let that one slide.
Having thus met the bare minimum test match standard, the real challenge will be for the men in gold to not only maintain that consistency (Jordan Uelese was unsuccessful in that regard), but regularly convert it into an effective attacking platform.
The week ahead
All Aussie eyes will be on CommBank Stadium this Saturday night, in the hope that the S.S. Eddie can right itself and begin building momentum towards RWC23.
However, more gripping viewing may be found in the Wallaroos’ final test of the Pacific Four Series against Canada on Saturday morning (AEST). In four attempts the Wallaroos have never beaten the Canucks, but a strong showing against the USA has me believing their time has come. What’s more, a win or even a bonus-point loss should secure the gals in gold a spot in the top tier of World Rugby’s inaugural WXV competition in New Zealand later this year. Don’t miss it!
Hump Day hypothesis
In honour of Carter Gordon’s cameo against the Springboks, the RA marketing pigeon yesterday tweeted a select montage of tries scored by Wallaby debutants.
Understandably, though perhaps unfairly, missing from the celebration was Israel Folau’s two try effort against the 2013 BILs at Lang Park. Objectively speaking, for me that ranks up there among the greatest test debuts, especially given the context of a major touring series and a massively hyped switch from not one but two rival codes.
But what do you think? Who else deserves a shout for greatest Wallabies debut of all time?
