Wallabies Skills Show Obvious Improvement

Wallaby stew is the right mix
By PETER JENKINS
August 9, 2004
THE Wallabies secured a shot at the Tri-Nations title on Saturday week with a victory over the All Blacks arguably better than last year's World Cup boilover. When the Australians felled the tournament favourites in Sydney nine months ago, it was the triumph of a tactical ambush. They starved the All Blacks back three strike force and, buoyed by an intercept try to Stirling Mortlock, won 22-10.
But when the two sides returned to the Olympic venue on Saturday night there would be no surprises. Only question marks to clear.
Could the Australian tight forwards match up to an All Black pack returning to its roots of grit and hard graft?
Could they secure enough possession after the disastrous rations of Wellington last month? Could they continue to contain a Kiwi backline identical, with minor alterations at centre, to the one that caused such havoc at international level last season?
On all scores the Wallabies succeeded in their 23-18, one try to nil, Tri-Nations reviving result. The All Blacks are a more rounded side than the one which relied on regular backline blitzes in 2003. So it stands to reason coach Eddie Jones has this Wallabies side at a level above where they were in reaching the global decider against England last November. And a payoff might be just 12 days away.
Regardless of the result in Johannesburg on Saturday, where the All Blacks take on the Springboks, the Wallabies will have a chance to seal the southern hemisphere crown for the first time since 2001 when they take on South Africa in Durban seven days later.
Australia and New Zealand share top billing on the table with nine points apiece and one game to play. The Wallabies also hold a slightly better for and against record. The Boks have two points with two matches left, leaving all three sides remaining in the hunt.
But Jones says the prospect of a last game showdown appeals as the Wallabies, without the Bledisloe Cup for another year, seek a piece of silverware.
"We've got ourselves in the best position possible after losing the first Tri-Nations game [to the All Blacks]," Jones said yesterday. "And we can go to Durban with confidence that whatever happens next weekend we'll have a chance of winning the Tri-Nations. That's a good position to be in."
While the first four matches have gone with home ground advantage – New Zealand opened the series with two wins, followed by dual success for the Wallabies – Jones suspects the Boks will struggle to emulate their rivals.
"South Africa will be very hard to beat at home," he said.
"The only thing is, in Johannesburg, New Zealand traditionally play well. They have a good record there and tend to play well at altitude. For us too. If we've got any positive history, it's been in Durban."
The Wallabies have only ever played four Tests there, winning in 1933 and 2000, and losing in 1953 and 1969.
Jones is confident they can move ahead in the head-to-head count. But the variable will be the pack. In any side on the rise, but not yet at its peak, inconsistency is a frequent friend. The Wallabies of 1990 had mixed results before flourishing the next season.
In the current pack, Al Baxter has been a Test regular just this year. Second-rower Nathan Sharpe, outstanding on Saturday night with seven damaging ball carries, was on the bench at the same time last season. And the Smith, Waugh, Lyons backrow combination has only been reunited the past fortnight.
"I think we've still got some progress to go in the forwards and the team generally," Jones said. "Whenever you're developing a particular area of your game, sometimes it is one step forward and two steps back. Last night we certainly took some steps forward."

It was a great game of tough rugby on Saturday night as the Wallabies showed a clear improvement in their skills [testament to the coaching strategies of Eddie Jones]... Its not an easy task to recast the playing style and match plans of entire side at the elite level, but I agreed with Eddie when he said two years ago or more that some in this squad couldn't catch, pass and kick as well as possible and certainly were hamstrung by their inability to shift the ball wide when required under extreme pressure.... they can now!

The Wellington weather and the 'form' of the Wallabies were against them in Bledisloe One, but last Saturday was a great victory for their perseverance!! Anything could happen in Durban....

I love watching an All Black side wilt under pressure and fall apart at the seams slowly throughout a match... they were cluelessly running one out by the end of the match with no conviction that any plan would work and it showed!! Great to watch!!