It’s an emotive subject discussing the Wallabies’ best player. Instead of using his move to Japan to cash in and preserve his body, Koroibete has gone away and improved his game, as shown by his brilliant in and away on Handre Pollard for his second-half try.
His form for the Wallabies has been exceptional this year. However, I was astonished that referee Paul Williams didn’t take a very close look at his trysaving contact on Makazole Mapimpi in the first half.
I hesitate to use the word tackle because despite watching multiple replays to find enough legality to wave away the complaints of South African supporters, it’s more of a cannonball than a tackle.
Realistically, the only arm Koroibete should be using in that situation is his right arm, but that was nowhere near Mapimpi. From his running angle, and speed, I think Koroibete’s sole aim was to blast Mapimpi into the stands, and let the cards land where they land in terms of the referee’s interpretation. But, if you are going to give players licence for players to tackle like that, you better be prepared for them to seriously injure themselves, or someone else.
2. Golden Slipper
Despite the point above, I don’t think it gave the Wallabies the win. Overall, they were too inventive, too committed, too smart for the Springboks, right from the first minute. And it wasn’t even the most important ‘big moment’ in the game. Instead, that came after 31 minutes when James Slipper, who was otherwise towelled up by Frans Malherbe at scrum time, produced an enormous effort at set-piece time with his side under enormous pressure.
I have no doubt that the Boks were trying to literally scrummage Slipper off the park by winning enough penalties that it would force Williams to show the Wallabies captain a yellow card. That would have dealt the Wallabies a huge psychological blow.
Yet, Slipper won a huge penalty against Malherbe when it really mattered, winning the initial contact and driving through the giant South African. Talk about a captain’s knock at Adelaide Oval. Inspirational stuff – and his teammates knew it.
3. Nic White’s ‘Jelonch’ moment
Over the past few years, we have seen the slow creep of play acting in the game, with players cynically weaponsing World Rugby’s no-tolerance attitude towards high contact against fellow players. We raged when French flanker Anthony Jelonch performed his dying swan routine after a Koroibete tackle last year. Therefore, we can’t be equivocal about Nic White’s ‘milking’ of Faf de Klerk’s misguided attempt to slap the ball down at a scrum.
It was every bit as cynical as Jelonch’s act, and I don’t think it did White any favours. The Brumbies’ halfback is pound for pound one of the toughest players going around – he threw himself at Frans Steyn, who looks about 115kg, in the second half – but all people will remember is his (successful) attempt to box referee Williams into following World Rugby’s head contact process.
4. A triumph for Cheika, Kidwell and Lavanini
If you strip away Los Pumas’ inability to deal with the Wallabies’ maul in the last quarter of their first meeting, their defence has been impressive in the Rugby Championship.
Michael Cheika and Pumas captain Julian Montoya celebrate victory over the All Blacks.Credit:Photosport
That’s a massive tick for David Kidwell, who looks after Argentina’s defence.
The All Blacks struggled to break them down (see point No 5) in Christchurch on Saturday and while Ian Foster complained about Argentina’s breakdown tactics, they were simply outmuscled by an organised and passionate Pumas defensive effort.
Kidwell has plenty to work with – if you run straight at the Pumas big men you should be prepared to get chewed up and spat out – but credit must go to Kidwell and Cheika.
I have never seen a more disciplined individual effort from second-rower Tomas Lavanini – discipline is not a word usually associated with Lavanini – who played the full 80 minutes and made 17 tackles without a single miss.
5. NZ rugby was warned
The chickens are coming home to roost for New Zealand rugby, whose issues go far deeper than head coach Ian Foster. The Kiwis were warned early last year by none other coaching legend Wayne Smith that their Super Rugby teams had become “robotic” in their play.
Identifying the blanket application of the forwards pod system as an issue, Smith said New Zealand’s support play had suffered and too many players simply weren’t an option to carry the ball. Fast forward a year and bit to the All Blacks’ loss to the Pumas on Saturday, and that robot rugby was evident.
Juan Martin Gonzalez surges toward the line in Christchurch.Credit:Getty
There was a lot of huff and puff from the All Blacks, but they didn’t appear to have any idea how to manipulate the Pumas’ defence.
At present, New Zealand’s answer seems to be ‘run faster and harder’, much in the way the Wallabies were found out in the last quarter of the test loss to England in Sydney. There needs to be a serious rethink of how the game is played in this part of the world.
By contrast, the All Blacks looked like they were witnessing an act of sorcery when Ireland played off No 10 in July, with Johnny Sexton always having two or three options in support.
Cully’s team of the week
1. James Slipper (Australia)
2. Samisoni Taukei’aho (New Zealand)
3. Frans Malherbe (South Africa)
4. Lood de Jager (South Africa)
5. Tomas Lavanini (Argentina)
6. Marcos Kremer (Argentina)
7. Fraser McReight (Australia) Player of the Round
8. Pablo Matera (Argentina)
9. Nic White (Australia)
10. Noah Lolesio (Australia)
11. Marika Koroibete (Australia)
12. Matias Orlando (Argentina)
13. Len Ikitau (Australia)
14. Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina)
15. Jordie Barrett (New Zealand)
