1. The Wallabies were out-skilled before being outmuscled
There should be no surprises in Test rugby. South Africa’s 63-21 annihilation of Italy last November and a backline stacked with speed in Pretoria showed their hand, but the Wallabies still looked surprised by the Springboks’ level of ambition in Saturday night’s sobering 43-12 loss.
The Test was a complete contrast in styles, with South Africa prepared to build multiphase attacks from deep, while the Wallabies were almost slavishly wedded to a kicking strategy – even hooker Dave Porecki kicked away good turnover ball.
Tellingly, the South African commentators noted that the damage in the first half had been done by the backs, not the forwards. Tactics, selection, preparation – they all have to go under the microscope.
2. Michael Cheika is also under the pump
Los Pumas showed some heart in the second half against the All Blacks – they ‘won’ the second half 12-10 – but the sight of their scrum repeatedly being pushed off the ball will be a major cause of concern for Argentina.
The All Blacks were too strong for Argentina in Mendoza.Credit: AP
Their failure to slow down the All Blacks’ ball means that coach Michael Cheika has more than one area to fix. Argentina have now lost three Tests on the bounce since beating Eddie Jones’ England in November (Wales, Scotland and New Zealand) so they will arrive in Sydney with a degree of desperation.
There will be limited verbal sparring this week – Jones and Cheika will know they have too much to do.
3. Selection changes a must – within reason
Quade Cooper had a tough Test defensively – he’s a magnet for big No.12s such as Andre Esterhuizen and Jordie Barrett.
But, Argentina don’t have that sort of weaponry and it may be hasty calling for Carter Gordon to start next week.
Carter Gordon scored a long-range try on debut.Credit: AP
The Rebel looked good off the bench, but starting and finishing are two different things. Suliasi Vunivalu, however, will surely pay the price for a difficult night. He was cleverly targeted by Kurt-Lee Arendse – the Boks’ Corey Toole – and Andrew Kellaway’s return from injury can’t come soon enough.
A number of Wallabies looked undercooked and in need of another run, but big Will Skelton fronted – his fight at maul time showed that he wants to make a difference.
4. The area that only time can fix
It was a surprise to see Allan Alaalatoa repeatedly struggling against Steven Kitsoff at scrum time: yes, Kitsoff is top quality but Alaalatoa is a better player than that. However, he hasn’t had a lot of recent game time, while James Slipper didn’t look 100 per cent in the No.1 jersey.
Add in the fact there is a new Wallabies scrum coach – and Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell aren’t ready – and the ingredients were certainly there for a difficult set-piece showing. Sometimes you just have to take your medicine, but it’s area where the Wallabies have a lot of improvement left in them.
5. Rugby Australia must own this result
Eddie Jones-bashing is a bit of sport – one South African journalist baited him after the Test – but any early turbulence in his return to the Wallabies is solely the responsibility of Rugby Australia.
If you are going to sack a coach a year out from the Rugby World Cup, and then watch his assistants walk out the door en masse, you are giving his successor a very short runway to get things right.
The Wallabies looked like they were almost starting from scratch in Pretoria, which of course is close to what they are doing.
The Wallabies will, of course, get better – the first Bledisloe Test in Melbourne will be a far truer representation of how they are travelling under Jones – but England and Australia both reached for the axe last year and neither got the immediate bounce they were looking for.
Team of the Week
- Ethan de Groot (New Zealand)
- Bongi Mbonambi (South Africa)
- Frans Malherbe (South Africa)
- Jean Kleyn (South Africa)
- Scott Barrett (New Zealand)
- Shannon Frizell (New Zealand)
- Sam Cane (New Zealand)
- Duane Vermeulen (South Africa)
- Cobus Reinach (South Africa)
- Damian McKenzie (New Zealand)
- Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa) – Player of the Week
- Jordie Barrett (New Zealand)
- Rieko Ioane (New Zealand)
- Emoni Narawa (New Zealand)
- Willie le Roux (South Africa)
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