Early momentum sets up Wallabies for Croker clash
Australia's display sends clear signal to Irish camp, writes Brendan Fanning
Sunday November 08 2009
They had lost six of the last seven coming to Twickenham yesterday but you should ask yourself how many of those seven England or Ireland, or indeed any other European team would have won -- for the Wallabies' opponents on that run of reversals were their Tri-Nations buddies, South Africa and New Zealand.
You might have gleaned more from the fact Australia had won three of their last four Tests with England, and by late yesterday afternoon that had stretched to four from five. They arrive in Dublin today and are in pretty good shape for Croke Park on Sunday.
With two years to go to the World Cup, this Wallaby squad is probably at the bottom of its cycle, and this Grand Slam schedule, their first since their groundbreaking trip of 1984, will go some way towards moving them forward. It's an exhausting schedule of 14 Tests this year but then they are better equipped than we are to slot in periods of downtime and recovery into their season.
They will be exhausted by the end of it, but that's not for another three weeks. And on the evidence of yesterday they have a bit of gas in the tank yet for Ireland. In the third quarter especially they put themselves through the wringer in pinning England back -- it would have been easier had Rocky Elsom not butchered a try with Peter Hynes unmarked outside him.
And a few minutes after that Digby Ioane lost the ball over the England line. On each occasion they took three points from the pressure, which managed to overhaul their half-time deficit, but it was incredibly hard work.
What it showed us however was the quality of their technique as much as their fitness. Under the current laws you really need to score early with your possession, for the longer it goes on the greater your exposure to turning the ball over. The Wallabies' ball security however was first class. Most of this was down to support coming directly behind the carrier rather than either side of him, but it provided lots of ball for Will Genia at scrum-half, who used it well.
Robbie Deans certainly will shuffle a few of his players for Croke Park and if he chooses to rest the 21-year-old Genia, who has all the hallmarks of George Gregan at the same stage of his career, then it will be a relief for Ireland. It's not that Luke Burgess, who made an immediate impact when making his debut against Ireland in Melbourne last year, doesn't have what it takes, but Genia did England a lot of damage yesterday. His first-half try was the classic strike of an alert scrum-half, and for Adam Ashley-Cooper's match-winning score in the final quarter, Genia's quick delivery was critical. It secured him the man of the match award and although he's only settling in, already he looks world class. In fairness he was surrounded by top quality operators in the back row and at out-half.
The only area that will concern Deans will be the lineout which went through a dodgy phase in the first half. The effect would have been worse had Australia's defence not been so aggressive. They tackled ferociously and nearly all of it was conclusive, dumping opponents first time. They were assisted by an England side who played too far behind the gain line and if Ireland go down the same road then it will be a painful afternoon for Declan Kidney's mob. The momentum they get from this positive start will make the Wallabies a much tougher proposition than had England been able to grind them down.
Sunday Independent
