Defeat in Italy puts more pressure on coach Joe Schmidt. But he’s taking one for the team
Schmidt said, “Yellow card Joseph needs to go lower. He doesn’t have the strength to fight.”
Suaalii was already out of form, having been beaten in the air against England last week and guilty of a full-on kick against Italy. While form comes and goes, it is this tackling technique that really needs to be fixed in the long run. It offers a lot but this is a real problem.
Wallabies were holding on to their luck
Harry Wilson’s decision to allow Carter Gordon’s standing attempt after the ball had been released earned the ire of the Udine fans, and rightly so.
Although the Italian defender initially tried to take the ball from Wilson, it seemed quite clear that Wilson still had the ball in his hands, made a tackle and then lost the ball.
The Wallabies have been on the wrong side of a few big decisions this year, but this one has definitely worked in their favour. This bit of luck looked like it would be enough to give them a decisive advantage in a very even Test, but the home side took control at the breakdown in the second half; The speed with which they got to the ball and the clear vision they offered to the referees were impressive.
Schmidt and his captain Harry Wilson are at pains to say they are not looking for excuses, but there is clearly some fatigue. Interestingly, when retired prop James Slipper was asked in the Stan piece whether 15 Tests a year was too much, he admitted it probably was, and this was coming from a man who would play 50 Tests a year for his country if asked.
Carter Gordon gets a huge endorsement
New former Wallabies No.10 Carter Gordon impressed as he was less than 100 per cent and had to be replaced due to a quad injury. Of course, he wasn’t perfect, but with his height and speed, he offered a completely different option in attack; After making a strong attack in the first half, he made a great pass from left to right.
There was ample evidence in Udine that he would be the 10th man in the future, but there was a complication: his kicking at goal. He likely wasn’t shooting in Italy due to a quad injury, but even when he’s fully fit his playing field will come under scrutiny.
Carter Gordon showed some good signs against Italy and looks set to be Australia’s long-term No 10.Credit: Getty Images
However, as the Springboks have shown with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, there is a huge benefit to having a bigger athlete at number 10.
First the Springboks, then the sunshine
The 14-man Springboks’ 32-17 victory over France confirmed that they are by far the best team in world rugby.
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They played most of the game without red-carded second rower Lood de Jager, but this did little to hinder their total attacking dominance and they overwhelmed the French in the final quarter with a mixture of power and athleticism.
They can play the game in many ways and the question now is whether anyone can catch them before the World Cup.
The All Blacks sit second in the world rankings but there appears to be a significant gap between the two and France’s defeat in Paris would be a huge blow to Les Bleus’ confidence.
Looking back, the Wallabies’ win at Ellis Park seems even more remarkable.
