Aussie victory comes at a cost

The captaincy curse has hit Aussie rugby once more. First it was James Horwill, followed by David Pocock and now it’s Will Genia who is out of Rugby for six months, with a serious knee injury.

The Aussie victory was not pretty to watch and their first half game plan of kicking way possession via grubbers was well read by the Boks. In the end, as Coach Deans said, “They showed real character tonight, in the second half, we were able to get the ball for longer periods and ran some good lines. We did enough to come from behind, and that doesn’t happen lightly in the Mandela Cup games.

In contrast the Boks played well for about 60 minutes and then at crucial points permitted the Wallabies to get away. With a little more sustained pressure and mental toughness, they could have stretched the Wallabies and even put an end to their losing streak. Having possession in a key ingredient for victory, but as in all good recipes, the mixing of the ingredients at crucial moments is what determines the final dish.

Most of us would agree that Man of the Match, Barnes was guilty of kicking a lot of ball away but his 16-point tally was crucial and lent a sense of stability to the Wallabies. The game saw some interesting moments of play.

These include the breathtaking double tackle from Adam Ashley-Cooper on Lwazi Mvovo and thereafter on Jean de Villiers all in one motion will have the rugby purists scratching their heads. The tackle was not classical but very effective given the circumstances as it certainly save a score. Even in the corporate world at times we are called upon to tackle a situation moving away from the conventional approach.

Prior to the game, Coach Deans had demanded more from fly-half Quade Cooper and Wallabies’ playmaker. Cooper responded admirably by taking the attack to the Boks at every opportunity. There are those that still question his selection to don the #10 jersey, with the likes of Berrick Barnes and James O’Connor being likely contenders.

It’s not often that you see burly prop forwards scoring after a scorching run. It is generally a trundle or a five metre dash, head down. In the case of Ben Alexander he caught everyone napping; the Boks’ defence as well as his own team mates with what proved to be the match-winning try.

In the earlier game, the Pumas held the All Blacks to a single point’s difference until the flood gates opened in the last quarter. Thus the score line will not reflect on how well the Pumas played. Whether it was inspiration from the former All Blacks coach who is with the Pumas on a short stint is difficult to say. The Pumas were very destructive in the loose and were equal to the task against the NZ forwards. However the Pumas were found wanting when the ball was spun wide.

Pumas centre Marcelo Bosch was a pivotal man in the Pumas defensive display and his tackle on a charging Victor Vito was a gutsy performance. Veteran prop Rodrigo Roncero was clearly fired up for this intense battle and despite his age was a tower of strength. His replacement signalled the end of the Pumas holding their own in the scrums against the NZ veterans.

At the start of the tournament I felt that the Pumas would just make up the numbers. I have been proved wrong and it’s my feeling that they are capable of turning tables on an injury hit Wallaby side next week.

Without a doubt the Wallabies will have to be at their best if they are to deny Argentina their first win. Thus some changes to key positions cannot be ruled out with Nathan Sharpe the veteran of 107 tests being given the role of leading the side out of the tunnel next week.

As in the corporate world planning well ahead is one of the ingredients of success. As such Warren Gatland has been appointed as coach of the British and Irish Lions for the tour to Hong Kong and Australia next summer. I hope our local administrators will take something from this forward planning.

(The writer can be reached via [email protected].)