Vive la renaissance? Wallabies must do more than beat France
The Wallabies’ rallying cry for the threeTest series against France is “vive la renaissance”, suggesting we are about to witness the rebirth of the national team. But how much of that catchphrase is based on reality, and how much just marketing hype?
Since playing in the final of the 2015 World Cup, Australia have slumped to seventh in the world, their lowest-ever ranking.
In his first season at the helm last year Dave Rennie oversaw mediocre results, losing the Bledisloe Cup for the 18th consecutive year and finishing last in The Rugby Championship behind the All Blacks and Argentina.
The Wallabies need to make real progress this year if claims of an Australian renaissance are to be taken seriously.
France have experienced a revival of their own, ending a long period of under-achievement with a hardfought second-placed Six Nations finish behind Wales this year.
Under French coach Fabien Galthie, the renowned Gallic flair has returned to Les Bleus’ game, complementing their toughness up front. Unfortunately, France has sent a second-string team to Australia with many of its star players resting at home.
It leaves the Wallabies in a lose-lose situation. If they win, it will be because the French were under-strength. Lose and Australian rugby’s reputation will suffer even more.
The Wallabies not only have to beat France, but beat them comprehensively to demonstrate they are capable of recapturing their former glory on the road to the 2023 World Cup in France.
Rennie is not taking any chances, selecting the strongest team available for the first Test at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Wednesday night.
The biggest controversy was the selection of NSW Waratahs halfback Jake Gordon ahead of Queensland Reds No 9 Tate McDermott to start in place of the injured Nic White.
McDermott certainly produced better form than Gordon, who suffered an injury-plagued Super Rugby campaign. But Gordon better suits the Wallabies’ game plan, which will be built heavily around tactical kicking and defence. With any luck, McDermott will get an opportunity to utilise his brilliant running skills towards the end of the game when the French defence is fatigued. With a six-two split between forwards and backs on the reserves bench, Galthie signalled France’s intention to dominate up front. Rennie opted not to respond in kind, preferring the traditional five-three split between forwards and backs on the Wallabies’ bench.
With the likes of tight-head prop Allan Alaalatoa, No 6 Rob Valetini and second-rowers Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Matt Philip in the forward pack, along with front-rower Taniela Tupou and back-rower Isi Naisarani on the bench, the Wallabies should have sufficient physicality to counter the French onslaught.
Philip has just completed a season with French club Pau and will know what to expect from Les Bleus’ forwards. But it is out wide where the Wallabies may find their best opportunities. France have young and inexperienced backs, while Australia possess enormous strike power in Hunter Paisami, Marika Koroibete and Tom Wright – if they get the ball to them.
It is the first time this backline configuration has started in a Test together and could suffer from a lack of cohesion. The new-look inside backs combination of Gordon, five-eighth Noah Lolesio and inside-centre Matt Toomua must take collective responsibility to get the backline moving.
Toomua and Paisami form a physical centre combination, which means the Wallabies will no doubt try to gain ascendancy at the advantage line in the midfield. The hard-tackling Toomua will also set the tone for the Wallabies’ defence in the backs.
With Rennie’s Kiwi background, it is to be hoped the team will begin to show more of an instinct for attacking off turnover ball, particularly if they are placing such a great emphasis on defence, which generates attack.
There is not a lot of experience on the Wallabies’ bench with four uncapped players – hooker Lachlan Lonergan, second-rower Darcy Swain, centre Len Ikitau and outside-back Andrew Kellaway – which could be critical in the last 20 minutes.
It is understood Rennie trained the Wallabies very hard at their camp at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast.
This suggested Rennie was looking ahead to the Bledisloe Cup and The Rugby Championship, but it also indicated the coach may have identified a weakness in Australia’s two leading Super Rugby teams, the Reds and the Brumbies, who often faded in the second-half against Kiwi opposition in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition.
With 15 of the Wallabies’ 23-man squad coming from the Brumbies (nine) and the Reds (six), Rennie may have felt the players needed to improve their fitness for the back end of the game, particularly if he was reluctant to go to an inexperienced bench in a tight contest.
Surprisingly, the Wallabies have not played France for five years, the last encounter a 25-23 win to Australia in Paris, which adds an element of mystery to this series.
After the French, the challenges for the Wallabies will become much greater. Vive la renaissance or plus ça change?