Wallabies coach demands urgency
SYDNEY: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has demanded greater urgency from his players and vowed team changes in the wake of their spluttering Test defeat to Scotland.
The Australians gave away two tries and could not make up the leeway despite dominating territory and possession to go down 24-19 to the resilient Scots in Sydney on Saturday.
The loss will have ramifications with an imminent slump to sixth in the next world rankings – behind Ireland, Scotland and South Africa – the Wallabies’ lowest position since early 2015.
The Scottish defeat comes against the backdrop of a demoralising Super Rugby season for Australian teams and the negativity over the drawn-out SANZAAR saga to cull three teams from next year’s competition.
Cheika has signalled changes following the chastening defeat for the next Test against Six Nations strugglers Italy in Brisbane on Saturday.
“I’d say so, I’d say there’d be a few,” Cheika told reporters after Saturday’s loss.
Cheika, who cut a frustrated figure watching the game from the coach’s box in the stands, said the Wallabies were “half-ayard away all the match.”
Compounding the loss was the Wallabies’ self-inflicted wounds during a dreadful opening half.
The Scots led 17-12 at half-time with both their tries coming off Australian mistakes.
Centre Duncan Taylor swooped on a poor Will Genia pass and fly-half Finn Russell charged down Genia’s clearing kick for another try.
Only two tries from Israel Folau – one from a long ball from Bernard Foley and the other when the athletic fullback soared spectacularly to snatch Foley’s pinpoint crossfield kick — kept the Wallabies in the first half.
Yet despite the intensity ratcheting up after half-time and Australia hitting the front at 19-17 midway through the second half, Scotland roared back with a magnificent try by openside flanker Hamish Watson.
Winger Lee Jones hurdled a tackler and linked with Taylor to give Watson clear passage to the tryline and the Scots held on to their advantage to the final whistle.
Skipper Michael Hooper admitted after the game he had erred in not taking kicks for goal with a couple of penalties in the final stages. AFP