Bob Dwyer on his fears for Australia at Twickenham
“Keeping the ball through 30 phases is not the name of the game threatening defences is”
BOB Dwyer believes that Australia do not have a prayer against England at Twickenham next weekend if Eddie Jones’ side come close to their form against New Zealand. This prognosis explains why the 74year-old doyen of Australian rugby is deeply frustrated by the Wallabies as they contemplate their last assignment of the Autumn series.
Australia have had a dismal run over the past year, with the 9-6 loss to Wales last weekend ringing up their 10th defeat in the 13 Tests ahead of yesterday’s match against Italy. Despite Wallaby coach Michael Cheika getting a vote of confidence from ARU boss Raelene Castle in the immediate aftermath of the Cardiff setback, stating that he will take the side through to the 2019 World Cup, a bad beating by the English could still be a tipping point.
Dwyer says that the only signs of life he has detected came in Australia’s 45-34 away win against Argentina in Salta last month, but adds that it is a very thin thread of hope because of the way they have fallen off since.
“In terms of the match at Twickenham, if I look at the last five months of watching the Wallabies I have no confidence we can do what’s necessary to beat England. If we produce the best we did against Argentina we might have a chance, but we couldn’t sustain it in the losses to New Zealand in Yokohama and Wales.”
Dwyer, who led the men from Down Under to a landmark World Cup final victory in 1991 with a 12-6 win over England, adds: “I don’t see where we can win the game – not from set plays, not with our kicking game, and not with speed and skill. I don’t see any avenue for us.”
He says that the only chance is if England slump and play more like they did against South Africa than against the world champion All Blacks.
“The difference between England against New Zealand and England against South Africa was vast, so it’s possible that it could happen again. But England, despite a few dips, have played well enough for a long time for that to be unlikely – whereas Australia’s performance will have to be chalk and cheese for them to win.”
Even so, Dwyer says that Australia have as many X factor players in their line-up as England, with the likes of Israel Folau, Michael Hooper, and David Pocock, but that this season they have been unable to make it count.
“Australia have got some pretty impressive players individually, but it’s about what they can do collectively. X-factor is good, but how do you get that player to exhibit that X-factor? That’s what is vital. A player’s ability is a key ingredient in selecting him, but it’s my responsibility as a coach to get him into position to exploit it.”
Having developed a team which gave full rein to the attacking capabilities of Australian legends like Mark Ella, David Campese, and Tim Horan, Dwyer is impatient with Australia’s current inability to be more incisive in attack.
“Keeping the ball through 30 phases or more is not the name of the game – threatening defences is the name of the game, and you do not need 30 phases in which to do that.” He says that the recall against Italy of the 34-year-old centurian, Adam Ashley-Cooper, on the wing makes the point about Australia not utilising their danger men effectively enough – with the powerful Fijian-born wing Marika Koroibete and centre Samu Kerevi two more examples.
“Adam Ashley-Cooper is a good player and provides a perfect answer because what makes him such a threat is how direct he is. That is why I have been saying that Australia should try Koroibete at outside-centre. People say he can’t pass. So I say when was the last time you saw Ashley-Cooper pass the ball, or Conrad Smith? Their massive ability is to take an inside shoulder, and to keep going – and that’s what Koroibete and Samu Kerevi can do.”
He continues: “That’s why I would play Kerevi at inside-centre and Koroibete at outside-centre.”
Dwyer disagrees strongly with Australia copying the current vogue for two playmakers. He says it is reflected in Bernard Foley being shifted to inside-centre after Matt Toomua was picked at fly-half against Italy, with Cheika using it as a trial run ahead of the England game “They are convinced they need two play-makers, which is why Foley is at 12. He has plenty of qualities, but often he runs across the field before he passes, or he runs straight at the defence and dummies. Both make him more predictable than he should be.” Dwyer adds: “That dual-play-maker term is vastly overrated. Look at it this way, if Tim Horan was still around you would still pick him at insidecentre? His passing was not his greatest strength but it was fine,
and what is so difficult abut a 12 giving a short pass to a 13,to 15 coming into the line, to 10 on a loop, or to the blindside wing? Schoolkids can do it. It’s b
Dwyer is equally disenchanted with ‘second-line’ back play, and an over-reliance on it which he feels has blunted Australia’s attacking game. This is where teams have a dummy attacking line as a screen ahead of a deeper line, which is where the ball actuntina ally goes.
“Australia’s win in Arge came because things we have not shown all year appeared.One of the key factors was that in the second-half we eased our reliance on second-line plays. They do have some value, but they also have a serious drawback because it’s impossible to challenge a defence from 20 metres away.
“When Australia are much more direct with straight running and good movement, you have much more motion around the ball – which is what you need in attack. So, when we went back to the old second-line habits against Wales, it was much too easy to conefensive tain. Wales are not a bad d team, and second-line plays tend to feature too much cross-ield running – so Australia’s attack became a bit of a mess.”
“I find it sad that Skelton is in so much better shape in England than he was in Australia”
He says there is too much flummery around the modern professional game. “I get more intelligent questions from the man in the street than those peddled by so-called experts. Good rugby is lots of simplicities joined together. For instance, some people think Sonny Bill Williams’ offloads are exceptional, but I think it’s the blokes supporting him and getting into the right positions that make it work.”
Dwyer adds: “We have this idea of superhuman technique making the difference, but it isn’t, it is the sum of all the parts practised and done well. For instance, Japan scored a sensational try against New Zealand which was a collection of quality contributions. It included a split-second flick pass, when a player was about to collect man and ball, to make the try. I’d have my backs as a group making that pass 200 times a training session. It’s not gold medal stuff. It’s easily done if it’s practised.”
His message suggests that Australia has lost the rigour that made a country with a relatively small number of elite players into two-time World Cup winners, and he points to the big improvements made to Wallaby players when they join Premiership clubs.
“The quality of the English Premiership has certainly improved, and so has its depth of good players. We’ve seen this in the way that Will Skelton, Toomua and Kurtley Beale have all improved since going there. I find it sad that Skelton is in so much better shape in England than he was in Australia.”
Dwyer says that he would take radical action to remedy any Wallaby failing to reach required fitness levels. “If they were not in the right shape I’d say that the Australian Rugby Union should reserve the right to take them away from their Super franchise and put them into training camp for a week or so to get them fitter.”
He also senses that the sprigs of recovery are there as long as Australia look after them, especially with exciting youngsters like scrum-half Jake Gordon and wing Jordan Petaia picked against Italy.
“Will Genia and Nick Phipps have genuine qualities, but Gordon could be the best of them. He learns quickly, in the same way that George Gregan did. Petaia is hard to tackle because he has strength in the hips, and is a very good instinctive runner – he sees the weakness in defenders and targets it.”
Dwyer is also positive about Toomua’s selection at fly-half. “He was a good player before he went to England and he has added to his game over there – he and Gordon will bring a directness that Australia needs.”
However, the overarching message from the Wallaby World Cupwinning coach is that Australia have to put down a marker now if they are to be contenders at next year’s tournament. “I haven’t seen anything this season – apart from glimpses against Argentina – that we are developing into a worldclass team.”
From Dwyer’s perspective there is no better place for that marker this November than drilling it into the turf at Twickenham, the scene of his greatest triumph with Australia. His words are unlikely to fall on deaf ears, which is why England can expect the Wallabies to rise to the occasion.