Wallabies show there’s no call for ‘woeful’ tag
STICK 21-0 in your pipe and choke on it Sir Graham.
Just hours after being slagged off as “probably the worst Australian team I have ever seen”, the Wallabies returned serve in Perth last night.
It was with actions, not disrespectful cheap shots, in a 36-20 victory of high-voltage bursts over Argentina.
The Wallabies rushed in three sharp and clinically taken tries in the opening 12 minutes for 21-0. It was hardly the work of the tame mediumpacers of world rugby.
That was the essence of the sledge from 2011 World Cupwinning All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry on New Zealand radio yesterday morning when he also branded the Wallabies as “woeful”.
This isn’t the most complete Wallabies side of the past decade but it is an evolving one with key elements heading in the right direction.
There was adventure in attack, two tries from nifty inside balls from Quade Cooper that were glaringly absent in the June disasters against England and the rise and rise of rookie lock Adam Coleman.
There was a standout senior figure in two-try man-of-thematch Will Genia showing that his 70th Test meant as much as his first.
Sean McMahon and Tatafu Polota-Nau both produced huge, leg-pumping rumbles with the ball to set up the two AUSTRALIA Tries: Conversions: Penalty Goals: ARGENTINA Tries: Conversions: Penalty Goals: Crowd: Referee: tries that sealed the deal midway through the second half. Super Subs. Tick.
The swarming defence was all about spirit, Michael Hooper’s huge workrate and helpers everywhere because the Pumas won a tonne of possession.
Only flyhalf Cooper’s sinbinning for a firm body check on opposite number Nicolas Sanchez without the ball was a downer because it was the second time the Wallabies were down to 14 men after prop Scott Sio’s early yellow card.
Sure, last night’s effort could have been more sustained but the Pumas were adventurous themselves and showed again why they are World Cup semi-finalists.
The opening try after just 43 seconds was the sort of ruthless counter-attack off a poor Pumas clearing kick the Wallabies need to find more often.
There was quick chain-passing, including a lovely short ball from Dane Haylett-Petty, that eventually put Samu Kerevi over for his first Test try.