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'If we shut up shop here in Australia, we are done': Former Wallaby makes grave prediction over calls to go with a walled-off Super Rugby AU

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

After the opening two rounds of Super Rugby Trans-Tasman resulted in a 10-0 ledger in favour of the New Zealand teams, there have been calls from one side of the ditch to revert back to a closed internal competition in Australia.

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Speaking on this week’s Aotearoa Rugby Pod, former Wallabies prop Ben Darwin who now runs GainLine Analytics, warned about the dangers of taking such an approach and explained that the Australian teams just have to ‘take the medicine’.

“In Australia, what’s actually being called for on social media, is for us to not play New Zealand any more. Just close it off. There are people saying let’s just have Super Rugby AU and my response to that is, sometimes you’ve just got to take the medicine,” he told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.

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Spirit of Rugby | Episode 2

Blues hooker James Parsons explained that familarity will bring tighter results, and the only way to get that is to continually play each other. After only playing Australian teams for two editions of Super Rugby AU, it will take time.

“I think it’s better for athletes to get out there, and in the ring, sometimes you’ve just got to take a few punches on the snout to learn how to take them and get better,” Parsons said.

“I think it’s better for World Rugby, it’s better for New Zealand Rugby for Australia to be strong as well. It’s better for audiences to tighten up again.

“And the only way for the competition to tighten up again, is to continually play each other.

As an example, Parsons highlighted how the Blues have put such an emphasis on covering Richie Mo’unga in defence having played the Crusaders so much and learnt his tendencies.

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“The things that have beaten the Australian defence, I’ll use Sevu Reece’s first try,” he explained.

“When Ethan Blackadder hits a short tip ball and he offloads to Richie Mo’unga, then he runs and links up with Reece, Hamish Stewart stays wide defensively in the Reds.

“But we know Richie Mo’unga is always out the back of that forward pod, he’s always looking to run and split that gap, and you never stay wide there.

“You always have to have a defender on Richie Mo’unga out the back there. Never leave him on his own.

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“And they left him on his own and he takes that, all day.

“We [the Blues] have played Richie so much, we know his ins-and-outs over the last two years, the Aussies don’t know that yet, but the more they play him, they are doing to learn that.

“It is crucial that they get time on the grass so they learn the intricacies of these players.

Ben Darwin spoke of his own experience at the Brumbies in his playing days, how they would have to approach the ruck completely different against New Zealand teams to generate the recycle speed they wanted.

“I certainly know at the Brumbies in my time, we had to re-plan around playing the New Zealand teams in terms of putting more guys into the ruck,” he said.

“We knew with the early games against the other Australian teams or South African teams you could get away with putting two in the ruck in attack and it wouldn’t be a problem, you would get quick recycle.

“Whereas with the New Zealand teams, we’d basically have to do it completely different.

“You get into these habits that work against your own country, but don’t necessarily work against other opposition.

The former Wallaby warned against calls for a closed Super Rugby AU competition, explaining the plight of Japanese rugby in the 90s which went down that path to their own detriment.

“That notion of being a ‘closed’ competition, really hit home if you go back to Japanese rugby in 1995.

“They did not really play other countries particularly a lot of the time, they played against Korea quite a bit. People were very happy with it, because internally they were doing very well, but then they got the shock of their lives when they went to Bloemfontein, they lose by 145 to New Zealand and it’s like ‘ok, now we know where we are’.

“They just had no notion that they were so far behind. And they’ve caught up, they’ve caught up and they’ve got a much better standard, they’ve got foreign coaches, they’ve got some foreign players.

“Playing against good opposition, versing good scrums, made a massive difference for Japanese rugby over time.

“So if we shut up shop here in Australia, we are done.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit England need to face a few home truths if they are to relearn that winning habit
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