It was not so very long ago, was it? In the not-so-distant past, it was universally acknowledged Super Rugby was the best preparation for Test match rugby. There was no argument, it was head and shoulders above all the competitions north of the equator. After only one round of the Rugby Championship, it is clear that is no longer the case.
Both the primary nations remaining in Super Rugby Pacific [Australia and New Zealand] lost in their own back yards, conceding 71 points and nine tries in the process. The two 23-man matchday squads from South Africa and Argentina which inflicted the damage contained a mix of players predominantly plying their trade in European competition.
The work Kiwi head coach Joe Schmidt still has to do with his Wallabies was thrown into very painful relief by a loss to the Springboks that threatened to turn into a humiliating shut-out. The world champions were 33-0 ahead with only five minutes left on the clock, before a late Hunter Paisami try added a tiny dab of gloss to the final scoreline.
In Australia, ‘Giteau’s Law’ still presides in spirit if not in letter. There remains a reluctance to embrace overseas influence, whether it comes in the form of overseas players or foreign coaches.
In the build-up to the game at the Suncorp, ex-Waratahs, Ulster and Scotland coach Matt Williams made some incendiary comments on the impact of Kiwi coaches in his homeland in his column for The Irish Times:
“Schmidt was not the people’s choice for the role. Australian rugby has suffered from a string of wrongly-recruited Kiwis, either as coaches or chief executives, who have disastrously driven the game in Australia so far away from its DNA that players of this generation have lost their understanding of Australian rugby’s unique identity.
“So, it is understandable that the Aussie locals are highly sceptical of yet another New Zealander getting the gig as Wallabies boss. When a leading RA official asked me for my opinion of Schmidt coaching the Wallabies, I told him that Schmidt is one of the best coaches I have ever seen, but he lost his way badly [with Ireland] in 2019.
“I believe that in time Joe will be a huge positive for the Wallabies. The vast majority of Wallaby supporters do not have the same opinion and they sit firmly in the‘Doubting Thomas’ category. They need to see a lot of wins before they will believe in Schmidt.”
It is hard enough for any international coach to succeed, without the added pressure from Thomases who doubt the wisdom of overseas experience.
Approaching the first seriously high hurdle of his tenure, Schmidt bent over backwards to keep selection homegrown, and he duly paid the price for it. The New Zealander opted to mine from local sources and excluded Will Skelton, Izack Rodda, Brandon Paenga-Amosa up front, and Marika Koroibete and Samu Kerevi in the backline. Of those, only Koroibete is likely to play a part in the return game in Perth.
All it has done is highlight the shortage of material coming through on the Super Rugby Pacific production line. Every one of the aforementioned players is more physically advanced than the local products who represented the green-and-gold at the Suncorp. ‘The Australian view’ urgently needs to encourage two-way traffic between Australia and the rugby world outside it.
Recently-returned rake Paenga-Amosa rephrased the value of overseas experience on a recent Roar Rugby Podcast:
“Before I went to France, hooker [in Super Rugby] was a very loose position. You would see hookers on the edge like Codie Taylor – Dane Coles is another great example – able to make the run down the sideline and gas wingers and make 20-metre cut-out passes. I was watching them and thinking, ‘Bro, these guys are world-class players. I am going to be like that.’
“Going to France really showed me what I am good at. I am not that guy that is going to burn players on the edge. I am not that guy that will run out wide and step the full-back and chuck a 30-metre pass. That is just not me, man. I am a bigger body. I have got probably five to eight kilos on those boys.
“I understood going to France that my [role] is to play the tight game, try and get over the ball as much as I can, or just be a pest in the ruck, and take [the] tough carries. Even if I do get banged left, right, and centre – that is my job, because I am a bigger body.”
For the game at the Optus Stadium next weekend, Australia badly needs a dose of the medicine BPA has been taking. Bigger bodies who understand their role and can stand up to the Springboks at source: people who can not only absorb South African power, but dish out a goodly portion of it themselves.
If Schmidt needs an example of the constructive use of overseas influence, he need look no further than the presence of Pieter-Steph du Toit in the South African second row. Du Toit now plies his trade for Toyota Verblitz in Japan. If Rassie Erasmus adopted current Australian eligibility criteria, Du Toit would not have been able to replace the injured RG Snyman and Franco Mostert and lead the Springbok lineout – a potential Achilles heel I observed last week.
As it was, veteran replaced veteran and the set-piece transition was relatively seamless. There was no need to expose a rookie [Ruan Nortje] to the crushing pressure of necessity. As always, Du Toit saves his best for the occasions when it is most needed. He may be best known for his 28 tackles in last year’s World Cup final, but on Saturday he led all Springbok forward ball-carriers with 21 touches on attack, including 14 carries and seven passes.
He ran in all three segments of the field from touchline to touchline: driving the ball off nine, picking up the lead role on the pick-and-go, and inserting himself out wide as the extra back-rower on a scoring move.
In the first clip, the Kloovenburg native creates the space out to the left by narrowing the Wallaby defence up around the ruck perimeter with his power. In the second he finishes the move out wide with speed and a straight running line. Du Toit even had the breath left in his body to match lung-bursting sprints with Australia’s own extra ‘loose’ tight forward, Nick Frost, in the third quarter.
Frost is up and poised to pilfer after a long kick downfield by Bobby Valetini, but the first South African forward to arrive is Du Toit, ready to defuse the emergency at the base and save the turnover.
The ex-Stormer’s single most valuable contribution in the game was his ability to sew the pieces of a new Springbok lineout together. South Africa won 14 of their 16 throws, and Du Toit won one of Australia’s feeds while spoiling two others. He spread the ball around on the Springbok throw, calling his own number once, with four to new cap Ben-Jason Dixon at the back and five to ever-reliable Eben Etzebeth at the front.
The Springbok throw clawed back the flexibility it had under Mostert’s captaincy, and both the confidence and the amount of detail in their short-range variations was impressive. The Bokke started with a sophisticated move to create a score near the Wallaby try line.
Success is built off a myriad of subtle nuances.
The first requirement is to take Frost out of the frame as an aerial combatant, so Du Toit aligns as a likely receiver looking down the line at his hooker, while the real target [Dixon ahead of him] sets up as a lifter opposite the Wallabies. With Frost ruled out of the play, Siya Kolisi swings around from tail-gunner to become the ball-carrier and try-scorer on a peel around the front pod. There is even a nice little flourish from scrum-half Cobus Reinach, faking a receipt around the end of the line towards the posts.
Du Toit built the Springbok attacking repertoire from that base.
In the first clip, the same move has Kolisi breaking out from the maul earlier, and all but setting up a second try for Malcolm Marx near touch. The second illustrates the essence of quality lineout-calling: the man from the Cape is quite content to do the heavy lifting for others, this time front-boosting an uncontested Dixon and building an attack around end on favourable terms. South Africa scored their fourth try of the match shortly afterwards.
Does Williams’ view represent the outlook of dyed-in-the-wool Wallaby supporters? Does the ‘Australia First’ selection policy need to exclude reinforcements from overseas? If the answer to both those questions is ’yes’ then the sport of rugby in Australia is in deep trouble.
Super Rugby by itself can no longer provide the depth of quality needed, and Schmidt may not be granted enough time to make his plan work before he is given the chop. Without that top crust of Europe and Japan-based talent to provide a physical edge and the experience of winning, the new-build cannot be cemented in place. There will be no learning pyramid because the players at its apex are missing.
If the Wallabies had failed to score a point at their self-proclaimed Brisbane ‘fortress’ it would have been an unmitigated disaster for all involved with rugby in Australia. In the event they came within five minutes of being ‘nilled’. Schmidt could do worse than listen to what Erasmus said when he scrapped the 30-cap overseas rule back in 2019:
“We have been agonising over how to keep players in the country since the game went professional more than 20 years ago, and the bottom line is that the economy of South African rugby is too small to compete. A South African player can earn more from a two-month contract in Japan than he can if he were to win the World Cup with the Springboks this year. That is the reality we have to face up to.”
Amen to that.
Nick. Thanks again. Great read. The bulk of Joe’s squad minus Foley, Holloway and a few others, beat the Boks twice in 2022. (See the 23 for the Adelaide test). I just throw this out here, but intuitively it seems Joe has yet to get these Aussie-based guys back to the level Rennie had them, when we were often competitive - ABs Melbourne, France, Ireland. The best OZ overseas provide the required cream. Imagine the Pumas squad without its overseas players. That bloke from Toulon etc, who looked anything but beat, after an ‘exhausting’ season. Rennie did the building with largely the same OZ based player group. And now we are back building again: experimenting with combos, who’s up to it, who isn’t. The usual suspects. Joe is no fool. He knows where the Wallabies need to be. But were there no learnings from the Rennie period? Laurie Fisher has a memory, and Rennie and McKellar are just a phone call away. It’s like we are in a time warp. I have, of course, discarded 2023 and the Eddie experiment. Joe retains much respect. But, yes, a year of hammerings because it’s good medicine, will test the goodwill of all but the most masochistic of fans.
Yes that Rennie squad also included Quade, Marika and big Kev ofc. At least two of those were playing in Japan at the time IIRC.
All the Pumas bar Molina the lock now play in either France or the URC at Bennetton, where there is a nest of six Pumas. That's cohesion right there.
I just cannot see how Joe can do without them - look at the impact Quade had on his mcuh wiser return!
Good news is that the front row should be significantly stronger thiss week, and Marika will be back on the wing.
The sad reality for Super Rugby is that there is only enough talent for 8 teams if it wants to be competitive and serve a purpose in preparing players for international rugby. It is the kind of short term pain for long term gain both unions desperately need but are not willing to endure.
Australia currently run the risk of becoming minnows of the 15 a side game. There is not enough interest or participation in the sport to field a consistently competitive international team. But they have a once in a generation chance to reverse their fortunes over the next 3 years when hosting a Lions Tour and the World Cup. If Australia perform admirably in these they have the chance to inspire a new generation of top athletes, which Australia are blessed with in abundance, to choose rugby union over league, AFL, cricket or some olympics endeavour.
2028 will either be the year Australia sees an increase in player numbers for the first time in decades, or it will be the year it irreversibly becomes a tier 2 team left to compete against the USA and Tonga for the Pacific Nations Cup.
But RA have not got the memo - without short term success there is no future for their game, so prioritising home based talent who are not good enough is completely self destructive. The SOS should be going out to European based players that their country needs them. This is not business as usual - the life support has been turned off and the next 3 years is their last chance to resuscitate the game.
Exactly
Yes they have to get up and running quickly for the Lions tour, and they have only 5 RC games, and 4 EOYT Test in which to do it - plus a couple of A team games. Then the Lions arrive.
I hope they don't miss out on the impact of the 2027 WC as England did back in 2003. There could be a huge upsurge in interest if the WBs perform.
Pretty clear that this story has garnered a serious level of agreement on the poor predicament that the sad carcass of the SR remains find themselves in. And to think there were one or two, well one really, that was only days ago pontificating on how the SA franchises had done so very well to become competitive and had ‘found their level’ in the URC!!!
And of course this assessment was in spite of a growing body of evidence clearly pointing to the difficulties and decline of franchise rugby levels in aus and nz.
None so blind as those that will not see…
SA loves the competition with the Irish and Scottish sides esp in URC Ed, and all the weaker SA sides [from the Cheetahs down] have left the comp.
The chance to play in two European Cups is even better - just look at how energised the Sharks were by winning the Challenge Cup last season!
I highly doubt the Thomases are having any negative effect on Australian rugby, especially not with Joe. Though I will say the longer he can stay in the job the more likely it is going to time with Razor kicking out one of his assistants.
Sorry to ruin the next year of Wallaby articles Nick, but Australia is unable to select these players. Heck, the Fijians weren't even allowed their players during the World Rugby governed International window.
Without being the biggest follower, I felt there were a lot of awesome new players coming through the system. We just might need to accept that theyre coming through sooner than what were used to with the mismanagement of the game in Australia seeing more and more SR players having great value overseas.
This game showed Australia they don't have to worry too much about size. That is not what matters at the top level. Far more important is technique, skills, and systems. SA blew them off the park with how they played, not who they played. Some of Australia's best were the small guys who could play good rugby. It's funny you use PSdT as an example of your point because I was going to use him for mine, the best technically gifted player on the planet, he doesn't need the extra 10cm or kgs to be a match winner.
The versatility those shared components give him certainly has the potential to put him into GOAT category though!
This is the most overegging article I've seen from you Nick (which is a credit btw). The NRL broadcast revenue is nearly twice that of the French rugby's, there is not a problem with the economy in Australia that need dictate terms. In fact it's the exact opposite, it is just waiting for someone to invest in something that is going to work in Australia.
Why pray? Do you have access to the inner sanctum?
'The rugby economy in Australia' - I thought it was pretty clear I meant rugby union - obviously not!
I admire your optimism about the future of SRP, but sadly it won't be rewarded.
The premise of this article is bang on the money. SR is a very pale shadow of its former self in myriad ways and Aussie clubs are in something close to free fall as a result of both political infighting and the uniquely competitive pressures for players from other codes.
But few people (some WAY more than others…😉) are willing to consider the impact this is already having on the kiwi franchises. And this is just the beginning of a vortex dynamic that could spiral rapidly. As things stand, there isn’t any likelihood of a short term aussie revival, and possibly not in the medium term either. Even if the Aussies did miraculously come good, the levels would still be a significant step below those required to win when the saffas were still on board. So that leaves the kiwis with weak opposition and only really themselves for competition. It’s instructive that the demise of the crusaders has seen the blues realise their very long held 20+ years ambition for another title win, but the style in which they achieved it says much for the new lower threshold required to win.
And of course there is the pending move north still to come for the Boks and the seismically destructive impact that will have. At that point they really will have no other lever available than to allow free movement of their players and hope for the best…
Interesting times indeed!
Yes the Aussie decline has meant it is all about NZ arguing with itself when it asks 'who is the best?'
As you imply I do feel SA's addition to the 6N would be a tipping point, as I doubt they could continue in the RC simultaneously.
The Nations League cannot come quickly enough!
Nar, the Wallabies have been beaten like that for decades by the All Blacks. They always come back. You're acting like something has changed.
What you're probably noticing now is just Nick's premise of this article, South Africa maximizing their game/players/country etc.
Kiwis have been obsessed with undermining Australian rugby by insisting we have kiwi coaches for nearly 20 years since Robbie Deans. It's come back to bite them. Kind of funny and enjoyable. They might be dragging us down but we are taking them down with us. You bewdy.
Its really curious how Australia has deteriorated Nick and its been a long and slow march to the precarious position they are in now. This is a team that has won 2 world cups and had the some of the most talented and high profile players making their mark on the international stage regularly like Gregan, Larkham, Giteau, Mortlock and many many others. Now they are so far behind the curve it cannot be believed. They are no longer profitable as a brand, players are leaving to go overseas or converting to league, they are less and less popular each year, the fans no longer show up, they cannot hope to compete with other sporting codes in Australia which is pinching all the best athletes they produce and they seem stuck in the past. Even if they develop the current promising crop of players coming through the reds and other structures how will they keep them invested in Australian Rugby? They will earn their 20 or 30 caps and then be snatched up by overseas clubs. What has worked for South Africa may work for them but also Australia is not South Africa and Rugby does not have the same pull in Australia. Super Rugby seems to be going backwards and Australia have nowhere else to go unlike SA which went North and are now reaping the benefits. It just seems like the Aussies are in an irreversible mess for which there are little to no solutions. If they allow their best players to go and still be selected for the national team Super Rugby in Australia may deteriorate fast to the point where it becomes a farce but if they dont the Wallabies will never improve. I reckon they have to prioritise the Wallabies and take a chance that the Super Rugby teams will figure it out. They need to get the national team back on track and that means scrapping the Australia first policy and making the best available to the team. How did they get to this point? Surely it says something about the administration of the game there.
I don't think you realise who's available SK. Would be interesting to hear from Rugby Australia who has allowance from their club to be available.
I'd imagine it's like almost everywhere, it would start from who RA target, and they can't afford to take twice as many players (onshore and then offshore as well).
You don't just hope that all those problems were caused by just a couple of individuals and that the upturn is real?
They were top of the charts at innovation, and at least to the ABs around the turn of the millennium SK. They had won two WC's before anyone else, but it has dried up since then.
The Lions and two home WCs are coming up, which means they have to give Joe a chance to win if they are to attract new ppl, and new money to the sport. That is non-negotiable - which in turn means giving him the widest selection base possible.
It was the Tahs. It started with cunning kiwi board members of the Tahs pushing kiwi coaches, knowing what the result would be.
We need to kick all kiwi coaches out of NZ and start from scratch doing it by ourselves, for ourselves. Starting with Dick Marks.
We still have the intellectual property and the players but the Tahs will not give them a chance. If it's not a Tah coach, it's a kiwi they know they can control