Argentina v Australia
Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
9:40am AEDT Sunday 8 October 2017
We are down to the final round of the 2017 Rugby Championship, with the Wallabies taking on Argentina in Buenos Aires. Here are the talking points.
More of the same
Michael Cheika will take an unchanged starting line up into consecutive tests for the first time in his reign as Wallabies coach. It's just reward for the XV who performed so admirably last week against the Springboks. Calls are growing from fans and pundits alike for Cheika to slow his rotation policy and settle on a preferred combination, and with a couple of exceptions he is probably getting close. It appears that the back row and the locks are the only variables in his first choice XV, with both areas still waiting for someone to demand selection. David Pocock’s impending return will need to factored in as well, and you would imagine this week we will see Lukhan Tui given an opportunity at blindside off the bench. Izack Rodda has another opportunity at lock, and he will looking for a huge game against the Pumas pack.
Kissing your sister
Another Springboks clash, another frustrating draw. In saying that, there was so much to like about this most recent Wallabies performance. The South Africans asked a lot of questions of the Wallabies’ defence, and for the most part it stood up. There was some structure in attack, and Bernard Foley played his best game in gold since the World Cup. The key for Foley is taking the ball to the line. When he runs, especially with Beale and Folau on his shoulders, defences stand back, and he has the turn of foot to capitalise. He threw the final pass in each of the Wallabies’ three tries, and though we know he will never be a Beauden Barrett style fly-half, he is clearly our best choice for the near future. It is interesting to see the immediate lift in Foley’s form since the return of Beale, which almost guarantees Cheika won’t be moving him out of the 12 for the time being. Having said all that, the Aussies still couldn’t get the win. These close losses and draws we’ve been seeing lately, and being unable to defend leads, must come back to the leadership of Michael Hooper. He needs to find a way to drag his team over the line like the great leaders do. He never stops trying, but he still has the tendency to take the wrong option at the wrong time, and he cannot seem to calm his troops in tight situations. It is a huge issue for Australia heading towards the World Cup in 2019.
Wing and a prayer
How about the run on debut of Marika Koroibete? The former Melbourne Storm winger was faultless for all but the last three minutes, when he conceded a penalty to give the Boks a final shot at victory. Forget about that, though. Finally, we have someone who is putting his hand up to demand selection on that flank. His two tries were both composed, strong finishes. Too many times we have seen Wallaby wingers who would have dropped the first pass from Foley when it hit his shoulder, or been bundled into touch after taking the second. What was even more impressive was his decision making in defence. He was asked to make a number of crucial decisions about coming off his wing early in the match, and he made the right call every time. Not only that, he stuck the tackles. He gets another shot this week against the Pumas, and it would not surprise to see him bag another couple. Great signs for Australia.
Playing for second
By the time we take to the field in Argentina, we will know if the All Blacks have taken care of the Springboks, and if so, second place in the Rugby Championship will be up for grabs. This would be great reward for a team who has slowly improved since the debacle in Sydney. It would also be a great springboard into the Spring Tour, another big test for this squad. For all the talk about time zones not suiting rugby viewing, there is not much better than getting up on a Sunday morning to watch the men in gold run around. Let’s hope it’s a cracker!
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Words: Cameron Stokes
