Pick and go to maintain the shape
Bret Harris | June 28, 2008

AFTER a bright start against Ireland in Melbourne two weeks ago, the Wallabies lost their shape, and as a result, they almost lost the Test.

There were a number of reasons for the Wallabies' second-half fade-out. They were introducing new patterns of play under coach Robbie Deans, there were some new combinations and a lack of match fitness.

The style of play demanded by Deans fractured under the stress of the unrelenting Irish drive.

The Wallabies survived the end of the Irish Test on heart alone and while that was an encouraging sign, it won't be enough to save them in the future, particularly in the Tri-Nations.

"Any fatigue you saw in the performance was probably based on a lack of playing together," Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock said. "Cohesiveness and a lot of guys hadn't played for a fair while."

The Wallabies will be more familiar with their new systems in the first Test against France at ANZ Stadium in Sydney tonight.

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