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Wallabies out to present Poms with surprise pack
Greg Growden in London Chief Rugby Correspondent | November 11, 2008
As they flew across Europe towards London late on Sunday, the Wallabies forwards could not help but be reminded they were heading towards a country where they are treated as jokes.
On the flight from Venice to Heathrow, the rustling of newspapers could be heard down the aisle as the players looked over the British Sunday broadsheets.
It was especially brutal reading for prop Al Baxter, with both The Sunday Telegraph and The Sunday Times taking aim at him as they focused on next Saturday's international at Twickenham. It seems no one in the British media rates him - or most of his fellow Australian front-rowers, for that matter. As far as the locals are concerned, the Australian pack is a pushover. Memories of Marseille last year, when England monstered the Wallabies pack, and the 2005 Twickenham massacre, in which Australia's forwards had to be scraped off the turf, linger long here.
But the Wallabies forwards don't seem worried by the situation. They know that if they say they have improved, the British press will burst out laughing. But they also know, in their own minds, that improve they have.
There have been enough encouraging signs, before and during this tour, that the scrum is gradually coming together. As Baxter said several days ago, that is because over the past few years, the Wallabies have taken the set piece extremely seriously - as shown by forwards coach Michael Foley's fastidious work in that area - whereas in the past, it was treated almost as an afterthought. Baxter made the point that for one year, team physiotherapist Cameron Lillicrap doubled as the scrum doctor.
So far on this tour, the Wallabies have troubled New Zealand up front and thwarted Italy - supposedly the possessors of one of the best packs in the Six Nations. But it is England they really want to stand up to. Only by doing that will they finally earn some respect in the northern hemisphere - however grudging and however much the praise is laced with the old excuse that the Wallabies rely on illegal tactics such as collapsing the scrum to achieve parity.
In other areas, the Wallabies know they are nowhere near the complete package and realise how close they were to being embarrassed in Padova. But the team management is drawing on important late displays of class in the tight Italian victory that they believe show the Wallabies are on their way to becoming a formidable side.
The aim of coach Robbie Deans has been to build a young, vibrant side that is prepared to trust its own instincts, is willing to try new things and, most importantly, has the skills and fitness to do so. What Deans wants will take time.
He has already learned that while the players' minds are eager, their skill level leaves a lot to be desired. He had a reminder of that in Padova, where the Wallabies made elementary mistakes under pressure, with kicks going out on the full, midfield bombs going backwards, passes going astray, simple deliveries being dropped and options being rushed.
The decision-making at crucial moments was also worrying. They took risks against the Italians when it was clear early on that a focused midfield game, with quick pick-and-drives in the middle of the field, was the smartest way to get through the defence. But at least the Wallabies picked up at the right time of the game. Earlier this year, they struggled to hold on to a lead, with New Zealand twice scooting past them.
And in the final quarter of the match against Italy, there was the threat of disaster. But the Wallabies rallied and got themselves out of danger thanks to a piece of individual initiative from Test debutant Quade Cooper .
That so many youngsters were part of that revival was important for the future, as these are the same guys who are certain to be around at the next World Cup. They now have a taste of what is needed in the Test arena and can gain confidence from the fact they did not fold.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...165481506.html
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