Greg Growden: Aussies reckon all is not lost

COMMENT

Australians may not gloat as much as Kiwis when they win, but they do know how to bleat when the biorhythms are working against them.

Every New Zealander can delight in the fact that the All Blacks' record Bledisloe Cup triumph had the desired effect of gutting not just the Wallaby team, but also all those who desperately cling on to the coat-tails of the national side.

The large group of Wallaby true believers was most despondent after the Sydney debacle, because such a public embarrassment had not occurred for a long time. Even a glum Australian Rugby Union chief John O'Neill had to concede: "I'm no longer able to tell sheep jokes."

The letters pages of Australian newspapers were for days full of diatribes from smart-alecky but fickle Wallaby supporters, who believed they knew all the answers to all of the country's rugby woes. Wallaby coach Eddie Jones admitted that he was getting advice from every know-all in town, even when he was filling his car up at the local petrol station.

Everyone in Australia is an expert and the Wallabies have been getting plenty of home-spun philosophies the last three weeks.

Thankfully the Wallabies haven't been distracted by all the babble and after a few days of self-judgment have meticulously plotted a rescue plan. Whether it will stop the Bledisloe Cup from heading New Zealand's way for the first time since 1997 is debatable, but it should at least ensure that the scoreline is far closer than at Olympic Stadium.

The All Blacks were outstanding in Sydney, with their counter-attack from opposition blunders, extraordinary speed, impeccable ball skills and ability to know where to probe the often dishevelled Wallaby defence instrumental in them effectively turning their opposition into hapless onlookers.

But Australia do know where they went wrong. Their kicking game was flawed and ill-directed, giving New Zealand too many easy opportunities to run back at them at pace. Unlike South Africa's simple but well thought out kicking game in Dunedin, Australia never really put their opponents under any pressure, instead giving them ample space and time to be mischievous. And they were - seven devastating times.

Carlos Spencer, who can at times let the moment get to him, was allowed to do whatever he wanted, and Australia were unable to match his ability to seize the moment and immediately change the focus and direction of the team's attack. So the All Blacks were here, there and everywhere and Australia were soon running around like headless chooks. Australia's discipline was also below par, with Wendell Sailor's late charge on Mils Muliaina the most poorly timed of brain explosions, giving the All Blacks an unnecessary leg-up during a crucial period of the test. Australia were at the time hovering, but then the momentum was lost.

Australia can turn it around, but it will rely on numerous factors. Australia's forward effort was exemplary in Sydney and they have to again attempt to dominate at every set-piece, in particular the lineouts.

The combination of two openside flankers - Phil Waugh and George Smith - must also be on song to ensure Richard McCaw's impact at the breakdown is limited. But most importantly, the Australian attacking combination has to perform.

There weren't exactly too many encouraging signs during the Springbok victory in Brisbane, as the Wallaby attack remained stodgy. Jones and co are hoping that several more weeks together on the training paddock will improve the midfield understanding and at last the rest of the world will see the incredible speed of the back three, with Mat Rogers tossed into the mix, being unleashed.

And if all this doesn't work and Australia are sent home still looking for answers, then Jones has enormous World Cup dilemmas. He has only Stirling Mortlock and Joe Roff to return to the squad from injury. While both are fine players, one still cannot imagine them radically improving the performance of an engine, which is presently clanking and rattling on every hill climb. Time is tight.

* Greg Growden is chief rugby writer for the Sydney Morning Herald.