Moves in place to increase Wallabies' depth

Stirling Mortlock and Mark Gerrard show the pain of Australia's 13-30 loss to the All Blacks. Picture / Reuters

Indignities are nothing new to Australian rugby. A generation of supporters, from 1934 to 1979, never saw the Wallabies beat the All Blacks at home.

For a long time, rugby across the Tasman did not count for New Zealanders either; they were more intent on their battles with the Springboks or Lions.

At one stage the Bledisloe Cup even disappeared.

But the Australian revival came and New Zealand played a significant part in that renaissance with administrative, coaching and scheduling assistance.

The Bledisloe Cup became prized silverware again.

Simon Poidevin, that great Wallaby loose forward, revealed the emotions involved in winning the trophy. Asked what victory in the 1986 series at Eden Park meant to him, he replied: "Now I can live in peace. It meant that much to me."

Since professionalism in 1996, the nations have become even more entwined because of their alliance in the Super 12 and Tri-Nations series.

But the absence of an equivalent NPC, decisions to build the sport from the top down, raids on league ranks to bolster teams and competition from rival codes have all been reasons used to suggest the Wallabies will struggle.

Instead, there has been some envy at their success, especially in Sydney, although the curiosity remained about when their bubble would burst.

For many that time has come; the All Blacks' 30-13 triumph last week in Sydney confirmed the suspicion. Three successive defeats, a lack of overseas success, the advancing years of some troops, the repeated scrummaging deficiencies - they were all signs of a crumbling Wallaby empire.

New Zealanders are quick to forget the twin Tri-Nations losses for the All Blacks last season with only a late try to Doug Howlett averting a hat-trick.

The anxiety attacks about finding an appropriate replacement five-eighths for the injured Daniel Carter seem to ignore the difficulties the Wallabies had last week in the same position.

They had lost Stephen Larkham for the season, Mat Rogers was damaged and Elton Flatley was short of a run after injury.

During the game Matt Giteau was hurt and replaced by Flatley before he was exhausted and shifted to the wing, with regular halfback Chris Whitaker used at first five-eighths.

Any side would struggle with those defections.

What should have been more disturbing was the Wallabies' frontrow ineptitude. It has been a perceived weakness for some years but not really exposed until this season.

Springbok coach Jake White wondered how Bill Young would get a run for the Pietermaritzburg Pimpleheads let alone at international level.

Herald columnist John Drake was equally blunt. Had referee Tony Spreadbury not been so forgiving, the Wallabies would have been slaughtered, said Drake.

"It was a disgrace that such [All Black] power and technique should be punished when the jellyfish survived," he said.

Developing talent is a must for the Australian rugby scene, one where New Zealand is about to come to the rescue again.

Step forward former All Black coach John Mitchell, now in charge of the Western Force as the fourth Australian franchise in the Super 14.

"I think Australian rugby on their end-of -year tour has to make the sort of decision we did in 2002," he said from Perth.

(The All Black selectors left 21 senior or injured players at home to recuperate rather than travel on the end-of-year tour to England, France and Wales.)

"Clearly some of the senior Wallaby certainties have missed out on doing some of the foundation work they need to go into a season while the selectors also need to develop some of the younger players," Mitchell said.

"The senior players have been carrying the load for too long and we have to change that."

As the new coach of the Western Force, Mitchell has already been involved in think-tank discussions with other Super 14 and Australian coaches. He will help national coach Eddie Jones but not at the expense of his Force duties.

"I've talked with Eddie a fair bit, I have been to the base at Coffs Harbour for the technical stuff and this week I will be sitting down with some of my senior players [Nathan Sharpe and Brendan Cannon] while they are here in Perth with the Wallabies."

Mitchell also consulted Jones before he recruited a variety of players for next year's Super 14.

The Force went for a core of senior players to set the standards and then chose the best of the young talent who had the potential to play for Australia. All of them had played for national age-group sides.

"We have deliberately gone for the youth, it is an investment they hope will pay off in the next three years," said Mitchell.

"We need to get another 30 players knocking on the door of test selection."

Those picked were all eligible for Australia; the ARU had ruled out any overseas player recruitment.

Mitchell had watched a broadcast of the Wallabies' defeat in Sydney and agreed that the scrum was a weakness. Had they had a solid front row, they would have kicked on from their 13-0 lead and not had such trouble clearing the ball in their own 22.

Sorting out some frontrowers to go with Cannon had been near the top of Mitchell's recruitment drive. He had found six props with a range of aptitude.

Brumbies tighthead Dave Fitter had a strong technique but had to sharpen his fitness, Gareth Hardy was a useful loosehead from NSW, while Pek Cowan was the Australian under-21 loosehead.

Angus Scott, David Temoana and A.J. Whalley were all props who would benefit from the opportunity and coaching.

"It has always been the way in Australia," Mitchell said.

"Resources have not been as great as New Zealand or others and they have had to out-think their opposition because of their lack of depth."