Wallabies a Cup no-go, says Ella

Former test captain Mark Ella says the Wallabies will not be a threat at next year's rugby World Cup unless their tactics undergo a major revamp.

Ella, part of the Grand Slam-winning 1984 Wallabies, does not appear to agree with present first five-eighth Stephen Larkham's assertion that the team are in better shape now than they were a year out from the 2003 tournament when they finished runners-up to England.

"They have been conservative all year. There is too much kicking," Ella told the Australian newspaper.

"We have world-class players in the backline who are almost invisible because they are being under-utilised.

"We have no chance of winning the World Cup playing the way we are. I'd just like to see them have a go."

The Wallabies have arrived home from their weekend 24-16 loss to South Africa to widespread criticism of their conservative gameplan under coach John Connolly, in which they won just two of their six Tri-Nations tests.

Former Wallabies midfield back Rod Kafer said the cautious approach had to change. "[Connolly] doesn't have the set piece he can rely on and that's hampering the way he'd like to coach," Kafer said.

"There were opportunities to counter-attack but ... if it's not part of your gameplan, you can easily get isolated."

Sydney Morning Herald columnist Spiro Zavos lamented the Wallabies' lack of flair among the backs and blamed Connolly's coaching, which he said was trying to copy his successful Queensland formula of a decade ago.

"Stephen Larkham, one of the Wallabies' greatest five-eighths, has been reduced to a dithering kick-a-holic by what must presumably be the ordained tactics from the coaching staff."

- NZPA