This was meant to be a month of golden opportunity for the Wallabies. Only last autumn they were in a World Cup final while English supporters were studiously examining their fingernails. All too quickly that sense of optimism has dimmed, to be replaced by creeping unease. Losing to England on home soil on a weekly basis is not the only pressing issue facing Australian rugby.
Michael Cheika, their admirable head coach, could certainly do with a third-Test upturn. It will not easily be achieved. While continuing to be a staunch advocate of a multi-dimensional running game, he made clear this week his country lacks the necessary forward depth to support any other style. The occasional young hulking lock such as Will Skelton, “Three-Storey” Rory Arnold or this weekend’s bench debutant, Adam Coleman – the first Tasmanian to play international rugby since the 1920s – cannot disguise the Wallabies’ reliance on a handful of hugely influential individuals.
With Matt Giteau, Will Genia, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Drew Mitchell, Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale signed up to play in Europe that situation is growing steadily more complicated. Even the outstanding David Pocock will soon be taking an international sabbatical and heading for Japan. Cooper may soon be back from Toulon and Sekope Kepu has returned from Bordeaux but they are battling the tide. Greg Holmes and Dave Dennis are about to join their compatriot Lachie Turner in Exeter and the richly talented centre Matt Toomua will also soon be off to join Leicester.
The case of Toomua is particularly bittersweet. The 26-year-old has only just returned after seven weeks out but Cheika will have to bid farewell to him again once this year’s Rugby Championship has concluded. The centre jokes his departure date could be sooner – “If I play poorly this weekend I could be there next week” – but he fully expects to be in Leicester for “the next two or three years”. The prime of his career, in other words, will be spent overseas. To date he has played 31 Tests, well short of the required 60-cap threshold, and will therefore be ineligible to represent the Wallabies again until he returns.
In such an outdoor country as Australia the athletic cupboard will never be entirely bare. The 21-year‑old Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi and the versatile Karmichael Hunt are talented individuals but union is once again under pressure, with many of the country’s Super Rugby’s franchises in a state of flux. Australian Rules continues to be increasingly influential and interest in this week’s State of Origin rugby league game has dwarfed coverage of the England series. It has not helped that the pitch in Melbourne turned out to be St Kilda beach in disguise and England have turned up fully locked and loaded.
Add in the sight of an Australian, Eddie Jones, guiding England onwards and upwards with help from Glen Ella, Andrew Johns and, earlier this year, George Smith and it further increases the need for the hosts to hit back hard. Toomua is also keen to show Leicester they have made a smart signing. “We speak a lot about identity and not fearing failure,” he said. “By no means are we going out there thinking it could be 3-0.
“All credit to England – they have definitely been the better team in the first two games – but we have got an opportunity to show who we are and what we are about. It’s about putting in a good performance and being quite specific about how we do that.
“England hustle very well so quite often you’re presented with a packed defensive line. So we have to be better at the breakdown but also in our variety of attack such as kicking with width, because sometimes we only occupied three quarters of the field.
“It’s no secret we like to play with the ball and if you narrow the field it’s a lot easier to defend.”
It is a very good analysis but Toomua also knows the Wallabies need to buck the gloomy local mood. “I guess in the aftermath of last weekend it is low. They are the No2 team in the world and if we were in that situation we would be wanting 3-0 as well,” he said.
“It is fair to say our pride has been dented. But look at England after their World Cup. They came back and won eight in a row, so it can change quickly”. The Wallabies will be praying he is right.
