So Australia leave Bloemfontein with a draw. You’d be hard pressed to argue that South Africa didn’t deserve to win, with a host of chances squandered, but their visitors were clinical when they got an opportunity.
You could view the coin two ways. A lucky escape or a display of steel that has been lacking in performances of late. It’s an indictment on Bok rugby that they’ll leave disappointed with just a draw but Michael Cheika will be pleased with their resolve. The All Blacks are much vaunted in achieving results with below par performances and Wallaby supporters should view it in the same light. Australia are rebuilding their identity.
This may fly in the face of public opinion, but the ARU’s decision to cut a Super Rugby franchise was right and necessary. They’ve taken Malthusian view for the good of Wallaby rugby.
While participation levels may be under pressure Down Under, interest and tribal following certainly isn’t. The expansion to five teams always felt like lofty ambition. The ARU seemed to be in a constant state of flux satisfying each franchise with the distribution of talent of which there hasn’t been enough. The policy has served to dilute the traditional East Coast powerhouses, weakening the cohesion of the national team.
The knock on effect for the Wallabies has been evident for all to see with the Green and Gold inhabiting one of the fallowest periods of its history. Past World Cup glories were built on the great Brumbies sides of yesteryear that housed combinations like Gregan-Larkham, Roff-Latham. These forged bonds were then carried into the national team to provide a prefabricated core to build success on.
These legends were synonymous with their franchise. Stalwarts. How many of those Wallabies exist now? Scott Higginbotham is a prime example of a man whose dizzy from the Aussie transfer merry go round.
You only have to look to Ireland for further proof. They bed partnerships in the four provinces, in order to bloom at Test level. They’ll never grow beyond four. The expansion of Australia’s Super Rugby program served to create a pic n mix dilemma, where selection was disparate and disrupted the telepathic relationships players build at club level.
This year’s Shute Shield Final drew its largest crowd for 20 years with 16,000 turning out to watch Warringah Rats beat Northern Suburbs. You can’t tell me the country’s deep rooted passion doesn’t still exist, it’s just the diluting of the Super teams has led to a disenfranchised fanbase.
I personally would have kept the Force as they’ve now ostracised one half of their continent, but then again I’m glad I wasn’t the surgeon performing the amputation.
Consternation will roll on for the foreseeable, but with today’s showing against the Boks, Cheika establishing some sense of stability and the refocusing of Super Rugby I think there is cause for optimism as the Wallabies return to a system that has yielded past champions.
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