by It took less than two minutes for Australia to show their continued progress under Joe Schmidt. After securing the ball they went to work, with Nic White playing short passes to narrow runners who charged straight and hard into contact. And again. And again. And again. In no time they had worked their way into the 13th phase before a loss of the ball left Wales with a scrum at their own 22 line. The move didn’t score any points but offered a glimpse of what’s possible under this new regime.
Last week, with true Australian courage, Australia achieved a remarkable victory at Twickenham. Lightning-fast hands across the entire line into the corner using tap-ons and sidesteps. It was a remarkable feat put on display by naturally gifted ballplayers with the license to showcase their skills when given the opportunity. But it’s always been there, and as long as 15 guys show an interest in taking the field for union football, they’ll be there, whether the code deviates from the mainstream or not. What this group needed was some strength and discipline, a dose of patience to go along with their drive. That’s what wins Test matches.
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“We support our boredom,” said Schmidt after the attack in London. Here in Cardiff his team echoed their coach’s words. They controlled the point of contact with Rob Valetini and Seru Uru, who were at large. Will Skelton’s strength ensured him victory in both defense and attack. Samu Kerevi – before being shown a red card for a dangerous tackle – punched holes in the midfield. Pulling the strings was White, who at 34 may lack the spark of Tate McDermott, but as a scrum-half who can keep the phases moving with the efficiency of a metronome, he is the most accomplished man there is.
It was often simple and pragmatic, two words Schmidt used to describe himself and his philosophy. The one-eyed romantics may not like it, but there’s nothing fans find more entertaining than following a winning team. Thanks to a change of identity, the Wallabies’ ambitions of a clean sweep on their autumn tour remain intact after a 52-20 triumph.
That doesn’t mean they’re already the finished product. Far from it. After building a 19-0 lead, Tom Wright hit his first of three shots, Matt Faessler rolled over his first of three shots, and Nick Frost dragged his huge body a third of the way up the court to score under the posts land, they inexplicably lost their shape. Wales scored 13 unanswered points and some of that returning brittleness showed in the golden stands. Ball carriers were isolated. Tacklers slipped off their men. And the worst Welsh team in 22 years made the Wallabies look ordinary.
Maybe a few harsh words were said in the shed during half-time. Not likely. Schmidt doesn’t seem like the type to get out the hairdryer. A stern lecture from the 59-year-old New Zealander is likely to include a Power Point presentation. Whatever the reason, they went back to basics. Strong, straight carrying styles. Short passes to narrow runners. Even when Kerevi was shown a yellow card that turned into red, they kept it simple. Two quick, grunting attempts gave Faessler the strength to complete his hat-trick – the first Australian hooker to do so – an hour ago.
These are not the daredevils of 1984, which included Mark Ella, David Campese and Nick Farr-Jones. They are no longer the 1999 World Champions who were lucky enough to have Stephen Larkham, George Gregan and John Eales. Honesty and humility were in short supply at Rugby Australia. Neutral observers have known for some time what has become of the Wallabies. Schmidt knows this and, through his sensible approach, has given them an identity that allows them to be competitive.
Does that mean they have to beat better teams? They lost twice to the All Blacks and twice to the Springboks. And after winning in the rain in La Plata, Argentina prevailed 67-27 a week later.
However, fluctuations in form feel better than being constantly submissive, and who could argue with the recent evidence? In just two weeks they broke their record points in London and Cardiff. They scored 13 tries and welcomed long-missing fans in from the cold with some stunning maneuvers.
But they did so based on principles that don’t make the highlight reels. They cleared quickly between counter-attacks and throw-offs, held firm from set-pieces and fought in the final stages. Schmidt conveys a sense of conviction that the dark days are finally over. It still feels like the start of a journey, but so far it’s going well.
