Should Wallabies change Giteau Law for this man?
A 17th-straight Bledisloe Cup loss to the All Blacks could be the nail in Australian rugby’s coffin, but there is one thing the powers that be can do to perhaps avoid complete destruction — will they be bold enough?
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Dave Rennie and Rugby Australia have a groundbreaking decision to make and it largely concerns one position; lock.
Change the Giteau Law and give the Wallabies some chance of winning the Bledisloe Cup in 2020, or keep it as is and give RA an outside chance of landing a decent broadcast deal by ensuring the best players do not defect overseas.
After the first round of Super Rugby AU, it’s clear that there is not enough quality at lock to field a competitive Australian team for the mooted four-Test Bledisloe series later this year against the All Blacks.
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There is no big man here capable of the dominance of Kiwis Patrick Tuipulotu or Sam Whitelock.
The shocking walkout by Izack Rodda has left a huge hole in the second row.
Rodda would have been the first picked lock for the Wallabies. Now he’s signed with French club Lyon, he’s not in consideration.
Neither is the best lock from Australia - Rory Arnold – who is signed with French club Toulose.
Nor the most improved Australian lock – Will Skelton – who is signed with French club La Rochelle.
But RA could select both players this year if they repealed the parameters of the Giteau Law (60 Tests and seven years service to Australian rugby).
Arnold, 30, is the man who can anchor the Wallabies lineout up to the next World Cup. He is the biggest loss Australia has had in hindsight.
As it stands, to be picked from overseas under the Giteau Law, you need to have played 60 Tests and had seven years of Super Rugby service.
Changing the overseas selection policy to no minimum Tests, but simply five years’ service to Australian rugby, would allow Rennie to select Arnold (26 Tests), Skelton (18 Tests), as well as Japan-based Samu Kerevi (33 Tests) and Sean McMahon (26 Tests) this year.
But by doing so, the floodgates would be opened to the majority of RA-contracted players to seek overseas deals, at a time the organisation is desperately trying to put together a broadcast package to secure their future. If there are any prospective broadcasters, they certainly won’t be digging deep knowing the best known players won’t be involved in Super Rugby from 2021.
It’s quite the pickle for the new national coach and the organisation.
The smart play is to resist drastic change to overseas selection policy for the long-term good.
However, with rugby already in severe decline, a 17th straight Bledisloe loss could be terminal.
Brumbies lock Darcy Swain, 22, performed strongly against the Rebels. Reds anchor Lukhan Salakaia-Loto had some presence, while debutant Queensland reserve lock Tuaina Tualima showed impressive signs.
The strong Melbourne scrum surprised the Brumbies, with loosehead Matt Gibbon particularly impressive.
There is a marked difference in quality between Super Rugby AU and the Aotearoa version, but there is enough time to close that gap and perhaps worry All Blacks coaching staff leading into the late year Tests.
But the lack of depth in the second row is an unavoidable problem that will have Australia’s top brass leaning on both sides of the fence as to whether they should overhaul their selection policy.
YOUNG TALENT TIME
What was heartening from round one of Super Rugby AU is the emergence of the new crop of Australian talent.
Youngsters at Queensland and the Brumbies are showing they’ll form the backbone of the Wallabies team for the 2023 World Cup.
Reds No.8 Harry Wilson continues to press his claims for Test selection after a strong outing against NSW, particularly with incumbent Isi Naisarani set to miss the Super Rugby AU season due to a hamstring injury.
Fellow Reds backrowers Liam Wright and Fraser McReight are energetic and talented enough to develop quickly over coming years.
JACK’S BACK
The most eye-catching performance of the round was by NSW fullback Jack Maddocks, a star in a beaten side.
With the departure of Kurtley Beale and the obvious hole left by Israel Folau, Maddocks showed the class to suggest he could overtake Dane Haylett-Petty and the injured Tom Banks as the Wallabies’ No.15.
James O’Connor was the pick of the five-eighths, although rookies Noah Lolesio and Will Harrison had their moments.
Irae Simone had a strong outing at inside centre, however Rennie would likely prefer Rebels five-eighth Matt To’omua there for his experience.
TEAM OF THE ROUND
- Matt Gibbon
- Folau Fainga’a
- Taniela Tupou
- Darcy Swain
- Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
- Lachlan Swinton
- Fraser McReight
- Harry Wilson
- Joe Powell
- James O’Connor
- Tom Wright
- Irae Simone
- Tevita Kuridrani
- Andy Muirhead
- Jack Maddocks
ROAMING REBELS A BONUS FOR TAHS
- Julian Linden
The sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in Victoria is set to deliver an unexpected bonus to the winless Waratahs with their fourth round Super Rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels now set to be relocated to Sydney.
While yet to be formally announced, sources have revealed the July 24 clash, which was originally due to be played at AAMI Park, will now be held at either the Sydney Cricket Ground or Brookvale Oval.
Their return encounter in round nine, currently scheduled for August 29 in Sydney, will be switched to Melbourne, on the proviso that interstate teams are allowed to resume playing in Victoria by then.
It is understood that the SCG, where the Waratahs have been unbeatable in recent years, is the preferred venue for July 24, but is dependent on broadcast approval and whether the ground will even be available with the AFL also scrambling to rearrange its competition schedule because of the escalating coronavirus problems south of the Murray River,
Already resigned to being away for the first month of the relaunched domestic competition, the Rebels spent a week in Canberra prior to Saturday’s 31-23 loss to the Brumbies and have agreed to play their round two ‘home’ game against the Reds at Brookvale Oval next Friday, with up to 3,500 spectators allowed.
“It is quite an unusual concept to be playing a home game in NSW, but we know that the rugby fans on the northern beaches love the game,” Rebels chief executive Baden Stephenson said.
“Naturally, we remain disappointed that we have had to relocate this match from our Stockade, but the unfortunate reality is playing this match in Melbourne wasn’t feasible due to the impact of COVID-19.
“We’ve seen the AFL and NRL competitions become similarly affected and the proportionate responses those codes have put in place, and like them, we are working as hard as possible to get back to Melbourne and back to AAMI Park as soon as health advice and government regulations allow.”
The Rebels have the bye in round three but the players will remain in Sydney to prepare for the match against the Waratahs the following week.
They are hoping to return home at the end of July though nothing is guaranteed because of the fluid nature of the pandemic.
The venue switch looms as a massive boost for the Waratahs, who opened the new season with a 32-26 loss away to Queensland on Friday, but now won’t have to leave home again until mid-August.
Their next four matches – against Western Force (July 11), the Brumbies (July 18), the Rebels (July 24) and the Reds (August 8) – are all in Sydney and with a bye thrown in, that means they won’t have to deal with any complex travel arrangements until round seven.
Originally published as Should Wallabies change Giteau Law for this man?