The trio of problem areas Australia needs to fix, and how Michael Cheika is partly to blame

MICHAEL Cheika’s possession-based rugby has been celebrated and helped deliver the Waratahs a title. But it’s also hurt Aussie rugby. IAIN PAYTEN identifies the key areas to be fixed.

Semi slays England on home turf Michael Cheika has done a wonderful job for Australia. But he’s also introduced a philosophy which is hurting teams across the country.

IT’S unwise to get carried away about a trans-Tasman stretch in which you lost three of four games.

But on the evidence of that month, there is also little doubt the Waratahs are light years ahead of the team they were last season.

After barely being in the fight in 2017 the fact NSW could have won all four games is one sign, but the numbers spell out clearest that NSW have restored their competitive belief against the Kiwis.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, but the Waratahs have shown great improvement this season.

The figures also spell out the problem that led to only one win.

Last year, the sky blue record against five Kiwi teams was cover-your-eyes stuff.

Five losses from five, with an average score of 42-28. The points differential was -67, and competition points was -20 (NSW 1, Kiwis 21.)

Fast forward to the just completed month and it was one win from three. So far, so similar.

But this year the average scoreline was 30-26 in NSW’s favour, and a +12 points differential. They even scored more tries.

Lalakai Foketi celebrates after scoring a try — a more common occurrence than in previous years for the Waratahs.

The points differential was -6 (NSW 7, Kiwis 13).

It was the best return since 2015, prior to Australia falling off a cliff against our New Zealand brethren.

And yet it was only one win.

For all the improvements — courtesy of vastly improved fitness, ever-improving skills and a more consistent defence — the closeness of the three losses showed exactly where the Tahs will have to improve if they want to contest finals.

Composure, game smarts and accuracy with the boot.

All three losses were tight, and those decisive points leaked were self-inflicted. Guess what? It’s been a while but New Zealand teams have shown again this season they are fallible.

Both NSW and the Reds have also shown consistently that if you apply enough pressure in the Kiwi half, you can score points. Get enough, stop enough and you can win a game.

More often than not, the Tahs’ defeats have been self-inflicted: as was the case against the Chiefs on the weekend.

But you won’t win a game if you spend too much time in your half. And that’s why Kiwi teams will kick into your half all night, sweating on mistakes. Mistakes of the mind, of the boot and of the hands.

Inside their own territory, Aussie teams continue to make way too many of all three and undo all the hard work.

Leading all three games and on what appeared to paths to victory, NSW gave free points to the Blues, repeatedly didn’t clear their end against the Crusaders and kicked poorly again in Waikato. A ball kicked out on the full or uncontestably long is like serving to Serena underarm. Ill-advised.

Would you serve underarm to this woman?

Stay in your own territory for too long and you’ll invariably concede points in professional rugby these days. You have to exit.

NSW and the Chiefs kicked almost exactly the same number of times in Hamilton and so too in the Reds-Highlanders game. But there was little doubt the Aussie teams’ kicking was the poorer in both. And both lost tight games.

Kicking strategy and skill is an area in need of urgent attention in Australian rugby.

Michael Cheika has been praised for his approach to coaching.

Under Michael Cheika’s tenure, kicking the least in the world has been celebrated, and tied to an Aussie “identity”.

NSW’s title in 2014 aside, however, the philosophy has hurt Aussie rugby’s identity more than it has helped it.

The art of smart kicking has atrophied in Aussie rugby.

Few Aussie nines or tens can boast the relentless precision now standard from the best playmakers in New Zealand, Africa or Europe.

Bernard Foley surges forward for the Waratahs.

Few in the north or SA can match the attacking games of Foley, Genia and Beale, it must be said. But as usual, the benchmark for the overall package is the Kiwis — the likes of Barrett, Sopoaga, Smith and Mo’unga.

The good news is attacking brilliance is a lot harder to coach into a player than kicking smarts. So Aussie players have the harder part already wired in.

Intensive work on kicking skill, and the composure and mindset to apply it, should now be the goal.

Both at Super Rugby level and above. And soon.

Two years ago, the Six Nations champions came here in June and Australia got dusted three-blot trying to run the ball mindlessly from everywhere.

England kicked the pressure onto the Wallabies and the hosts’ mistakes — mind, feet and hands — were gratefully pounced upon.

In a few weeks time, the Six Nations champs arrive and guess what Ireland’s strategy will be?

Kick, pressure and wait for mistakes in the Australian half. You don’t need smarts to see it coming. But you do to beat it.

***

A few weeks ago he had a right to be nervous.

But with Ireland just around the corner, Michael Cheika will no doubt be pleased to see some of his regular Wallabies starting to rediscover form in the last few weeks.

After quiet seasons to date, Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani and Henry Speight have all put in some good shifts in the last few outings. Dane Haylett-Petty returned well from injury and the competition in the front row is hot.

Marika Koroibete has bounced back after a sluggish start to the season.

Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa were strong in Pretoria, Taniela Tupou keeps putting his hand up and Sekope Kepu and Tom Robertson are workhorses for NSW.

Some players went backwards at the weekend, probably Taqele Naiyaravoro most of all.

The good of big “T” in unmatchable in Aussie rugby but he has also has turnovers and bad defensive reads in him.

Against the crushing pressure of a Jonny Sexton-led Ireland, mistake-free players will no doubt be preferred.

***

Still on Wallabies selections, Cheika has a window to make a big statement this week.

With openings at hooker and back row, instead of calling up another young promising kid with a handful of games, why not reward a reliable greybeard or two like Damien Fitzpatrick and Locky McCaffrey.

These are experienced, street-smart guys who would undoubtedly do a job for their country, if asked. Are they your World Cup guys? Probably not but are they your June guys? Why not?

Their Super Rugby form this year certainly can’t be faulted.

Could Damien Fitzpatrick, pictured offloading, fit the bill for Australia?

But perhaps the biggest reason why Cheika should make the call is such a statement, long-term, could seriously strengthen Australian rugby.

Both Fitzpatrick and McCaffrey are players who now fit into a rare category here. Aged between 25 and 30, back from Europe, still chasing their Wallaby dream.

One of the huge problems of Australian rugby is that category of player is now increasingly absent. A senior player who can earn more in Europe, and when he feels like the national coach doesn’t want him, he goes. And rarely comes back.

With a risk-free selection or two, Cheika could send a powerful message to those senior Aussie footy players — here and abroad — who may be thinking about where they want to be in the world. If you are home and playing well, you can still be a Wallaby. Keep chasing.

***

Nipple-gate. Rugby sure has a way of finding a bizarre issue.

World Rugby’s initiative to trial a new law to protect the head — all tackles above the nipple line are dangerous — stirred up debate.

Players who baulk at the over-regulation of rugby’s physicality get called dinosaurs and Drew Mitchell was sledged as such — in an oddly personal way — by the scientist who dreamt up the nipple line, South African Ross Tucker.

But Mitchell’s point about the “grey area” being extended is a valid one.

Will the nipple line rule eradicate high tackles, like this from Australia's Wycliff Palu on Ireland's Robert Kearney?

How do referees adjudicate where the nipple line is? Seriously. When you think about it, it’ll be 100 per cent guesswork. Even with slow-mo replays.

And when you factor in that tackles that slide up above to nipple line are also deemed dangerous, penalising a tackle that isn’t close to the head or neck gets put on the table.

Will it rub out the behaviour? Hard to see. Not when offloads are still part of the game and wrapping up the ball is important.

Protecting head and neck is more important. No doubt.

But surely the arm-pit, as Mitchell later suggested, is a better place to draw the line.

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Originally published as The trio of problem areas Australia needs to fix, and how Michael Cheika is partly to blame