Wallabies 2015: Death or glory call a win for Wallabies and their fans
STEPHEN Moore’s call to ignore a draw and push for a try against the Springboks is one that could reverberate all the way through to the World Cup.
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CAN one decision win a World Cup? In a final, of course.
But can a decision 61 days before the World Cup help to win one too? We may soon found out.
It’s always dangerous to read too much into a victory, particularly when the result can mask structural flaws.
But Stephen Moore’s call to ignore a draw and push for a try in the dying minutes of Saturday night’s game against the Boks is one that could reverberate all the way through to October.
It was a death or glory call and it yielded a glorious match-winning try to Tevita Kuridrani, a humming Wallabies camp and an energised fan base.
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Compare that with how today would feel with a grey “that’ll do, job done” 20-all draw and it’s world’s apart.
That’s the power of one man’s decision. Or, if truth be told, about six players’ decision.
When the Boks were trying to kill 90 seconds and reacted to David Pocock’s presence by sealing off, Moore was advised by several senior players to put the ball into touch for a line out. Without thinking, the greybeards pointed for the corner.
Michael Cheika said later he wanted the three points but the message was either missed or ignored. The crowd and even Cheika were happy it was.
One failed rolling maul, two minutes, eight phases and two Kuridrani carries later, a feathered touch on the line claimed a win.
At the same ground the Wallabies lost to the Kiwis in the dying stages last year — and lost a coach soon after — the emotional rollercoaster swung Aussie rugby up high this time.
It was a try from the Toutai Kefu playbook back in the Wallabies’ golden years: a win born of stubborn belief. A determination to at least go down swinging and if defeated, to walk off proud to have had a crack.
And there, within two frantic minutes, the Wallabies showed Australia and the world their “identity”.
There’s been plenty said about “identity” by Wallabies players in the last fortnight and it sounds suspiciously new-age.
But ultimately it spells out as playing to the country proud and conspicuously digging deeper than their rivals.
NSW people will be familiar with the talk. It was the Waratahs mantra after Cheika took over and to be fair it pretty much worked. They won a Super Rugby title coming from behind in a final using ... you guessed it, stubborn belief.
The question was whether Cheika would have enough time to forge that same belief in the Wallabies. But it appears the players have forged it themselves already and with such a immediately positive start, that’s a hard-to-fake foundation to build on through the Rugby Championship. Structural issues can be resolved — you hope.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step or on the odd occasion, a single line out.
So ... how do you choose between Michael Hooper and David Pocock?
It’s a bit like pizza and beer — don’t make me choose. You have to figure out how to have both in your life and preferably at the same time.
Both were outstanding against the Springboks and it is clear this could be a point of advantage for the Wallabies.
Will Skelton’s presence made it hard to play both — given he doesn’t jump — but the big Waratah was off-key against the Boks. And with James Horwill turning in his best effort in gold in years, the door is now open for two no. 7s.
A back row of Scott Fardy, David Pocock and Michael Hooper? Sounds weird but feels right.
Originally published as Wallabies 2015: Death or glory call a win for Wallabies and their fans