Wallabies and the magic number

“Unfortunately that’s two threes (pens) we’ve had to take now, not a try”

At the time it seemed a clever quip from Wallaby skip, Michael Hooper. His nod to sticks, delivered with a subtle side of dissatisfaction. The open side, casually reminding referee, Jaco Peyper that this was the second occasion that an Australian attack had found itself thwarted by an All Black infringement, when he felt the watch was ticking towards try time. 

Had this been Soccer Football, Hooper would have been in the grill of the South African whistleblower. His thumb pressed against his index finger, frantically waving an invisible card, whilst issuing a barrage of profanity, in attempt to gain sway with the official. Alas, this is Rugby Union. When dealing with ‘Sir’, one must refrain from such truculence in seeking to influence the referee's perception.

A clever quip, perhaps, but I ain’t got no quarrel with the officiating. It is the mindset that manifested in the decision to go for the three, rather than chasing a maximum that must come under scrutiny, as Australia machinate on to how they will prevent the Bledisloe from once again becoming a Steinlager vessel, inside the home shed at Eden Park on Saturday. 

Being a humble brother is a pre requisite to becoming an All Black, of course it is. But, I reckon they have an idea that they are pretty decent - particularly when it comes to bagging a heap of tries against any opponent. This may well explain why, from time to time, they are comfortable gift wrapping a three pointer for their opponents in order to prevent the accumulation of a score of greater worth. 

The notion that to beat New Zealand, teams must trouble the scorer in increments of five and seven rather than in threes is nothing new. In recent times, it is best exemplified by a tactically brave Irish performance, which yielded five tries, as they secured a first and famous victory over The All Blacks in Chicago, back in 2016. 

As it played out in Sydney, The Wallabies missed 40 odd tackles and showed up with a basket case of a line out. Australia’s first half promise, the context for Hooper’s word in Peyper’s ear, faded into a cyclical cyclone of turnovers and tries for the men in Black. It ended up being a walloping. 

Hooper’s decision to twice opt for the gimme three pointer wasn’t why Australia lost. Such was the margin, it was barely a sub plot. However, the choices made were indicative of a mentality that serves as an intangible barrier to the Wallabies’ Bledisloe quest. The Aussies must maximise the return from the periods of the contest when they are the ascendants. Whilst these might not be the moments or decisions upon which a game is lost, with a shift to a more rapacious mentality, supplemented by a hefty dose of accuracy, they could be the moments that propel Australia toward a total that renders victory viable. Just don't go missing a thousand tackles.