News

Rugby Union > Wallabies need to work harder
By Jim Morton
June 27, 2010

Stand-out skipper Rocky Elsom admitted the struggling Wallabies had plenty of work ahead of them to ensure they wouldn't be Tri-Nations also-rans after a scrappy 22-15 win over Ireland on Saturday night.

Australia wriggled home with an unconvincing victory at Suncorp Stadium, failing to solve their inconsistency issues and goalkicking problems.

Despite being hit hard by injuries, which have claimed eight of their first-choice players, flanker Elsom wasn't satisfied with the two-try shutout in their last Test before taking on the might of New Zealand and South Africa.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Elsom told Fox Sports.

"The Tri-Nations is the most difficult tournament in world rugby so we have a lot of work to do.

"We just weren't sharp enough and not on the same page.

"I think when we played Ireland last year we played a hell of a lot better and came away with a draw."

Blasted by coach Robbie Deans following the lack-lustre 21-20 loss to England last week, the Wallabies failed to respond in the manner demanded with a disjointed first half.

Only a Luke Burgess intercept try and a superb Quade Cooper run to score off the last play of the half gave the home side a 16-15 lead at the break.

As well as some elementary errors and perceived ill-discipline, the Wallabies were guilty of far too much kicking from within their own half.

They employed the same tactics of often needlessly hoofing the ball away in the 20-all draw to Ireland at Dublin's Croke Park last November which ended their Grand Slam dream.

The most pleasing aspects were the performance of the scrum which often shunted the visitors pack backwards, and the glimpses of magic by flyhalf Cooper.

Playing in his last Test before fronting a court committal hearing on a burglary charge next week, Cooper ensured Australia went into halftime with a somewhat undeserved advantage.

He stepped past flankers Niall Ronan and Shane Jennings before beating fullback Rob Kearney to score.

Eying their first Test win over the Wallabies on Australian soil in 31 years, Ireland led for all but four minutes of the first half as Jonathan Sexton kicked five penalty goals from as many attempts.

Deans' controversial decision to split the goalkicking duties was tested in the sixth minute when the Wallabies were awarded a penalty from in front.

Matt Giteau, who missed a sitter from in front to lose last week's Test against England, stepped up but again pushed it to the left.

While Sexton slotted two penalties of his own in the first 10 minutes for a 6-0 lead, Cooper nailed his first attempt from near the sideline.

He then kept the role but finished the half with two from four after hitting the right post with two attempts on his preferred left side.

Giteau took over again in the second half as he kicked two close-range three-pointers for the win.

Centre Rob Horne was replaced at halftime with a gluteal strain, forcing a backline reshuffle which saw winger Adam Ashley-Cooper move into the midfield.

Ashley-Cooper provided the tackle-shedding run to within a metre of the line on the hour mark which led to a second penalty goal for the half and the final seven-point difference.
Share |

 

 
 
Close