Australia had the possession and territory to win their series against England, but the tourists provided the winners of the match. Who starred and who stumbled upon the heartbreaking defeat of the Wallabies?
Eddie Jones coached Dave Rennie, Taniela Tupou was dominated by Ellis Genge once again, and Captain Courtney Lawes, inspired by the smack-speaking Australians, was a colossus, as England were worthy winners of the third round and of the series in Sydney.
After losing 1-0 to Perth, England tackled the remaining two games with a World Cup qualifier intensity and their despair was enough in the face of an uninspired Australian attack.
The biggest winner of all in the series was Jones, who was questioned all the way, but along with the 2016 clean sweep has won five of six races against the Wallabies in Australia and 10 of 11 overall.
“We had Eddie go to Australia with his career in doubt: was he going to Barbados to sit under a coconut tree and watch cricket?” said The Roar expert Jim Tucker on the instant reaction podcast.
“Now Eddie Jones is closed, he’s going to the World Cup, he’s smiling, on top of the world with the media on Fleet Street. That’s huge for the actions of England and Eddie.
“This was a series where he said the Brisbane test and the Sydney test were a final atmosphere to lead to a World Cup. Australia had two chances to win this series and did not succeed in any of the 2. Australians never play enough sudden death game, and Europeans are better prepared for sudden death games “.
“Look at leadership”
While there were several performances worthy of Australian players, the nature of the defeat: knocking on the door without being able to break it, could have repercussions as the Wallabies head to tough tests in Argentina before the assignments against South- Africa and the All Blacks.
“That’s the kind of loss when you look back and play it again and the players will do it maybe for years and say it was in our hands,” Harry Jones said on the instant reaction podcast.
“When you camped at someone else’s 22 for so long but you can’t cross the line, there was a lack of inventiveness, a lack of a bloody mindset, a lack of spatial awareness, and sometimes a lack of context. What are we doing here? What time is it? Look at the leadership. “
While Michael Hooper remains a key man, is it time he resigned as captain? Harry Jones believes it.
“I’ve never been a Michael Hooper cheater: the guy plays with more heart than anyone,” Harry said.
Nic White of the Wallabies passes during the second match of the International Test Match series between the Australia Wallabies and England at Suncorp Stadium on July 9, 2022 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde / Getty Images)
“I just feel that there have been moments in this game that the captain has missed a bit. I think Hooper should keep playing, but not be the captain and find someone who is a little more inspiring when it comes to verbs.
“Sometimes they kept the same thing over and over and it was too predictable for England to do.
“It will be ridiculous, but it would probably make Nic White captain. He has tactical awareness, makes a lot of good decisions and could calm him down a bit.”
On the other hand, Lawes’s play was disheartening. Vocal inside and outside the park, he led from the front at every step.
Former Wallaby Drew Mitchell, talking about Stan Sport in the half, talked about Hooper’s leadership, but more about how he plays.
“Just his pace of work is amazing,” Mitchell said. “Look, he has grown in his position as a leader in terms of how he speaks and addresses his team. He is only a leader by action. “
Can Taniela get her mojo back?
The talismanic element of Australia was a disappointment after entering the last two games of the series. Does the problem perpetuate concern about his calf injury or, worse, a drop in motivation? Or maybe it was just that Ellis Genge fought him.
When he was selected for Brisbane, Tupou said he had not lost the game and needed the eight-week break that caused the injury. It took him a while to move to Brisbane and he became poor again in Sydney.
“I was very disappointed with Taniela Tupou, I don’t think she had a great game,” Brett McKay said on the podcast The Roar.
“He didn’t do particularly well, he took a couple of bad steps that left Australia in difficult situations, he got a ping in the melee a couple of times. I’m not convinced he’s 100 percent fit.
“See me. The Wallabies are heading to Argentina next and he’ll have to be right there.”
Tucker agreed: “We need our best scrumming in Argentina and Michael Cheika will be waiting for the ambush.
“Taniela, for me it is more reflective of where my husband from the series comes from and this is the side of the engine room. I thought Ellis Genge was absolutely outstanding setting the tone. With Courtney Lawes and Billy Vunipola, he would have all three ahead of an elegant Dan as a player in the series.
What to do about Reece Hodge?
Hodge’s performance split the podcast panel with Brett McKay saying he did what was expected of him. Harry and Jim were not impressed.
“It doesn’t give you enough,” Tucker said. “It’s, and I’m comparing it to other outstanding sides around the world, and it’s a level below. You can throw balls 50 yards and so on, but it’s not as catchy and defensive push to win a World Cup. and that’s what we’re talking about: elite players to win a World Cup or a semi-final. “
Hodge had two moments of poor execution and both were costly. In the first half, Tom Wright was flying towards the rehearsal line when Hodge passed over his head and made contact. Then, in the half, he threw in full, leading directly to the points in England when the Wallabies should have consolidated.
Harry Jones added: “Reece Hodge is one of those unfortunate players. I don’t like the unlucky players on my team because they’re still unlucky. Even the kick in the plenary, it seemed baffled.”
Hodge was not alone in spending a night of rest. Harry Wilson won’t be happy with his first test in 11 months, and his penalty award early in the second half summed up a tough night.
Tate McDermott replaced White on time, but was unable to produce the necessary magic against a determined defensive line. Noah Lolesio has dropped the ball that has let his opponent, number 10, Marcus Smith, get away with a decisive attempt and has once again looked like the young man he is.
(Photo by Jason McCawley – RFU / The RFU Collection via Getty Images)
And Rennie delayed his substitutes too much, including the baffling decision to leave Hodge and only bring Suli Vunivalu into the fight for the final three minutes off the bench.
Rennie did not even own the decisions of the post-match press conference, handing over that responsibility to the attendees.
“We have guys who are in the box with us watching as individuals see how they are going and then, if there are many, we make those decisions based on how we think they are traveling,” Rennie said. late posterior movements.
“Hunter was going pretty well and so we left him out a little bit more. Tom has been great. Marika, when you try to steal a game in the last five minutes. Trust the guys who have done it for you in the past. No doubt all the games you check out if you’ve had a boy soon enough or if you’ve left someone out too long. Who knows? “
It wasn’t all bad, was it?
Samu Kerevi was immense as usual and will miss him a lot for Argentina’s matches as he competes in the Commonwealth Games in sets.
“If you imagine the Wallabies without Kerevi tonight, it would have been very sad,” Harry Jones said. “There were times when he usually took five English players on his back and carried them. I just needed a little help. “
Former All Black Sonny Bill Williams was also full of praise for Kerevi.
“I want to talk about the growth of Kerevi’s game,” he told Stan Sport. “Not only can he run, he has also been beaten, but he can also pass. Just having this: a guy like that on the ball, being able to open up space to his outside men is special. Definitely the best number 12 in the game right now, Kerevi.
Nick Frost played 80 minutes in the starting lineup and showed considerable promise.
“He set the tone and showed presence,” former Wallabies lockout Justin Harrison said. “You don’t have to wait to play 50 tests to compete for the Wallabies. Nick Frost will appear tonight. Look through the park at Billy Vunipola, you have to match that intensity. “
Tucker was also impressed: “You have to say first that the test starts, play 80 minutes, bang.”
He said Frost’s first involvement, loading a Danny Care stitch was “a great show of intent.
“He did a couple of runs where he timed his gallops in space. At the end of the game, when they were looking for a lineup goal, it was Nick Frost. A number of key areas for a young player at the start of his career.
“His cleanup and part of that big boy play will be developed, but what a project a player is to have our hands on.”
Tom Wright was also among the best of the Australians, scoring a try, although Freddie Steward was beaten by an England scorer to close out the first half.
“Tom Wright was excellent, every time he caught the ball you weren’t sure what would happen, many …