From: higham@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: rec.sport.rugby
Subject: Re: Wales 6 Australia 23
Date: 23 Nov 92 12:46:53 +1300
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

In article <CJP.92Nov21221457@aberda.aber.ac.uk>, cjp@aber.ac.uk (C J Price) writes:
> An interesting game. My heart stopped when I saw the referee was in
> white, but it was an Englishman I've never heard of, rather than Fred
> Howard, and didn't do too badly.
> 
> Wales played fairly solidly in the first half, not exactly
> adventurous (Colin Stephens managed to drop the ball rather than a
> goal in front of the posts), but defending well when they needed to.
> 
> The most amazing feature of the first half was that Wales won good
> lineout ball and disrupted some of the Aussie lineouts. Neither side
> had much of a platform and the game tended to be played around the
> half way line. The Aussie lead (5-3) was due to Roebuck hitting the
> post with an easy kick, catching the return and sending his forwards
> over. Wow, I wish he could teach me to do that...
> 
> Start of second half was a very different story. Aussies dominate
> lineout and loose, three trips into Welsh territory come back with two
> tries and a penalty which I wouldn't have given. 18-6.
> 
> Wales even out a bit, do some adventurous attacking stoutly defended
> by Australia. Interception on Oz 20 metre line, kick ahead leads to
> only piece of Campese magic in the game as he races 60 yards to
> touchdown.
> 
> Willy O was pretty huge (but then he always was :->), as were the rest
> of the Oz forwards. The centres and Roebuck defended well, although
> one felt that the speed with which they came up made it worth trying
> the chip that worked for England against SA last week. Maybe the Babas
> will try it next week. Is there another Oz outside half over here who
> would care to turn up and play a game for his country? Liner is being
> sorely missed.
> 

I'm afraid that Wales only seem to ever try adventurous play when they're so
far behind on the board that tries are needed. I think this game reemphasized
that the southern (OZ/NZ) northern gulf is still as wide as ever. The Welsh
team made some good play but they never really looked like scoring a try as I
remember. Yes, they did win some good lineout ball in the first quarter but
they frittered it away and dropped the ball many times. They seemed to have no
ideas. Apart from Rayer, who I liked, and Jones' lovely dummy and break, theyr
were devoid of skill and ideas. A couple of times the ball was passed to
noone in particular. When they did get on the attack, they lost the ball in the
ruck or maul. A tap penalty in the last stages of the game was not an
opportunity for a planend move or a trick play but a pass to a forward to
lumber halfheartedly towards the opposition to set up ruckball. OK, so they
were behind on the scoreboard, but hey, it was a test match. There was just no
urgency.
I suppose that the old, "we've learnt a great deal from this experience" will
be trotted out again by the coach and captain etc, but they've been saying that
for 10 years now. This loss was against an Aussie team ripe for the picking. No
Lynagh, no Farr-Jones, no Eales, no Daley, Kahl at first five for gods sake!
Fatigued and injury ridden the Welsh should not have lost by the margin that
they did. Why now don't they do what the Argentinians, Romanians and co have
done and get someone in there that can galvanise them into an effective unit
again. Get Wylie, Hart, Templeton or someone like that and coach them on how to
play the game properly. They're absolute world beaters when the Arms park is
singing away and hearts are stirring but come the kickoff and its all downhill.
I want Wales again be a great side, as it was a few years back but quite frankly I
just don't see it happening. The more the national team loses, the more the
people lose interest and the more the game dies as young players choose soccer
and other games. Something really needs to be done now. Swallow some pride and
get some decent coaching. 
There are some positive things, but with all the talk about the Welsh
renaissance I thought I'd see something a bit more impressive. If only they
could have continued with the attitude they had in the first quarter, quick
throw ins, trying to get Australia off balance, varying the game a bit, running
the ball. You have to get a better team out of its pattern to beat them and
that was good in the first instance. A pity it didn't last. 
Asutralia and New Zealand are really the yardstick by which Wales should be
measuring itself, not a couple of wins over Ireland and Scotland with the scalp
of Italy thrown in for good measure. Quite frankly they don't even look like
touching those teams at the moment. With a home ground like Cardiff arms they
SHOULD be unbeatable. God knows, if Eden Park was like that, with those
supporters, New Zealand would never lose there. Hang on, what am I saying, they
do never lose there :^)   (Ok, France 78, Oz 86? Any more?)
I hope the Dragons can turn things around before the next world cup anyway.
-- 
Tom.