Alarm bells sound in Cup countdown

SYDNEY - It's Not Looking Good. On Borrowed Time. What's wrong with the Wallabies?

Headlines to hearten even the most grim-faced All Blacks rugby supporter were digested over breakfast here yesterday as serious doubts were raised about Australia's ability to defend the Webb Ellis Cup in November.

England's maiden victory on Australian soil last month was galling enough, but losing to South Africa - a team who struggled to put away Scotland and needed a last-second penalty to pip Argentina - has the alarm bells well and truly clanging.

The manner of the Wallabies' 22-26 reversal in Cape Town on Sunday has commentators and rugby legends jittery at the prospect of Australia triumphing on home soil.

Daily Sydney newspapers carried photos of glum Wallabies at Newlands, contemplating their eighth loss in nine visits to the republic.

Damning statistics were illustrated. Australia's record under Eddie Jones reads played 22, won 12, lost nine, drawn one - a winning strike rate of 54 per cent.

An old All Blacks trait of winning knife-edge tests also appeared to have deserted the Wallabies. Not that long ago they were masters of the great escape - mostly at New Zealand's expense.

The four-point loss last weekend added to a catalogue of near misses which included the 31-32 defeat at Twickenham last November, 31-33 loss at Johannesburg last August and New Zealand's 12-6 win at Christchurch a year ago.

Critics say the serious flaw evident in losses to England and the Springboks was the forward effort and an inability to cope with the rushing backline defence.

Former captain Nick Farr-Jones bemoaned the Wallabies' inability to adjust their backline game plan.

"Given [second five-eighth De Wet] Barry's surprise inclusion, a schoolboy analysis of the Boks' likely game plan would have told you they would attempt to chop down every Wallaby play in midfield.

"Why, then, did we not have a counter to this defence?"

Farr-Jones said the midfield - which lacked a strong kicking game - was a problematic area for the Wallabies and advocated Mat Rogers remain at centre with Stirling Mortlock taking over at second five-eighth when he returned from injury.

However if the pack couldn't create momentum, the star-studded backline would never fire to potential.

"We were outplayed, especially from broken play, and you can put that down to who won the heavyweight battle up front," Farr-Jones wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

The leadership of George Gregan was also questioned. He turned down four penalties in a bid to score a try from close-range lineouts but the tactic was vindicated only once when Wendell Sailor strode over before halftime.

"You could read Gregan's mind on his last decision," Spiro Zavos wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Zavos argued that it would have been easier to kick two penalties or a penalty and a dropped goal than score a try against the "mad-dog" Springbok defence.

Meanwhile, former Wallaby flanker Simon Poidevin said Australia must be prepared to sacrifice the Tri-Nations for the greater good of defending the cup.

Although there is disquiet that Jones has not yet determined his best squad less than three months out from the title defence, Poidevin said he was happy the tinkering continued through the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup matches.

"I'm still in favour of rotating the players in the side at this stage," he said. "The big focus of the year is always the World Cup and if we have to sacrifice the Tri-Nations, then so be it."

- NZPA