Andrew Slack: Dreaded dropsies nullify Wallaby catch-and-pass game

COMMENT

For a long time the Wallabies have prided themselves on their catch-and-pass game.

Even in the dim dark past when labels such as the Woeful Wallabies accompanied our teams, there was always some fancy stuff in the backline which would produce a try or two.

In more recent times, when our forwards have been a more dominating and influential factor, it's been the catch-and-pass game that has helped us achieve success.

The team vested with the responsibility of retaining the cup are struggling with two important aspects of the catch-and-pass game. Their passing is inaccurate and their catching is woeful

There is nothing but blind faith and patriotism that could have any Australian supporter sincerely believing that the Wallabies can beat the All Blacks in this Saturday's semifinal if the best they can produce is what has been on offer so far.

Fullback Mat Rogers is a skilful player. At this level, dropping a straightforward pass is acceptable if it happens once every couple of seasons. Twice a game is a touch over the odds, and that's been Rogers' usual quota.

What's worse is that the dreaded dropsy is quite a contagious disease. It seems that for all the pre-tournament camps and preparation, few of the Wallaby backs were immunised against it.

When you play Namibia and Romania, a missed opportunity is not going to cost you because you know that more will soon be heading your way. Against the likes of Scotland, you will also have a bit of fall-back.

Not regarded as one of the more charitable teams, the All Blacks will not be leaving the gate open so often.

The lineout woes that have afflicted the team in their two latest games against Ireland and Scotland must surely force coach Eddie Jones to rearrange his starting pack and include a genuine third jumper.

His tactic of playing the two openside flankers in George Smith and Phil Waugh has left the team short in a vital area of the game and it was clear when Matt Cockbain came on at halftime against the Scots, there was a far more solid platform from which to work.

It is a dilemma because Smith and Waugh are outstanding contributors, but there's no point having two wicketkeepers in one cricket team and be short a bowler.

The tough call that faces Jones may be avoided if Smith can't recover from the shoulder nerve problem that forced his removal midway through the Scottish match.

Injury may also mean the selectors will avoid handing Stephen Larkham a pink slip.

He has not been the player of old this year and the time has come for Matt Giteau to be entrusted with the starting first five-eighth role.

Unfortunately for the 21-year-old and the Wallabies, the ankle injury he suffered late in the game looks likely to keep him on the sidelines.

To counter the speed and brilliance of the All Black backline, Australia need every attacking weapon they have, and in the starting team or off the bench, Giteau is one of those. It will be a major blow if he is missing.

However, optimistic Australian supporters will say we've got to where we want to be. Twenty teams started out more than a month ago, only four remain and we are one of them. The reality is that one good night can turn it all for you.

The pragmatists, though, will note that the All Blacks are humming along pretty well.

The unexpected difficulty the Welsh posed was the best thing that could have happened to New Zealand and one gets the feeling they are truly improving with each outing.

They had never beaten the Springboks before in a World Cup, but the pre-match probing about this statistic met the standard response of All Black coach John Mitchell: "The history is past, it's irrelevant."

The Wallabies can only hope that's right, because if what they've produced in the recent past is repeated this Saturday, the All Blacks will have an untroubled path to the final.

* Andrew Slack is a former Wallaby captain.

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