The Wallabies will face the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium on August 10 and Joe Schmidt is set to name his squad – potentially later this week.
To challenge South Africa, New Zealand, and Argentina the Wallabies will need to fix up their issues regarding their defence and include some players that can help improve the team despite their 3-0 start to the season.
Schmidt is reportedly considering including Will Skelton and Marika Koroibete into the Rugby Championship squad. This is a wise move by the veteran coach as Skelton is particularly dangerous around the maul.
This would help the Wallabies with their maul defence, which hasn’t been as spectacular as their attacking maul. Koroibete, meanwhile, is one of the most destructive wingers in Australian rugby history.
The additions of Skelton and Koroibete only potentially fixes one issue – although it also improves the backline.
The issue of scrum dominance in the second half and our flyhalf problem still remains.
The Wallabies’ scrum dominance in the first half has so far been impressive, being able to win and secure scrums against Wales in amazing displays of power by the front row. However, in the second half, that power in the scrums almost disappears. Against the South Africans, that scrum dominance has to remain at all times, if the Wallabies are to win the game.
Scott Sio. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
Schmidt perhaps should look at bringing in Scott Sio and Tolu Latu into the squad. Their massive frames, combined with the Tongan Thor, would easily aid the Wallabies with scrum dominance against the Springboks. If Schmidt is also looking for a bit of speed combined with hard hits for his forward pack, Darcy Swain and Seru Uru are currently available.
Our flyhalves haven’t performed much better. Both Noah Lolesio and Ben Donaldson have failed to give the same performance that they gave throughout Super Rugby that earned their spots in the gold jersey. It would be unfair to say Tom Lynagh has performed better than both of them, as he hasn’t been on the starting XV unlike his Brumbies and Western Force counterparts.
In order not to be outclassed by Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard, the Wallabies need a skilled and experienced halves combination. Jake Gordon has already proved himself to be the best choice for starting halfback, but who should take the place of starting flyhalf? James O’Connor comes to mind.
James O’Connor. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Despite being injured early on in the season, when he returned O’Connor showed himself to still be the brilliant flyhalf everyone knows and loves.
O’Connor has the mind and experience to be the key decision maker that Lolesio and Donaldson have failed to be. Both Gordon and O’Connor have been a part of the Wallabies for a while and know how to steer this team in the right direction.
Team selections aren’t the only thing that the Wallabies have to be concerned about; it’s their ruthlessness as well.
The Springboks and the All Blacks are two of the most ruthless rugby teams in the world and if their opposition isn’t equally or just as ruthless, it usually means defeat.
Ruthlessness is the one thing the Wallabies are missing. If they had it when playing against Wales and Georgia, the scorelines would have been much different. The Wallabies have shown that they are really hungry for victory but currently lack the ruthlessness to make it a satisfying victory.