Posted by Balance is an oft-searched for but rarely found spot in Welsh Rugby. To many within the game in this country it is believed to be unachievable in any aspect. It is the holy grail.
Whether it’s a balance between competitiveness and participation in the community game, a balance between funding the community game and the professional game, a balance between the four professional club sides, or a balance between the prioritisation of national team success alongside success of the professional clubs, striking it is borderline impossible.
It’s no different on the pitch for the men’s national team. Wayne Pivac spent three years searching for a balance between the playing style he inherited and the playing style he wanted to implement, and between the experienced players he inherited and the young talent emerging. Ultimately he failed to do so.
Then Warren Gatland came in and continued that search for a balance in the playing squad, all the while balancing getting the squad ready for a Rugby World Cup and finding out about the players at his disposal.
Finally, Wales make it to the tournament and there’s a balance between noting the performance in the first 65 minutes against Fiji was excellent and noting that we were fortunate to hold on in that final 15 minutes, before a balance between being pleased that the job was done against Portugal and being concerned with the level of the performance.
And now here were are, searching for balance after what may well go down as a famous night in Welsh Rugby history where Australia were swept aside with a record breaking 40-6 scoreline in Lyon. An obliteration of one of the Southern Hemisphere’s “big three”.
Gatland’s men were magnificent, undoubtedly dominant in every aspect of the game. The defence was suffocating in it’s line speed and physicality, the attack was a whirlwind of accuracy and variation, the kicking game didn’t let the Wallabies off the hook, the set piece was untouchable. There was not a weakness or soft underbelly anywhere.
Individually every player was at least an 8/10, but most impressively it was those who don’t always dominate headlines that stood up as leaders. Gareth Thomas confirmed the fact he’s been criminally underrated for 18 months, Ryan Elias proved a lot of doubters wrong, Adam Beard’s work rate was finally noticed by those watching on, Gareth Davies sent a reminder of why he’s been around the national squad for the best part of a decade, and Nick Tompkins once again left everything on the field.
40-6 is an unprecedented scoreline in terms of a game between tier one sides – especially at a Rugby World Cup – in terms of Wales against a Southern Hemisphere powerhouse and in terms of Wales against any opposition across the last four years.
However, and this may wrongly be perceived as pessimistic or negative by those with their head buried firmly in the sand, it has to be said that this Australia team is a complete shambles. They have great individual players, but when the Head Coach is botching squad selections, running a merry-go-round of backroom staff and causing all manner of off-field distractions, there’s no doubt it will have an impact on-field.
That Wallabies side was, by far and away, the second best side we’ve played in this tournament. They are miles off the South Africa side we faced in the warm-ups, and even the England sides we played home and away. A complete and utter mess, a sad sight for their country and for rugby as a whole, especially with a British & Irish Lions tour and a home World Cup on the horizon.
It means that, without detracting from how good the Wales performance was in isolation on Sunday night, the bigger picture does not immediately improve for Gatland’s squad. There are significantly better opposition waiting around the corner including, arguably, the next game against Georgia in two weeks. Certainly in the quarter-finals even before dreaming of any semi-finals.
So we’re back to balance. Acknowledging just how good the men in red were, and how far they’ve come in 12 months; from a coaching change, to going on strike, to losing so many experienced players, it’s been a challenge. Yet also appreciating that the opponent was not up to the standard of the best in the world and tougher tests await.
Wales are building, Rugby World Cups are about momentum and confidence. It’s getting there and Sunday was a step forward. Just how big of a step was it? Well, there’s a balance to be found somewhere, but good luck in the search for it!
Cardiff Rugby Life 