Posted by Does a week make a difference? With this Cymru team it’s somewhat tough to tell at the moment. BBC Wales described the season as a rollercoaster post-game on Saturday, but to be honest it’s felt a bit more like a particular violent go on the dodgems.
On the scoreboard there was no change. Back-to-back losses at the hands of the Wallabies mean it is now nine straight test losses for Warren Gatland’s men, the worst losing run since 2002/03. There is a genuine concern around losing becoming the habit with a lot of the new and young players in the squad still yet to experience a win at test level.
Saturday was an example of that in some ways as Cymru were arguably the better team overall, yet in key moments where the game is won and lost we were definitely second best. Whether that be an inaccurate spot blitz when the opposition is under pressure, less than ideal positioning in the back field or being second to a loose ball, it all adds up.
However, and it is a big however, there was significantly more to like about the second test’s showing than there was from the first.
Particularly in the attacking game the men in red were close to transformed, moving the ball through the hands and exploring the edge of the Australian defence with a certain amount of joy, bringing Rio Dyer in particular off his wing and into midfield, and generally looking more comfortable going through the phases in order to eek out penalties.
The scrum was better than last week, growing in strength as the game wore on to the point of a big shove mid-way through the second half, while the tactical kicking continued to be effective. Defensively there have not been many problems over the six months, but it was noticeable that Cymru were more selective around which defensive breakdowns they targeted on Saturday with improved results.
Of course the driving maul was the major weapon, leading to two tries, but there were areas to improve not least of which is the lineout which still struggled to win the clean ball required for that maul to prosper, let alone launch off first phase in midfield.
Individually Archie Griffin was the stand out performer, backing up his impressive full debut in the first test, while Dewi Lake led by example with a physical showing, James Botham got through a mountain of work from the blindside, Ellis Bevan was solid again at scrum-half, and Rio Dyer enjoyed probably his best performance in red to-date.
Ultimately it’s a more positive outlook after the second test, but there’s a lingering concern that it will be a short-term feeling rather than any long-term boost. Gatland has already said that Friday’s game against the Reds will see those on tour who have not featured get game time, while the Autumn Internationals are likely to see a much-changed squad as players become fit and available again.
If this Cymru side is going to grow over time; individually, in combinations and within an overall style of play, there will need to be an element of continuity in terms of selection as well as tactics.
For now though it’s an opportunity for some of those fringe players to stake their claim for a spot on the test stage in Brisbane, with the likes of Efan Daniel, Harri O’Connor, Eddie James and Jacob Beetham set for minutes, as well as the much talked about Regan Grace who will play one of his first games of senior professional rugby union.
Hopefully they have the shackles taken off further and are properly allowed to express themselves against Super Rugby opposition coming into the game on the back of a strong domestic season, and no doubt keen to earn a famous victory against an international team.
Then it’ll be all eyes on November for Cymru supporters as the evolution of this team under Gatland begins to face intense scrutiny. More surprise selections and more changes of game plans leading to losses will pile on the pressure, but the second test against the Wallabies can provide that base to finally start to build from.
Cardiff Rugby Life 