Wallabies: Outcome Hardly Surprising After England’s 45-22 Win
Australia conceded seven tries in a 45-22 defeat to England at Twickenham, extending a run of defensive collapses. Coach Les Kiss said the Wallabies needed to turn their training into an effective response before their next Test against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Australia’s Wallabies lost 45-22 to England at Twickenham on Sunday, an outcome hardly surprising to Australian fans after another second-half collapse.
The Wallabies conceded seven tries and let England score three converted tries in 15 minutes after halftime. It was the third straight game in which Australia gave up tries in quick succession and lost its grip on the contest.
Defensive lapses continue
Australia’s recent defeats have followed a similar pattern. In the first Bledisloe Cup Test in Auckland, the Wallabies conceded four tries in 23 second-half minutes while trailing by three. In the return Test in Sydney, they gave up four tries in the opening 26 minutes.
Against England, the repeated scoring bursts left Australia chasing the scoreboard. The team’s defense allowed England to find openings, while its breakdown work did not produce quick ball and its carries offered little forward progress.
Australia also struggled to gain distance with its kicking game. The Wallabies spent nearly two-thirds of the match on their own side of halfway.
Selection gamble drew scrutiny
The problems had looked possible when coach Les Kiss named his side. He moved Jeremy Williams to blindside flanker to include Josh Canham and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the second row, while Rob Valetini started on the bench.
“I wanted to see how we look with two big locks in the makeup of our squad,” Kiss said last week.
The three locks used in the 4-5-6 positions combined for 21 carries and 43 meters. Valetini made 20 meters from six carries in just over half an hour after coming on, with Australia already trailing 26-10 and holding about 40% of possession at that point.
Scotland next at Murrayfield
Australia’s next challenge is Scotland at Murrayfield. Scotland will face the Wallabies after a narrow missed opportunity to beat New Zealand, while Australia’s defense has recently been exposed by teams attacking directly.
Kiss said the team had to respond quickly. “We train well but it’s got to be better than training. I’d rather train terrible and put the 80 minutes on. That’s more important.”
“Is a week long enough? It has to be,” Kiss said.
