Australia Rugby

Any side that gets thumped by a record margin will have demons to face in their next outing, especially when they have a new coach, a rash of injuries and the game just happens to be against world champions New Zealand.

That's the task currently facing Australia, a side beaten 41-16 in the deciding Test with the British & Irish Lions, and a side also looking to put recent controversies behind them and buckle down to impress new coach Ewen McKenzie.

Although the Wallabies finished second in last year’s inaugural Rugby Championship and enjoyed a reasonably successful end-of-season tour of Europe (winning three from four), off-field issues blighted the reign of former coach Robbie Deans.

The New Zealander clearly was not to everyone’s liking in the Wallabies' dressing room, and the behaviour of star players Quade Cooper, Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor and Digby Ioane did nothing for team morale while Deans was in charge.

Indiscipline cost the Wallabies respect both on and off the field, and it is a wonder Deans’ sides managed to play as well as they did with such an unstable backdrop.

Clearly, the Wallabies have had to struggle through their fair share of poor discipline in the last couple of seasons, but Deans’ man management was also questionable and one of the reasons for his departure after the Lions loss.

Cooper, recently recalled by McKenzie, is not the only player to have fallen out with Deans. The New Zealander also had issues with 92-time capped Matt Giteau, who chose a career with French club Toulon after controversially being left out of the Wallabies’ 2012 World Cup squad.

How Australia could have done with Giteau’s experience and proven skills as they lost player after player to injury during the Lions tour is anyone's guess. There is no excuse for highly-paid players not to behave professionally, but coaches also must be able to knit together a range of characters and draw the best from them.

McKenzie has already shown that he has those skills, and his relationship with Cooper enabled the mercurial fly-half to play some of his best rugby under his stewardship at Queensland Reds.

The new coach will also need to address the perennial problems of the Wallabies front row, which was highlighted brutally during the third-Test Lions defeat.

A World Cup winning prop with Australia in 1991, McKenzie knows a thing or two about the front row. The Wallabies scrum manages somehow during the Rugby Championship but it can be exposed in games not refereed by Southern Hemisphere officials.

And with Australia facing England and Wales in the pool stages of the 2012 World Cup, McKenzie knows a short-term fix will not be good enough.

But McKenzie also know there is an abundance of talent in Australia, and when all their players are fit, the Wallabies possess a squad strong enough to trouble any opposition. McKenzie has already made it clear that he intends to give them their head in attack.

As well as Cooper, McKenzie will hope to get the best from the highly-talented but misfiring James O'Connor, now that he has switched him back to his preferred back-three position.

Although playmaker Beale is out for the duration of the series with a shoulder injury, in-form Brumbies centre Christian Leali'ifano has shown he has more than enough talent to compliment the exciting Cooper-Will Genia axis.

Leali'ifano's goal kicking will also be crucial to the Wallabies' chances, as will league convert Israel Folau, whose two tries against the Lions showed how dangerous a runner he can be.

Up front, if McKenzie can find a solution to the Wallabies scrum issues, he has a pack of forwards lead by skipper James Horwill that can provide more than enough ball for their dangerous back-line.

One thing that McKenzie does not lack is confidence, and he will look to instill that in his side as they enter a new era for Wallabies rugby.

New South Wales and Queensland are ready to do battle for the 2013 State of Origin Championship. Finely-perched at 1-1 after the first two encounters, Game 3 promises to produce an action-packed finale to a fiercely-contested series.

We’ve seen important early tries, vital individual performances and enough hard-hitting contact to satisfy the angriest of rugby league fans. Punches have been thrown, chances blown and at the final whistle of Game 3, one team will lift the famous shield aloft to the delight of their fans.

New South Wales has the chance to claim their first State of Origin victory since 2005, but can Laurie Daley’s team provide another definitive defensive display in front of a capacity crowd of 83,000 at the ANZ Stadium?

Let’s breakdown the last-minute betting odds and predictions to consider exactly that.

Betting odds

All odds are courtesy of Skybet and correct as of July 16. Although they may be subject to change in the final build-up to Game 3, the numbers offer useful insight as to where the money lies.

Those looking to back a particular winner will struggle to receive a decent payout unless plenty of cash is placed down. Queensland is a narrow favourite for this one after a convincing 26-6 win in Game 2, but the bookmakers believe New South Wales' home win over the Maroons could also see them triumph.

The Blues have already picked up a 14-6 victory at the ANZ Stadium this series and will be striving to challenge in front of a packed home crowd. Those unwilling to choose an outright winner may be tempted to select a draw, which offers intriguing value at 20/1.

Considering the winning margins we have already seen this series, the bookmakers have offered decent odds on both sides replicating their previous distances of victory once again. The Blues defensive line must manhandle a Maroons attack that is bustling with power and speed if they are to force Queensland into repeating their feeble Game 1 score; a feat that is rather unlikely after Game 2.

With confidence restored in the Canetoads camp, Queensland's Game 2 victory margin of 20 is a prosperous bet at 9/1. Darius Boyd has scored the first Maroons try in both games and offers value as first overall try scorer at 10/1. Michael Jennings totted up New South Wales' second try during the Game 1 victory, and in the absence of the injured Jarryd Hayne, is an excellent gamble at 14/1.

Take a look at an assorted list of odds below:

Match Result—New South Wales 6/4, Queensland 8/13, Draw 20/1.

Man of the Match—Michael Jennings (New South Wales) 50/1, Cooper Cronk (Queensland) 8/1.

Winning Margin—6-10 New South Wales 15/2, 16-20 Queensland 9/1.

First Scoring Play—New South Wales Penalty Kick 12/1, Queensland Penalty Kick 9/1.

First Try—Michael Jennings (New South Wales) 14/1, Darius Boyd (Queensland) 10/1.

No Try scorer—250/1.

Prediction

The is Queensland's series to lose.

Mal Meninga's men disappointed in Game 1, but did extremely well to brush away the cobwebs with a dominant display in Game 2. The 26-6 victory was the Maroons' largest margin of victory since 2010's corresponding game, and that game ushered in thoughts of an eighth successive State of Origin celebration.

Darius Boyd's importance continues to grow. His running skills and link-play with Greg Inglis put the Blues under pressure that was non-existent in the first clash. Boyd has three tries in two appearances this series and will have the legs to cause havoc once more.

To make matters worse for the Blues, Hayne's injury and Nathan Merritt's poor performance in Game 2 ensures Daley must reshuffle his pack. James McManus will end a four-year hiatus to tackle the threat of Boyd and Inglis, as reported by The Daily Telegraph. Merritt's lack of positional awareness exposed New South Wales throughout Game 2, and forces the coach to sacrifice him after just one State of Origin appearance.

Even so, this won't be enough for the home side. Robbie Farah, Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney kicked terribly throughout the second contest and will need to improve massively if the home crowd is to leave in a jubilant mood. The Blues' back five struggled to contain the likes of Boyd, Inglis and Johnathan Thurston. These three will be the creative trio to confirm a series comeback victory for the Maroons.

New South Wales will be ready for their Sydney return. After beating Queensland 14-6 on their home turf in Game 1, the Blues suffered a demoralising 26-6 defeat in Game 2 at the Suncorp Stadium. The series heads back to the ANZ Stadium for the decisive third clash and promises to be another heated affair.

Game 2 saw a much improved Queensland side deal a major blow to NSW’s hopes of capturing the State of Origin shield for the first time since 2005. Similar to Game 1, the second contest was extremely fiery throughout and packed plenty of punch, as four players received punishment for a melee just after the halfway point.

The Maroons played with a greater sense of ruthlessness and excelled early in the game, echoing the Blues' performance from the opening match. Will New South Wales end an eight-year lull and finally emerge victorious over their rivals? Let's take a look at all the vital information.

Where: ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia.

When: Wednesday, July 17 at 6:00 a.m. ET

Watch: Fox Soccer Channel

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go

Recap

Game 2 never threatened to end in a first NSW Brisbane win since 2005. Queensland notched a 14-0 lead after 17 minutes with tries from Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd. A stunning Johnathan Thurston cut-out pass found its way to the chest of Boyd, who delivered his second try of the game with 48 minutes on the clock.

New South Wales’ defence battled doggedly during Game 1, but that determination and grit was nowhere to be seen in front of the Maroons faithful. Laurie Daley’s men enjoyed a quick start in the first encounter but had no answer to the partnership of Thurston and Cooper Cronk in Game 2. Instead, NSW’s game-plan descended into chaos as individuals fell to the lure of violence.

As reported on Yahoo!, the National Rugby League introduced firmer rules on punching after Paul Gallen and Nathan Myles’ brawl in Game 1. This didn’t deter both sides from entering the realm of fisticuffs once more in Game 2, as major punishments had to be dealt for the first time with the new rules in mind.

Queensland full-back Billy Slater appeared to elbow NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce after 53 minutes but tempers simmered for another sixty seconds. The Maroons were obviously ready to rile their opponents, and after 54 minutes, winger Brent Tate pushed Gallen after the NSW captain tackled Thurston.

NSW forward Trent Merrin took exception to the foul and jabbed Tate in the face, sparking a ruckus that ended with Tate and Hodges being sinbinned, while Merrin and Greg Bird were sent off for the visitors.

Preview

New South Wales need to exercise extremely physical tactics in the third encounter, but must do so without throwing punches. Gallen’s knuckle-crunching approach inspired his team to a defensively dominant win in the opening match, but with tighter restrictions now in place, NSW need to quickly regain their discipline.

Unfortunately for the Blues, Gallen’s withdrawal from the squad was confirmed by FOX Sports and could see the team begin with Roosters powerhouse Boyd Cordner.

Preparation for Game 3 has been far from perfect for NSW. The Daily Telegraph reports full-back Jarrad Hayne will miss the final game through injury, forcing the home side to utilise James McManus for the first time in four years.

While the Maroons possess excellent strength-in-depth and confidence heading into Game 3, NSW can halt any sense of momentum with a rerun of Game 1. A try from Hayne gave the home side an important boost inside the opening five minutes of the aforementioned contest and set Daley's side into an unbeatable rhythm. Although Maroons had chances that night, the Blues' spirit carried them through.

Michael Jennings was fantastic in Game 1 and made a number of important individual runs. The versatile player's speed is a real weapon for a team that has to put Queensland under pressure straight from the off if they are to claim the win.

Mitchell Pearce must improve his positional kicking if NSW are to keep the opposition's attacking power at bay, as the Blues will need as much time as possible to halt a Maroons front line that can smell blood.

An impressive victory in Game 2 gives Queensland the edge here. NSW have succumbed to poor discipline, key injuries and failed to restore parity when under pressure in the second contest. The pressure of trying to land a first State of Origin championship since 2005, in front of an expectant home crowd, will see the Blues play fearfully.

Maroons also have the experience and know-how of claiming victory in the big games.

It has perhaps been inevitable since his failure at Rugby World Cup 2011, but it was finally announced earlier this week that the Robbie Deans era as head coach of the Wallabies is over. He will be replaced by Ewen McKenzie, who will take over the team for the upcoming Rugby Championship.

His reign as coach was certainly filled with controversy from both his adopted nation Australia, as well as his home country New Zealand. Ultimately he will be remembered as a failed coach, winning just one Tri-Nations in his six years in charge and failing to win either of the World Cup or the Lions test series.

It also included embarrassing losses to Scotland and Samoa, a failed Grand Slam attempt and an abysmal three wins in 18 games against the All Blacks which saw him fail to recapture the Bledisloe Cup.

His record is not compelling. But it is not quite as simple as that. 

It is key to remember what the state of Australian rugby was when Deans inherited it. After an earlier than expected exit from the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Deans was announced as the new Wallaby coach after being unwanted by his native All Blacks. The move was one that sparked controversy and produced a significant amount of divided opinion in New Zealand, many proclaiming themselves loyal to Deans wherever he went. 

At this time, Deans was something of a super-coach, having won five Super Rugby championships and making another two finals with the Crusaders between 2000 and 2008. Many tipped him to be the one to rebuild Australian rugby for the next World Cup after losing several key players at the conclusion of the 2007 World Cup.

This presented Deans with a true challenge. At the Crusaders he had the best talent in Super Rugby and it was just a case of using it correctly to win all of those championships. With the Wallabies he was faced with the task of developing raw talent and doing a lot with not as much. In a sense, this was going to reveal how good a coach he really was.

The trouble is, the key losses were huge, far more important than normal. In losing George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, he inherited a team that had just lost arguably the best nine-ten duo of all time and two of the best individuals to ever play their positions. Of course the halfback and first five-eighth are integral to any team, but having players of the calibre of Gregan and Larkham in these positions is a game-changer.

Given that these two had more or less monopolised their jersey's over the past decade, Deans was forced to start from scratch and find a new combination, which is never a recipe for success. Indeed, it was a task Deans never really completed, continually searching for his No. 1 first five-eighth right up until his last series. 

There was an obvious lack of depth in certain positions, which made it that much harder to replace key players. This also created problems when there were injuries and left the team highly under-manned at times. 

Indeed he did find a few gems, with Will Genia, David Pocock and James Horwill being the three most notables to emerge as world-class players during the Deans era, but there simply were not enough of these. 

He did not have the same amount of flair to choose from in the backline as past Australian coaches have had. The likes of Quade Cooper were too inconsistent to be a good choice, while in the midfield he was stuck with a steady group, but one which was rarely incisive or dangerous.

Kurtley Beale had his moments at fullback but was involved in too many off-field incidents and lacked form too often to achieve his full potential. On the wing Digby Ioane, Drew Mitchell and James O'Connor were all solid options, but were not in the same class as the Cory Jane's or Bryan Habana's of this world.

It all added up to a team that did not have the ability to penetrate on attack and the lack of a first five-eighth saw them unable to steer themselves around the field to gain field position. 

Up front they were not a lot better. They were renowned for having a weak scrum and never really settled on a looseforward trio. 

Sure, a good coach can develop a good team, but there is only so much one can do with limited depth when trying to compete with the best in the world on a regular basis.

All that said, they were never an easy-beat, not by a long shot. They were a team capable of getting up for one-off games and putting on a strong performance no matter what their form was going into the game. It was this that always made them such a threat and was why many New Zealanders considered them their most potent threat at the 2011 World Cup.

Indeed their three wins against the All Blacks could all be seen as somewhat significant. The first came in a superb display in Deans' first game against the New Zealanders, one which was billed as being Deans' chance to prove that he was the right man for the All Black job.

Two years later his side got up against a rusty looking All Blacks side that had won every game in 2010, a game in which the Wallabies were essentially gifted a win thanks to the All Blacks capitulating in the final five minutes. The third came a year later in the final game before the World Cup, where the All Blacks were without their form player in Jerome Kaino and were on the gruelling return trip from South Africa. 

On the other 15 occasions they lost. Two of the three that they did win came in circumstances where the All Blacks were either depleted or off their game. Only once did they really beat down on their arch-rivals and that came on an occasion where they were fuelled by the controversy surrounding the Deans-Henry saga.

And perhaps this as much as anything both hurts Deans' record, but sums up his tenure as well.

At the top level in the world of rugby, consistency is demanded and Deans' teams just did not bring this. Against Australia's biggest rival he failed far too often, while never really having a dominance over the northern hemisphere teams in the same way as the All Blacks do.

And unfortunately this will be what he will be remembered for. It may have been a case of wrong time, wrong place, with a lack of players in key positions and a handful of unfortunate injuries. But the record will show a lost Lions tour, a World Cup semifinal exit and zero Bledisloe Cups. Ultimately this meant that Deans had to be replaced, simply by virtue of the fact that something needed to be changed.

Had he walked into a team with Larkham and Gregan at the pivots, with the likes of Chris Latham at the back and Jeremy Paul at hooker, maybe things would have panned out differently. But he did not and that is what history will remember. 

Finally, let us look at what Deans has left his successor. The Wallabies are still ranked third in the world, which is not horrible in the grand scheme of things. They are a team that has some world-class players entering their primes in Will Genia, David Pocock, Israel Folau and James Horwill. But they still lack a first five-eighth, they still lack a solid scrum and they still do not possess the penetrative attacking threats in the midfield that past Australian teams have had.

The challenge for Ewen McKenzie is to fill these gaps and build on what Deans has left him. Good luck to him.

Queensland scored a convincing 26-6 victory over New South Wales in Game 2 of this year's State of Origin series. The Maroons will look to stretch their series winning streak to eight next month.

The Maroons got off to a perfect start. Sam Thaiday took a pass from Cooper Cronk and bulldozed his way over the line in just the second minute of play. After a conversion by Johnathan Thurston it was 6-0 before New South Wales could blink.

A quick start for the Maroons was the direct opposite of Game 1. There, Jarryd Hayne scored for the Blues in the fifth minute and they never looked back en route to a 14-6 victory. This time it was Queensland jumping out to the early edge at home.

Thurston added a penalty goal in the ninth minute to make it 8-0 Queensland. James Maloney was called for not squaring up to his marker.

After the Blues were unable to convert their chances to get back in the game, the Maroons continued to build their lead. Thurston, who was all over the place in the opening half, found an open Darius Boyd for the team's second try of the match.

Thurston converted to put Queensland up 14-0 inside the first 20 minutes. It was a nightmare start for New South Wales after such a strong showing across the board in Game 1.

Despite the Blues' best efforts to mount some type of rally before halftime, the score remained unchanged thanks to some very strong defending from the Maroons.

The first 10 minutes of the second half were going to be key if New South Wales wanted to forge a comeback attempt. Instead, the Maroons maintained a high level of dominance both moving forward and defensively.

Queensland's already commanding lead increased to 18-0 as Thurston delivered a pinpoint pass to the outside and Boyd pushed his way across the line again. The Blues were powerless to stop the well-timed scoring play.

The tremendous performance immediately brought back memories of the 2008 State of Origin series. Following a New South Wales triumph in Game 1, Queensland stormed back with a 30-0 triumph at Suncorp Stadium to level the series. The Maroons went on to win Game 3.

It was clear they wanted to make a similar statement this year. And with the Blues facing the mental hurdle of ending their extended losing streak in the rivalry, the Maroons did exactly what they needed to do to mount an insurmountable edge.

The frustration boiled over for New South Wales in the 54th minute as a brief scuffle broke out. Once things were back under control, Queensland scored again. This time it was star Greg Inglis with the try, with the Thurston conversion making it 24-0.

Brett Morris made sure the Blues didn't get shutout with a try in the 70th minute, but it was too late to start seriously considering a rally.

Thurston added a late penalty goal for Queensland to finish the scoring, 26-6.

Now the focus shifts toward Game 3 back at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. Queensland will enter with the momentum after the Game 2 triumph, but New South Wales played much better at home and hopes to replicate its Game 1 showing.

The deciding match in the 2013 State of Origin series is scheduled for July 17.

New South Wales looks to clinch its first State of Origin series victory since 2005 after scoring a 14-6 win over Queensland in Game 1. The series shifts to Brisbane for Game 2 and Maroons hope to send it to a deciding third contest with a home triumph.

The Blues last won the series' first game in 2008. Queensland responded with a 30-0 blowout in the second game and carried that momentum to another series victory. New South Wales must avoid a similar performance this time around.

Queensland will lean on the fact it wasn't anywhere near its best in Game 1. The Maroons missed several opportunities in the first half of that match. They should return to form in the second meeting, which means the Blues must elevate their game, as well.

New South Wales is desperate to end its seven-year drought in the series. Queensland wants to extend its reign of dominance over its rival. Knowing that, let's take a look at all the key information for a crucial Game 2, followed by a preview and prediction.

Where: Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia

When: Wednesday, June 26 at 5:30 a.m. ET

Watch: Fox Soccer Channel

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go

Preview

The biggest key for New South Wales is getting off to another quick start. Jarryd Hayne scored the first try just five minutes into Game 1 and the Blues rolled from there. The fact they are on the road makes the early portion of the match even more important.

One moment that stood out in the opening clash was an encounter between Blues captain Paul Gallen and the Maroons' Nate Myles. Gallen landed a couple heavy shots and set a physical tone that his side maintained defensively.

In the end, it was that extraordinary effort on defense which sparked the win. Every time it appeared Queensland was about to mount a comeback, the Blues would stand tall to ensure they didn't let the lead slip away.

Along with Gallen, the two other key players for New South Wales will be returning fullback Josh Dugan and Game 1 standout Michael Jennings.

Dugan replaces Hayne, but the drop off should be minimal. He's a powerful force capable of carrying the Blues to a drought-ending victory. Expect him to get heavily involved early as his side attempts to set a tone, something that didn't happen in the aforementioned 2008 blowout loss.

Jennings was terrific in the opener. He had several noteworthy individual runs, often carrying multiple defenders on his back. Another performance like that from him, or another unsung hero, is necessary for New South Wales to clinch the series.

As for Queensland, everything starts with Billy Slater. The veteran does everything a team could want from a fullback, including jump-starting the offense with kick returns. How he performs will go a long way in deciding Game 2.

The one area where the Maroons should have an advantage is depth. They have more players capable of making a significant impact. Whether it's Slater, Myles, Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith or a host of others, the talent is definitely in place to complete another series comeback.

They must display far better form than they did in the first half of Game 1, though. Too many missed chances allowed New South Wales to build its lead and the Maroons didn't make enough plays to mount a serious challenge.

Ultimately, that depth paired with playing at home and the knowledge that a loss ends the streak should be enough to push Queensland to a Game 2 victory. It won't be on the same scale as the big win in 2008, but a key triumph nevertheless.

And then the focus would shift to the deciding third game next month.

Prediction: Queensland 18, New South Wales 12

For the first time since 2008, the New South Wales Blues captured the first game of the State of Origin series from the Queensland Maroons with a tremendous 14-6 performance on Wednesday.

The opening-game win puts the Blues in excellent position to win the series for the first time in eight years. Their last series victory came in 2005 with a 2-1 series win over the Maroons.

New South Wales needs just one win in the next two matches, but that won’t be an easy task. In the previous seven years, the Blues captured just six total wins, allowing Queensland to extend the longest winning streak of the 34-year series.

With the series considered to be the fiercest rivalry in Australian sports, it was no surprise that things came to blows in Game 1.

Just before the half, New South Wales captain Paul Gallen—on the heels of taking a 14-0 lead no less—landed a one-two combination on the chin of Maroons prop Nate Myles after a short shoving match. Gallen got things rolling after catching Myles with an arm on a tackle attempt, and it would be the Blues captain who would finish the tussle.

Gallen wasn’t sent off for the altercation, but his short boxing foray sparked the Maroons enough to tally six points in their column in the second half. The comeback bid came up short, but New South Wales easily could have seen the game slip away had it not mounted a strong effort in the first 40 minutes.

It was an impressive effort from the Blues, which now have three weeks to settle in for a Game 2 showdown—a match Queensland will no doubt be better prepared for.

Where: Suncorp Stadium; Milton, Queensland, Australia

When: Wednesday, June 26, at 6 a.m. ET

Series: 1-0 New South Wales

It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the Blues jump out to such a big lead early in the second tilt. They played nearly perfect rugby for the entire first frame, and as the Maroons showed in the second 40 minutes, it takes a complete effort to shut out the seven-time defending champs.

Still, New South Wales’ dominating effort in the first 40 can’t be overlooked. It’s easy to designate the first-half performance as a fluke considering the Blues’ recent struggles in the series, but it was a full team effort and exactly what the Blues need in the second game.

Game 2 Outlook

The Blues employed a safe, conservative style in Game 1 that limited mistakes and wore down the Maroons in every phase. That game plan worked in the first half, but it broke down in the second 40. Errors gave Queensland the opening it needed to create a surge and put some points on the board.

To combat NSW's strategy in the second game, the Maroons have to remain tough and focus on capitalizing on mistakes. New South Wales won’t have a reason to change things up in the second contest, and the Maroons should expect more of the same conservative approach.

But there’s something to be said for aggressiveness and taking chances.

The Maroons were punched in the mouth (both literally and figuratively) in the first half and didn’t seem prepared for the Blues' physicality. It was perhaps an eye-opening 40 minutes, however, and Queensland finished the match with a much stronger effort. If Queensland shows up prepared for more of the same in Game 2, expect a much tighter affair with a lot more energy from both sides.

The Blues have earned a big opportunity to turn the tables on Queensland in the rivalry series, but overconfidence can lead to errors. New South Wales can’t afford to enter the contest feeling like it has already won.

Prediction: Queensland evens the series at 1-1 with a 17-16 victory in Game 2.