Australia Rugby

It's the game that no one wants to be in, and traditionally the game that no one wants to play. But for the first time in years we saw two teams who both looked as though they genuinely wanted to win the Bronze Final of Rugby World Cup 2011 take to the field last night.

The weekend had been billed as a repeat of the final week of the 1987 World Cup, with New Zealand meeting France in the Final and Australia taking on Wales in the third and fourth playoff.

But unlike 1987 it was Australia who emerged victorious this time around, winning a reasonably open game 21-18.

Both teams played as though they had something to prove, not necessarily just with the result, but with the way they played. And credit must be given to both teams for this, as it isn't easy picking yourself up after a semifinal loss to play a game the next weekend.

The game itself was close, but an Australian victory seemed inevitable as it wore on. They looked more dangerous with the ball, while Wales struggled to give the Australian defence the sorts of problems they've been causing other teams throughout the tournament.

Berrick Barnes was the key man for the Wallabies. After slicing through the Welsh defence to score under the posts after receiving a magnificent ball from Quade Cooper, he was forced into first five-eighth after Cooper left the field with a cruciate ligament injury.

Many had suggested that Barnes was the man to wear the No. 10 jersey last week against the All Blacks but Robbie Deans stuck with Quade Cooper which would ultimately lead to disaster. 

And Barnes showed the world just what could have been, delivering an outstanding performance, directing play well and proving dangerous running. However the key difference between Barnes and Cooper's play came in that Barnes was able to keep a level head and take the right options, while Cooper's World Cup was littered with rash decisions and poor execution.

The Australian forward pack showed signs of improvement on recent weeks, but still proved to inconsistent to gain any real dominance. It was in the backs where they were the most dangerous and ultimately won the game.

For Wales it was a case of not being able to break the Wallaby line often enough. They've been one of the more lively teams during the tournament, but they struggled to get any sort of go-forward going last night. Jamie Roberts wasn't as effective while the outside backs didn't get the opportunities to shine.

The omission of Rhys Priestland was once again noticeable as James Hook had another forgettable night with the boot and struggled to use his backs in the way Priestland had.

The biggest plus for Wales came in the performance of No. 8 Ryan Jones. Jones has been confined to the bench for the most part of the World Cup, but last night he showed everyone just how good player he is, proving to be outstanding at the breakdown in particular, as well as giving many of his trademark strong runs.

But in reality, this was purely academic. History says the Wallabies walked away with the win, but in the minds of Australians, this was anything but a win. They were here to win it all and third place will be considered a failure.

Tomorrow night the All Blacks meet France in what will be a replay of the 1987 Final to decide who will be crowned World Champions.

It's the game that no one wants to be in, and traditionally the game that no one wants to play. But for the first time in years we saw two teams who both looked as though they genuinely wanted to win the Bronze Final of Rugby World Cup 2011 take to the field last night.

The weekend had been billed as a repeat of the final week of the 1987 World Cup, with New Zealand meeting France in the Final and Australia taking on Wales in the third and fourth playoff.

But unlike 1987 it was Australia who emerged victorious this time around, winning a reasonably open game 21-18.

Both teams played as though they had something to prove, not necessarily just with the result, but with the way they played. And credit must be given to both teams for this, as it isn't easy picking yourself up after a semifinal loss to play a game the next weekend.

The game itself was close, but an Australian victory seemed inevitable as it wore on. They looked more dangerous with the ball, while Wales struggled to give the Australian defence the sorts of problems they've been causing other teams throughout the tournament.

Berrick Barnes was the key man for the Wallabies. After slicing through the Welsh defence to score under the posts after receiving a magnificent ball from Quade Cooper, he was forced into first five-eighth after Cooper left the field with a cruciate ligament injury.

Many had suggested that Barnes was the man to wear the No. 10 jersey last week against the All Blacks but Robbie Deans stuck with Quade Cooper which would ultimately lead to disaster. 

And Barnes showed the world just what could have been, delivering an outstanding performance, directing play well and proving dangerous running. However the key difference between Barnes and Cooper's play came in that Barnes was able to keep a level head and take the right options, while Cooper's World Cup was littered with rash decisions and poor execution.

The Australian forward pack showed signs of improvement on recent weeks, but still proved to inconsistent to gain any real dominance. It was in the backs where they were the most dangerous and ultimately won the game.

For Wales it was a case of not being able to break the Wallaby line often enough. They've been one of the more lively teams during the tournament, but they struggled to get any sort of go-forward going last night. Jamie Roberts wasn't as effective while the outside backs didn't get the opportunities to shine.

The omission of Rhys Priestland was once again noticeable as James Hook had another forgettable night with the boot and struggled to use his backs in the way Priestland had.

The biggest plus for Wales came in the performance of No. 8 Ryan Jones. Jones has been confined to the bench for the most part of the World Cup, but last night he showed everyone just how good player he is, proving to be outstanding at the breakdown in particular, as well as giving many of his trademark strong runs.

But in reality, this was purely academic. History says the Wallabies walked away with the win, but in the minds of Australians, this was anything but a win. They were here to win it all and third place will be considered a failure.

Tomorrow night the All Blacks meet France in what will be a replay of the 1987 Final to decide who will be crowned World Champions.

Just before you get sick of reading reviews of the quarterfinals and start reading previews of the semis, here's a list of unfeasible murmurings that definitely won't make the newspapers.

(1) After the Welsh performance against Ireland (with plenty of free-flowing rugby) the IRB have launched an enquiry to confirm if Wales (as in the country) is actually located in the Northern Hemisphere.

(2) Warren Gatland (the New Zealand born Welsh coach) would be nuts to change jobs before 2015. The young Welsh team has proved they're the one to keep an eye on over the next few years.

(3) Ireland, Scotland, England and a bunch of European club teams have already booked their sessions at the deep-freeze cryogenic centre in Poland.

(4) Wales coach Warren Gatland is considering retiring, as the value of his shares in the deep-freeze cryogenic centre in Poland skyrocket.

(5) Irish eyes aren't smiling.

(6) A week is a long time in politics. Especially in regards to the politics that were at play with the French rugby team.

(7) English wingers keep dropping the ball. The quarterfinals are far too late for the English to start pushing the ball wide. Their wingers just can't handle the pressure.

(8) England says that was a different French team to the one that played last week. The French respond that it's the English who are the different team, "they were just a lot easier to beat than the Tongans."

(9) England have one player of Samoan descent. Maybe they now need to find some players of Tongan extraction?

(10) France still searching for one of their signature, spectacular tries. A score that will be called the try from the end of the World Cup. 

(11) Treasury confirms England's loss will cost economy $2 million—that's just the player's bar tab.

(12) Cory Jane went on the booze to take the spotlight off his teammate, Colin Slade.

(13) After reviewing the Samoa game, Manchester United has confirmed their interest in Springbok flanker Heinrich Brussow. Alex Ferguson considers him a perfect fall guy for Wayne Rooney's penalty kicks

(14) If you're ever on a sinking ship or crashing plane, just hope there's some Wallabies nearby. They can survive anything!

(15) The Springboks have got a new name: Santaboks. They must be seriously regretting gifting that first try to the Aussies.

(16) Australia Rugby Union confirms that the Wallabies coach is Robbie Deans and not Ronnie Biggs. Springboks incensed, as they feel robbed.

(17) Harry Houdini is reviewing the Australia Springboks game. He just can't work out how the Aussies got out of that one.

(18) Pocock gives spirited open side flanker display against the Springboks. Given the way Pocock played, clearance has been given to the All Black's first five to bitch-slap David and then knee him in the head.

(19) Peter De Villiers has stepped down as Springbok coach. This might be due to his wanting the England job?

(20) Argentinians are spent after giving it 100 percent in passion and emotion. This just after their national anthem was played.

As the second round of pool play continues, Argentina prepares to battle Romania in the day's first match.  South Africa prepares to meet Fiji in the night cap.

But it's the match in the middle, between Australia and Ireland, that will prove to be the highlight of the day.

Here is a look at the day ahead and what to expect.

Argentina vs. Romania

With Scotland now 2-0, this match has turned into an absolute must win for both Argentina and Romania if either squad plans on advancing to the quarter finals.

Romania comes into the match as the underdog but by no means the long shot.  The Oaks posses a tough scrum and along with good forward play are effective in line outs.

They have changed their lineup a bit for this match, namely, benching Marin Dumbrava. Dumbrava missed two penalty kicks in Romania's loss against Scotland.

Likewise, Argentina will be benching their captain Felipe Contepomi due to a rib injury, along with a handful of other players.

Argentina also plays with strong forwards, and after finishing third in the 2007 World Cup, they may have the advantage with confidence.  The last time these two nations met, Argentina won 50-3. That was in 2003.

Prediction: In Argentina's last match against England, they nearly won, ultimately falling short by three points.  On paper, the Pumas are right up there with the rugby elite and they won't drop a game to Romania.  Argentina wins 16-10.

Australia vs. Ireland

The day's second match between Australia and Ireland is the one to watch because of the history between the teams and their respective skill.

In the 1991 World Cup quarter finals, Australia beat Ireland by a single point in what many have called one of the greatest matches of all time.

Australia has to be looking at this match as a must win because finishing first in their pool will put them on the opposite side of the bracket from New Zealand in the quarter finals.

If those two teams do face each other, it won't be until the championship game.

Australia will be without David Pocock, a key member of their roster.  But James O'Connor will be in the starting lineup, with one game under his belt following his suspension.

O'Connor is an explosive player who does a bit of everything for the Wallabies and he will surely have his hands full with the Irish.

Ireland comes into the match ranked seventh in the world.  The Irish are a versatile team that carries the ball extremely well.  Because the Irish are expected to finish second in pool play, they have the advantage of having nothing to lose.

Prediction: Though Ireland is certainly a worthy opponent, Australia will jump on them early, forcing Ireland to play catch up all game. Australia wins 25-19.

South Africa vs. Fiji

In the day's last match, South Africa takes on Fiji.

South Africa will be focused and determined, looking to redeem themselves after a scare against Wales about a week ago.

Ranked 15th in the world, Fiji is looking for a big upset win against South Africa.  They will give the South African defense a a lot to deal with with their quick, expansive and physical play.

There is no telling how the aging Springboks will handle such an assault.

Prediction: South Africa, with their new sense of focus and hard nosed defense, weather the Fijian storm.  On the other end, South Africa's conversion on penalties gives them the win. South Africa, 26-12.

After Hawthorn ran St Kilda out of the MCG by five goals in Round 8, the Saints found themselves 15th on the ladder, two points behind AFL newcomers Gold Coast and looking down upon only two teams. 

The Saints were 22 points adrift of leaders Geelong and 18 behind the team who only eight months earlier were equal with St Kilda on that day in September. Collingwood were now the preeminent side in the competition and St Kilda were nothing. 

Then, even without its on-field leader, even without Lenny Hayes, St Kilda were not out of finals consideration. With strong coaching, St Kilda went on to win 11 of its last 15, securing a finals spot with one round to play. 

But on the heels of Ross Lyon's greatest triumph as Saints coach, at the point where demands for his skills were at their peak and expectations that he would return for at least one more year were 100 percent in both the hearts and minds of every Saints fan—courtesy of supposed words out of his very own mouth—Lyon's resignation as St Kilda coach felt like more than just a mere stab in the back to those who don red, white and black in their souls every winter.

Lyon attacked the virtues of loyalty and integrity and wrote his own script as to how things ought to be done. 

Lyon deceived almost everyone close to him, from Saints players and management to his own management firm. 

Of course, Lyon had every right to seek greener pastures.

Leigh Matthews' argument that it would make Lyon's defection worse if he left because he saw a better chance for a premiership at Fremantle is a poor one. Lyon has always been a coach to demand the best of himself and his players; his ambition to win a flag is a vital part of who he is. It is what made him, after Allan Jeans, the most successful coach ever at St Kilda.

If Lyon wanted to leave, whether for money or for premierships or for a new start, it is entirely his right. 

Moreover, Lyon has every right to feel disrespected by the St Kilda board. St Kilda should have offered Lyon the contract he deserved months earlier. 

"Fremantle professionally were able to lock and load a four-year term that had satisfied me within 72 hours, in comparison to six months (St Kilda took)," Lyon said in a press conference on Friday (via the Herald Sun). 

Lyon is and should be angry at St Kilda management. 

But after five years proudly wearing the St Kilda badge, after five years espousing fortitude along with fidelity on his chest, Lyon spat in the faces of the 30,000 members and countless other supporters who gave him more than just a chance to prove his talent. Lyon had a level of unconditional adulation that is unheard of in sports for a coach with zero flags. It is a level reserved at Seaford for Allan Jeans. 

Even if the club would welcome Lyon back with open arms, it will never be possible to repair the heartbreak Saints fans around the globe feel. It will never be possible for Lyon to be viewed as anything less than a traitor. 

And Lyon just doesn't get that. 

"I sit here very comfortable with my integrity and my honour. I didn't solicit any offers. I was approached and engaged, and because of the circumstances it happened." 

But integrity is not just not seeking out a job. Integrity isn't just between employee and employer.

Lyon shattered the band between fan and coach, between a leader and his team—and he did it in a deceitful and dishonest way that is impossible to forgive. To leave one day after giving his assurances of returning, when he was actually eleven-twelfths of the way through discussions to flee, is so reprehensible that it is almost impossible to remember anything worthwhile he has done. 

And based on his accomplishments, it's sad, because Lyon should be remembered for so much more. 

Lyon should be remembered for taking St Kilda to four consecutive finals series, the only man ever to sign documents under a moniker other than Allan Jeans to accomplish such a task. 

Lyon should be remembered for getting St Kilda to within an errant bounce of the ball of winning a flag. 

Lyon should be remembered for leading St Kilda to three Grand Finals. No man has ever seen the Saints to more. 

Lyon should be remembered for turning St Kilda's 2011 season around, for giving his men the confidence that they could still be the team they wanted to be, that they could still earn September football when an early draft pick looked the more obvious wager. 

But he'll never be remembered as such, at least not first and foremost. 

Ross Lyon has tainted his image and his reputation as a man of integrity. His reputation with the word so frequently and now sarcastically attached to his name is gone.

He may think otherwise and, within the immediate football world, he is right. 

But the football world isn't just the few thousand people who earn their pay through the game: It includes the millions who live and die by every bounce of the ball. 

The ball bounced Fremantle's way on Thursday and St Kilda supporters will have to accept that. The Saints are not the club they were when the heavens twisted the footy away from Stephen Milne's outstretched arms almost one year ago. 

But they should feel angry. They should feel hurt. They should feel deceived. And no amount of time will ever undo Ross Lyon's betrayal. No amount of time will ever restore the dignity and integrity to a man propped on a pedestal of his own mind's creation.

One day Ross Lyon may be forgiven, but not if he continues to ignore the true victims of his deceit.

Not as long as he continues to pretend there's still a thread of integrity anywhere in the purple and white shirt a continent away from Melbourne.

The Queensland Reds' outstanding Super Rugby season has been recognised by the Australian selectors.

Less than 24 hours after clinching their first Super title of the professional era with victory against the Crusaders, 15 of their players have been named in the Wallabies' 40-man training squad.

"It's fair reward for a great performance," said Australia coach Robbie Deans at this morning's press conference in Brisbane.

"We haven't had a lot of recent success at Super rugby level, so the step that the Reds have taken is real. And that belief will come forward with us," he said.

"It was a great effort and we obviously hope to run off that."

Reds forward Radike Samo has capped a remarkable comeback to top flight football.

Samo celebrated his 35th birthday on the same day as the Reds' Grand Final victory. 

He can now look forward to pulling on a Wallabies jersey for the first time since 2004.

"His performances speak for themselves," said Deans of the player who returned to Australia last year after several seasons in France.

"I guess we haven't seen him playing here for a while but he's been in the game and he's obviously in great shape. He's turning the clock back in many ways. He's shown that he wants it. He's shown that he's got more to give at this level and he's still excited about playing at this level."

Test incumbents Berrick Barnes and Drew Mitchell, who are recovering from injury, were among the notable omissions.

"We didn't consider them," said Deans of the New South Wales Waratahs backs.

"Other players we didn't consider were Rob Horne and Richard Brown, who has got a shoulder complaint."

The Wallabies open the winter test season against Samoa at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on Sunday July 17.

Wallabies squad: Rocky Elsom (c), Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Ben Daley, Rod Davies, Dave Dennis, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Mark Gerrard, Matt Giteau, James Hanson, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, James Horwill, Digby Ioane, Sekope Kepu, Salesi Ma'afu, Pat McCabe, Ben McCalman, Stephen Moore, Luke Morahan, Dean Mumm, James O'Connor, Wycliff Palu, Nick Phipps, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota Nau, Beau Robinson, Benn Robinson, Radike Samo, Nathan Sharpe, Rob Simmons, James Slipper, Sitaleki Timani, Lachie Turner, Dan Vickerman.

One of the biggest talking points of the new Super Rugby season has been the new conference system and the new team, the Melbourne Rebels. What you think of the system so far comes down largely to personal opinion. To me, there have been both positives and negatives.

The glaring negative to me comes in the depth of the Australian Conference. New Zealand and South Africa have both proven that they are capable of producing strong teams year in and year out, but the gradual decline of Super Rugby in Australia seems to have only been increased by adding another team. We are already starting to see this in 2011 and the problem looks like it will amplify as the season continues.

The Force have looked decidedly average, having won just two games, which incidentally came against the Lions and Brumbies, two teams who are also struggling. To go with this, they have been handed some hidings by the stronger teams.

The Brumbies haven't been themselves and have also looked very average, having won just two games as well and with a road trip still ahead of them, things aren't looking good for one of the traditional powerhouses of the competition.

Likewise, the Rebels have struggled against top opposition. They have had some close games with teams of their own level, but have struggled against the top half of the competition as was shown on Friday night. Particularly against teams with a top attack, they have struggled defensively. Their recent performance against the Highlanders showed this, conceding six tries largely through poor defence. Also they have struggled away from home and with a trip to South Africa to come, things look like they will take a while to improve for the Rebels.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Reds and Waratahs both look like good teams and will challenge any team in the competition. While both have shown glimpses of inconsistency, they both have shown that they will be amongst the challengers for playoff positions. 

In contrast the other conferences both have three very good teams, with two average teams. In South Africa, the Lions and Cheetahs have both looked promising, being competitive but struggling to close out close games, while in New Zealand the Hurricanes and Chiefs have been far from their best, but are also capable of pushing any team in the competition.

For me, the difference is the long-term outlook for these teams. With the player base in New Zealand and talent on the Hurricanes and Chiefs teams, it is safe to assume that they will come right. Both teams have had bad years in the past and come back strongly in future seasons. Likewise, the Cheetahs and Lions are both showing signs of improvement and are being very competitive in most of their games, just falling short at the last hurdle.

The Australian situation is different, however. Australia doesn't have the player base of New Zealand and South Africa, having to compete with AFL and Rugby League for numbers, both of which are more popular codes there.

When they had three teams, they had a good balance. All of their teams were competitive and provided a stiff challenge for the New Zealand and South African teams. When the Force entered the fray in 2006, their teams became more diluted and the talent had to be spread more thinly across the four teams. The Force struggled, while the Reds slumped to a low.

In more recent years, the Reds have begun their reform while the Waratahs have been a top side. The Brumbies haven't looked as good since the departure of George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, while the Force have been no better than a middle of the road team.

Adding another team to the conference just amplifies the problem. Players that used to be spread between three competitive teams, are now being spread between five, and it's hard to see that they have got the depth long-term to sustain it.

The Melbourne Rebels are currently a team made up largely of imported players and ageing ones at that. It is a situation that seems similar to the one the Melbourne Storm NRL team were in when they started out.

The Storm began in a similar way, a team of bought players rather than a team of players developed by the area. Whether they initially planned for this to be the case long-term is unclear, but over a decade on, things haven't changed. The Storm are a team made up of predominantly Queenslanders and one of the powerhouses of the game.

It wouldn't be a surprise at all to see the Rebels end up in a similar situation. They have already signed Kurtley Beale and it looks as though James O'Connor may be going the same way. In time, they look as though they could be a very strong team.

At first, this may seem like a good thing. But a closer look shows it isn't necessarily going to have a positive outcome for the Australian Conference as a whole.

Go back to what I said earlier about Australia not having the player base to sustain five teams and we see the problem.

If the Rebels, or any of the other Australian teams are to become any stronger, it will come at the expense of the other teams getting weaker. The players have to come from somewhere and if the Rebels buy up the top talent in Australia in the same way the Storm did, the other four Australian teams may struggle to compete with the top teams in other conferences.

And this just comes back to the original question posed. Did we need to change the format of Super Rugby? Going by what we have seen so far this year, I would say no. If there were promising signs in Australia things might be different. But the way things look at the moment, we would have been better off leaving things as they were.