Greg Growden Chief Correspondent | August 15, 2009


Rocky Elsom, who is scheduled next week to return to the Test arena for the first time in almost a year, has called on the Wallabies to rediscover the knack of playing the game how they want and not to allow opponents to throw them off the trail.

Since his return from the Irish club Leinster, where he was regarded as the best player in the European Cup, Elsom has been a frustrated Wallabies observer, especially during the past month when he has watched the All Blacks and Springboks run over his teammates.

As long as he can overcome a knee complaint that has sidelined him for more than two months, Elsom is scheduled to return to the Wallabies back row to play the All Blacks at ANZ Stadium next Saturday night.

The Wallabies selectors, in particular coach Robbie Deans, have been impatiently awaiting Elsom's return at blindside flanker, knowing his presence will vastly improve the power and menace of the Australian pack and enhance its lineout prowess.
Elsom has been a willing participant at Wallabies training sessions this week, including yesterday at Leichhardt Oval when Deans, usually the quietest and most level-headed of coaches, had a rare emotional moment. For a few seconds, Deans raised his voice at the players after they repeatedly messed up one drill. They got the message.

At least Deans has the confidence of knowing that when Elsom is fully fit again, the Wallabies up front will once more have that required edge.
Elsom said yesterday the Wallabies had struggled in both Auckland and Cape Town because their opponents had too much say in proceedings.
''In the recent Tests, it seems as if the games seem to shift away from the way we want to play it, and we don't seem to be able to get it back,'' Elsom said.
''When we play the style we want to play, we look really good, and it goes really well. It looks very hard to stop. Even when we are not doing so well at it, there's always appear to be a lot of opportunities.

''That has been the most frustrating thing, because we seem to be getting to where we want to be playing, and then it tapers off.''

Elsom said the Newlands loss to the Springboks last Saturday night revolved around the Wallabies being unable to stop South Africa from playing exactly the way they wanted.

''It was obvious what they [Springboks] wanted to do, but we just couldn't grab the game back,'' Elsom said. ''They could not have been happier with just putting the ball into touch every time, and we needed to stop them doing that. We needed the ball in play.''

Are the Wallabies capable of changing that? ''It sounds simple, but it's not easy. Because of those lost opportunities, it's going to be very hard for us if we can't resurrect that. It's just a matter of when we can do it.''

Hardly helping the Wallabies is that they are about to confront an All Blacks team under siege, after a dismal South African tour that featured losses in Bloemfontein and Durban.

''They're probably hurting a fair bit, and they're always more dangerous when they're hurting,'' Elsom said. ''We put quite a score on them in Sydney last year, and the next week they were a much harder task. And that's where they are now.
''They're in a position of having their backs against the wall, as are ours. They are so much harder in that position.''

Elsom said that when he returned from Ireland in June, he anticipated he would miss only one match - the Barbarians fixture - because of bone bruising in his right knee.

''I thought I would be fine and good to go, and then not being able to play has been frustrating. Then again it's probably been a good chance to cool off a bit.''


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