Ella chides 'selfish' Latham

[Burgs]

With all respect to the great player Mark Ella, I think he may have been hanging out with Campo over the weekend
I can see the point he is trying to make but I think there are far greater issues to resolve than picking on the one bloke who has actually been injecting some life into our backline!
Perhaps start by looking at the position you once filled so admirably Mark

Ella chides 'selfish' Latham

Former Wallabies great Mark Ella has launched a stinging attack on current full-back Chris Latham ahead of tomorrow morning's clash with Italy in Rome.

Writing in today's Australian Ella charged that Latham needed to become a "better team player" and described some of his decison-making as "self-centred rather than team-oriented".

Ella said elements of Latham's performance against Wales last weekend, when he scored a spectacular solo try, typified a "selfish gene" which he said infected "almost the entire Wallabies backline".

But Queensland and former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones said it was unfair to single Latham out for criticism.

"Certainly I dont think the Australian backline has played as well as they could have, but individually Chris Latham is outstanding," Jones said.

"He's in the top five players in the world and I certainly think he is not the core of the problem at all. It's more the inside backs, not the outside backs."

Latham is Australia's only nomination for the International Rugby Player of the Year Award.

[Burgs]

Here's the actual story, care of Fox:

Latham solo run isolates problem

Analysis by Mark Ella
November 11, 2006

THERE was enough in Australia's performance in the draw with Wales last Sunday to give coach John Connolly encouragement, but he did not get the away victory he was craving despite his side having opportunities to win the match by at least 20 points.

Four tries to two normally ensures victory, but this Australia side still lacks belief in itself, which unfortunately has been the caese for a number of years.

Mind you, the Wallabies should have scored at least six or seven tries against a determined Wales side - which can be a good or bad sign depending how you look at it.

Predictably, Australia's coaching staff came away with many positives, talking up the new backline combination, including Matt Giteau's slick appearance in the No.9 jersey, and ignoring its inability to exploit a number of line breaks.

Part of the recurring problem is Australia's over-reliance on individual brilliance rather than a strong work ethic from all 15 players on the field.

Chris Latham's fantastic solo effort in scoring when the Wallabies needed it came with an emphasis on individualism and this could become a double-edged sword for Australia.

But his contribution to the Wallabies could be even greater if he became a better team player.

For years, Latham was unable to beat Matt Burke and then Mat Rogers for the full-back spot because of poor decision making.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones addressed this by reducing Latham's decisions to either running or kicking.

Connolly needs to add another option, passing, which seems to be a last resort for Latham.

I wrote during the Tri-Nations series that the Wallabies had lost the art of counter-attack.

For one brief moment last weekend, I thought this might have changed.

Wales five-eighth Stephen Jones cleared the ball from his 22 and Latham retrieved it 13 metres on the Wallabies' side of halfway.

I was delighted to see Stephen Larkham, Lote Tuqiri and Clyde Rathbone make the effort to get behind Latham and support him.

Latham glanced at Tuqiri and Rathbone on his right and then decided to chip kick.

Notwithstanding the fact he regathered the ball, beat two tackles and was brought down only metres out from the Wales line, his action was self-centred rather than team-oriented.

If he had passed to Tuqiri, there was a tremendous opportunity down the right-hand side.

But the downside is that the Wallabies never really made another effort to get behind Latham again in the match. Why bother?

And Latham is not on his own.

The selfish gene is characteristic of almost the entire Wallabies backline. The only one who is a genuine team player is Larkham.

Early in the second half, Giteau, after moving to inside centre, made a break in midfield and sent Tuqiri charging towards the Welsh line.

Tuqiri had Rathbone in support but did not look to use him and was upended by Welsh replacement five-eighth James Hook.

The "me" attitude of the Wallabies backs is officially endorsed by a strategy which aims to create one-on-one opportunities. When are we going to learn that the object is to put players into space and the best way to do this is to manipulate the defence by using teamwork?

There has been a lot made of the brilliance of the Wallabies' backline, but until they play as an ensemble they will not reach their potential as an attacking unit.

Connolly often espouses just how important winning is in professional sport, but this Wallabies side still cannot come to grips with winning away from home and no matter how good his revamped selections were the result was still unsatisfactory.

I am pleased that Connolly and his co-selectors have stuck with the inside backs combination of Giteau, Mat Rogers at five-eighth and Larkham at inside centre against Italy when the temptation must have been to mix it up, as he has done with his forwards.

Rogers started the game full of running against Wales but by the end of the 80 minutes he almost became a liability and this is something that he will need to address immediately.

The pace of the game probably took its toll on Rogers and he cannot afford to allow his game as playmaker to fall apart when he begins to tire.

Rogers will find tomorrow's Test against Italy much easier because the Wallabies will get on top and stay on top, giving him more time and space to fit into the game plan.

Italy will be willing a competitor but it is no match for the Wallabies, so only a convincing victory will be good enough.

[LarryNJ]

You beat the news bot!

[Flamethrower]

Here's the actual story, care of Fox:


Analysis by Mark Ella
November 11, 2006

Rogers will find tomorrow's Test against Italy much easier because the Wallabies will get on top and stay on top, giving him more time and space to fit into the game plan.

Italy will be willing a competitor but it is no match for the Wallabies, so only a convincing victory will be good enough.

Oh Yeah!!! Mark is a great judge!!