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Bret Harris | June 15, 2009
Article from: The Australian
ALONGSIDE the Federal Highway on the way from Sydney to Canberra stood a billboard advertising Australia's Test against Italy last Saturday night, which read "Wallabies, give Italy the boot."
Well, they certainly did.
The Wallabies brilliantly executed a game plan based on tactical kicking to set up their 31-8 win.
The Italians were meant to do all the kicking and the Wallabies all the running.
But Australia kicked 37 times to Italy's 35, gaining 1398 metres to the Azzurri's 1306m, and pinning the visitors down in their own 22.
Time and again the left-footed Matt Giteau and the right-footed Berrick Barnes would kick for the corners with pin-point accuracy.
But this was not a strategy just to beat Italy. It was also a strategy to beat the All Blacks.
The Wallabies could have adopted just about any tactics they wanted and still beaten Italy.
The tactical kicking game is aimed squarely at the All Blacks, who the Wallabies will play four times this year in the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup.
Playing for field position will keep the Wallabies forwards going forward and take the All Blacks' dangerous outside backs out of the game.
While Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will employ different tactics against each Test opponent, he is clearly developing an overall strategy in which tactical kicking will play a key part.
"I think you only have to ask the forwards to see the importance of that," Deans said.
"It's critical because it just keeps you territorially on the right part of the ground.
"It just builds pressure on your opponent. It doesn't allow them to get on the front foot and play the way they want to play.
"They have to work their way out of their own territory first before they feel able to take a risk, so to speak.
"It has been a good facet in the first two outings (against the Barbarians and Italy). Hopefully, that's a reflection of the work that has been done."
One of the best features of the Wallabies' performance was their discipline in sticking with the game plan even when the scoreline started to blow out.
"We adapted to the conditions," Giteau said. "It wasn't a perfect game by any means. It wasn't going to be.
"Ultimately, it was about gaining field position and that's what we tried to do. That's something we focused on, especially when (captain) Stirling (Mortlock) went off.
"It was something we reinforced and (vice-captain) George (Smith) reinforced. Stick to the game plan, even though we had a lead.
"It could have been quite easy to get away from it and throw those 50-50 balls.
"When we felt we were getting away from the game plan we tried to stay as strong as we could so we would finish that game off."
Giteau said the Wallabies' ability to stick to the game plan was a sign of the team's maturity.
"It's not just the main drivers who are saying these messages," Giteau said.
"Everyone in the team is talking about it. Everyone is saying the same thing. Let's stick to the game plan. Let's play simple field position and that's where we can build points if we get down there."
Despite playing a percentage-style game, or perhaps because of it, the Wallabies still managed to outscore Italy five tries to one with run-on Test debutant James O'Connor bagging a hat-trick from fullback.
"It was solid, I guess, is the way you would describe it," Deans said of the Wallabies' first Test of the season.
"The Italians were physical and we weren't perfect around the contact, which probably wasn't surprising given we haven't done a lot of it.
"It was a really good workout for us and we'll be better for it.
"Within that we managed to score five tries, which was good."
Complacency will be the Wallabies' biggest danger when they host Italy in the second Test in Melbourne on Saturday.
But Deans is sure to keep the Wallabies motivated by driving the players to improve on their performance in Canberra, particularly in the contact zone.
"The Italians did spend a bit of time on the ball and we weren't always efficient in moving those bodies," Deans said.
"If we want to play a little more expansively, we'll have to do that. We'll have to recycle ball more effectively.
"It won't be easy.
" They will come in with the same mentality of trying to deny us that momentum.
"We'll put some work into that area this week."
Winger Lachie Turner has been cleared to play in Melbourne after retiring at halftime following a heavy collision with Italian flanker Mauro Bergamasco.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
game plan: "do what the frenchies did!"
If it was the game plan to beat the All Blacks, it won't be now. Thanks Bret![]()
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