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"Dear God, please temporarily cripple all drop kick specialists before the Rugby World Cup. It is your game, please defend it's integrity"
Connolly senses field goals in fashion
Thursday, November 30, 2006
With the World Cup less than 10 months away, Wallabies coach John Connolly senses the field goal is ready to rear its head yet again.
His suspicions were heightened when watching Springboks five-eighth Andre Pretorious slot four drop goals in Saturday's 25-14 defeat of England at Twickenham.
A week earlier, teenage sensation Francois Steyne attempted a series of long-range efforts for the Springboks in the first Test against England.
"It's interesting with South Africa at the moment, the way they're playing, getting in position for field goals. I just wonder if the field goal is coming back into vogue," said Connolly.
"I really felt watching the Springboks against England that there was a field goal focus."
South Africa has a history of employing such pragmatic tactics, especially around World Cup time.
Jannie De Beer famously potted an unprecedented five field goals in South Africa's quarter-final defeat of England at the 1999 World Cup.
Ironically, it was an unlikely long-range drop goal in injury time from Wallabies five-eighth Stephen Larkham that sunk the Springboks just days later in the semi-final, after De Beer had added one more to his tally.
"De Beer was always a great field goal kicker but you didn't see any great plan leading into that, that that was their plan," Connolly said.
"Against England (this series), South Africa had a plan to take the field goal with anything they kicked."
Of course, Australia was on the receiving end of the most famous World Cup field goal of all - Jonny Wilkinson's injury-time effort in the 2003 final in Sydney.
And the Wallabies' title defence in 1995 was heart breakingly ended by Rob Andrew's late drop goal winner for England in their quarter-final in Cape Town.
A trend for teams to work for field position and then be content to slot drop goals to keep the scoreboard ticking over would be a poor advertisement for rugby - and don't expect the Wallabies to use such negative tactics.
The Wallabies have kicked just one drop goal in three years since the 2003 World Cup and the last time they landed more than one in a single game was way back in 1985.
If South Africa persists with its field goal tactics, Connolly admitted the Wallabies would need to change their game plan for the Boks in next year's Tri Nations series and potentially the World Cup quarter-finals - or final.
Wary of South Africa's excellent lineout, the Wallabies have been reticent to kick too much for touch against the Springboks - as evident in Australia's painstakingly boring 20-18 Tri Nations win in Sydney this year.
But fans will be pleased to hear Connolly is keen to avoid a similar type of tussle if South Africa's field goal focus continues.
"That night a lot of our return kicks to them were just after halfway. But now that guy (Steyn) would just keep shooting. He's going to get the biscuits," Connolly said.
"Now he's going to be around the mark, so you'll have to change your tactics."
AAP
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