SAINT-ETIENNE, France — All Australia can do now could be wait and hope.
Wait and hope that Portugal can pull off a miracle Rugby World Cup upset over Fiji subsequent week in Toulouse and in doing so deny them a dropping bonus level. After the Pacific islanders struggled to get previous Georgia on Saturday afternoon, such an eventuality doesn’t look fairly the identical lengthy shot it did initially of the week.
But when that consequence goes as anticipated, then the Wallabies will wait on Eddie Jones and Rugby Australia, as choices are made within the wash-up of a record-low World Cup marketing campaign, amid the continued reviews that the coach is getting ready an exit stage left to Japan.
And the exhausting reality is that this Wallabies crew doesn’t should nonetheless have a pulse in France. Whereas their 34-14 victory over Portugal on Sunday night appears to be like snug on paper, there was sufficient inexplicable play and simply downright dumb rugby that these Australian followers within the stands at Saint-Etienne’s Stade Geoffrey-Guichard can have been shifting nervously of their seats.
“We solely had one goal this week and that was to be alive and we’re nonetheless alive,” Jones stated publish match. “I’m not enthusiastic about conjecture about Portugal and Fiji subsequent week. I’m happy for the gamers. They’ve labored actually exhausting, as they’ve all event, they usually deserve some accolades for this efficiency in the present day.”
Whether or not it was alternative Samu Kerevi’s raised forearm — sure it occurred once more — extra bottled lineouts, free placement of the ball on the attacking breakdown, or Matt Faessler’s personal yellow card for a cynical maul infringement, the Wallabies produced some extraordinary rugby after which spent just about the final half hour of the match below the pump.
Australia have been all the way down to 13 males for eight minutes of the second half, after the non permanent dismissals of Faessler and Kerevi, and whereas they managed to offer away solely seven factors throughout that interval, Portugal have been using an unbelievable wave of momentum and the fervent help of a crowd bathed in crimson.
At that time the margin was nonetheless 15 factors and safely within the Wallabies’ grasp, however such has been the previous week in Australian rugby that it in some way felt nearer. And the 41,342 followers who it felt have been all cheering for Portugal can have solely added to that Australian anxiousness.
However a Marika Koroibete strive after a surging run from Kerevi by the guts of the Portugal defence put paid to any momentary thought there would a miracle comeback — and what would have been even additional embarrassment for Australian rugby.
Earlier, had it not been for the first-half sin-binning of Portugal centre Pedro Bettencourt, the second-half pressure may have hit astronomical ranges for the Wallabies. Having scored the sport’s first strive, and whipped the pro-Portugal crowd right into a frenzy within the course of, Bettencourt clattered into Izaia Perese’s head along with his shoulder and earned a 10-minute breather for his bother.
The Wallabies scored two transformed tries throughout Bettencourt’s time within the bin, and one other quickly after his return, to take cost of the sport and be on the cusp of the bonus-point — which additionally they wanted to maintain alive their marketing campaign for one more week — at halftime.
That was taken care of seven minutes after the resumption and from there Australia seemed set for a largely snug closing half hour, just for the momentum to shift fully in Os Lobos’ favour. The Portuguese would have gone into halftime nearer to Australia, too, had it not been for a determined try-saving sort out from Andrew Kellaway within the left-hand nook.
The Wallabies constructed their first-half respiration area on the again of the facility carrying of Angus Bell, who was monstrous for Australia alongside No. 8 and man-of-the-match Rob Valetini. When the mud settles on these disastrous few months below Jones — or if the coach vanishes amid a cloud of smoke himself — the Wallabies rebuild might be based mostly across the ahead duo.
Bell had a hand in Australia’s first strive, laying the platform for large carries from Valetini, who then popped for Richie Arnold to attain subsequent to the sticks; earlier than the Wallabies No. 1 did all of it himself from shut rang for Australia’s second. Bell additionally added a breakdown turnover for good measure, earlier than going 76 minutes in a tireless efficiency that underlined his class.
Australia’s third five-pointer was scored by skipper Dave Porecki by way of their first genuinely dominant driving maul of the journey, whereas Fraser McReight crossed for the bonus-point strive after halftime.
Bell and Valetini have been ably supported by Tom Hooper in defence and Perese in assault. Marika Koroibete was responsible of a horror defensive learn which allowed Portugal to attain the sport’s first strive, however the winger redeemed himself to a degree with a sequence of crunching tackles on quite a lot of Portuguese gamers. The professional-Portugal crowd didn’t like a type of early within the second half, however there was sufficient of an arm wrap for Koroibete to be cleared by the TMO.
That wasn’t the case with Kerevi nonetheless, who in a flashback to the heated conflict with Wales in Tokyo, once more led along with his forearm and paid the worth. Whereas there was some conjecture round that carry into Rhys Patchell 4 years in the past, Kerevi may have few complaints about his sanction this time round. After beforehand saying he had not addressed his working model, on the proof of Sunday afternoon’s incident that sentiment may want a rethink.
In the long run, Portugal completed with 98 extra run metres than Australia, 5 additional clear breaks and 11 extra crushed defenders; that they had run the Wallabies ragged, however had lacked the ending polish, and a contact of endurance, to essentially make issues fascinating.
“At the moment I’m happy for the gamers,” Jones added. “They performed with a variety of toughness, a variety of character. At instances we have been scientific and at instances we weren’t, which is the place we have to enhance. However I’m actually happy for the gamers. That sums up my temper.”
Gathered on midway a couple of minutes after the ultimate whistle, the Wallabies minimize an exhausted and dejected collective determine as they hugged one another and shared what was little question a number of delicate phrases of comfort.
However they then adopted their opponents on a lap across the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard, thanking these Wallabies followers who had made the journey to the opposite facet of the world to cheer them on, and who might be simply as disenchanted because the crew are with the outcomes of the previous few weeks themselves.
Australia’s marketing campaign shouldn’t be lifeless but, and they’re going to now have a number of days off to regroup earlier than they return to coaching and hope to excessive heaven that the crew that battled again so gainly on Sunday afternoon — and induced them loads of points in defence all through — can’t solely spring one of many alltime upsets over Fiji subsequent weekend, but in addition deny Simon Raiwalui’s facet the bonus level within the course of.
Regardless of the endeavour and dedication Portugal confirmed on Sunday, these twin necessities unfolding concurrently stays unlikely.
And such a consequence would solely masks a marketing campaign that has lumped from one catastrophe to the following — and for a number of fleeting moments on Sunday night in Saint-Etienne seemed prefer it may do once more.