2011年12月22日星期四

Boks and dice: Deans takes a gamble

Photo: Getty Images The Wallabies tonight are set to dramatically change their gameplan, introducing several new patterns of play in a desperate bidto break a long Tri Nations drought. Due to concerns that the ''play what's in front of you'' edicthas recently failed to work for the Wallabies, who have lost theirpast five Tri Nations matches, the players this week appeared tohave learnt a number of different, more structured attackingstrategies to use on the Springboks at Subiaco Oval. There have been indications at recent training sessions that newstrategies are being employed. Whether they inspire the attack ofthe Wallabies, who in recent matches have struggled to play to anypattern or initiate consistent incisive back-line moves, or justconfuses them further remains to be seen. It is just as imperativethat the Wallabies ensure consistent possession so that they canactually implement the moves. Advertisement: Story continues below It is understandable that a coaching staff that is suddenlyunder extreme pressure would attempt something different, but thebig question is whether the players have been able to soak it allup in just a few days. What is also worrying for the back line is that there appears tobe communication problems among some of its members, with workundertaken this week to iron the problem out. Although the Wallabies state publicly that morale is high, theyare nowhere near their most buoyant, with the three recentsuccessive Test losses playing on the minds of leading players. Itis known that the confidence of several key players is down, as isteam belief. The only way that will improve Canada Goose Danmark is through victory. The Wallabies have also deliberately attempted to transformtheir lineout after it fell apart in Newlands. Believing that theSpringboks may have some knowledge of what the Wallabies calls are,they will use a different system tonight with a new caller, MarkChisholm. Earlier this week, the Wallabies' coaching staff laughed thatthe lineout forwards may converse in French as a way of counteringthe Springbok master Victor Matfield, who is a genius in workingout exactly what the opposition are up to on their own throws. Theyargue that Matfield understands where opponents are going to throwthrough observing the players' body language. To counter that the Wallabies are expected to throw the ballinto their lineout far quicker than they did in Cape Town, in thehope that it gives Matfield and Bakkies Botha less time to counterthem. Matfield yesterday even conceded that he was expecting theWallabies to change their game plan, including at the lineouts. ''Ithink they will come up with something different,'' Matfield said.''We did really well against them at Newlands. It was probably thebest we've ever done against an Australian lineout. So there mightbe one or two different things. And the more time they take[throwing the lineout ball in], the more time it gives us toorganise. ''It will be tough if they do it quicker. We just have to adaptand be ready for everything. And you don't analyse players. Youanalyse team structures. Hopefully we know what is coming and thatis why we've got a lot of experienced players that can adapt towhat happens on the field.'' The newcomer under most pressure is the Wallabies tighthead propBen Alexander. How he performs against Tendai [Beast] Mtawariracould easily effect the sway of the Test and determine whether anAustralian scrummaging changing of the guard involving himself andAl Baxter occurs. ''I hadn't played much tighthead before this year, but I'mreally enjoying the role and the challenge,'' Alexander saidyesterday.

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