We had trained at the new stadium on both Thursday and Friday but nothing would have prepared us for playing at the new NIB stadium for the first time. It was disappointing that they had scheduled the AFL derby on the same day, yet it was great to see so many supporters come through the gates. The NIB revamp looks amazing; two new grandstands, revamped seating and two massive television screens to watch the replays. The only thing that was disappointing about the night was our performance. After the solid performance we had against the Reds it is disappointing to take a step back and fall into old ways.
Our set piece early in the game, our ball security and our ill placed and executed kicking really made us lose that game. We lost that game, the Cheetahs did not win it. We had every opportunity and ample possession to secure the win. These are the most frustrating parts of that performance, but also areas in which large improvements need to be made. Our defence this year has been an area where massive improvements have been made, it is now time for our attack to match our defence. We must learn to convert possession into points with increased frequency.
We are not a team that has the luxury of relying on individuals or superstars to win us games. We need all 15 on the field to know and play their role within the team for the full game. We need for us to show the same cohesive, commitment that we do in defence in attack to keep the score board ticking over reflecting our efforts.
Not that having a list of big names in your squad guarantees success. The Waratahs have had a strong squad, rich in Wallabies for many years and have struggled to get results. Last year they managed only 4 wins from 16 games with over a dozen established Wallabies in their squad. This is a team spot and if the 15 players don’t combine as a team, you can’t win games.
On the flip side you have the Brumbies who had only a sprinkling of established Wallabies last season and managed to be one win away from finals rugby.
The Brumbies have shown that it can be done without a list bulging with Wallaby stars and their massive ARU top up money. They have also shown that a team’s history can be turned around in a single season. In one season they managed to change coach, playing style, culture and have redirected their future.
This gives us hope and motivation that success is within our grasp if we knuckle down in the trenches together. We need to be able to rely on the man beside us to do their job week in and week out. You aren’t going to be man of the match every week but every player needs to put in solid, respectable performances every time. We need to have faith in the coach, the playing style he is trying to implement and in the man beside us.
