Robertson the biggest hard-luck story in Rennie’s Wallabies squad

1. Tom Robertson is the unluckiest Wallabies omission – by far. It was good to see Andy Muirhead and Andrew Kellaway picked in the Wallabies squad on Sunday. They are smart footballers who will balance out the outside backs with their skill-sets. But with every feelgood story there’s a hard-luck tale and that belongs to Force prop Tom Robertson.

Tom Robertson has been a model of consistency for the Force but missed out on the Wallabies squad.Credit:Getty

The high point for Australian sides was Round 4, with a -59 points differential. Yes, you could argue that Australian sides are going to get better in 2022, but the New Zealanders aren’t going to fall asleep.

The Chiefs team that beat the Waratahs on Saturday, for example, was missing Brodie Retallick, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie and Sam Cane, all of whom will likely be available in 2022. Rugby administrators may well still opt for a full SRTT in 2022, but don’t let it be said that they don’t know what they are signing up for.

Australian sides’ points differential in SRTT:

Round 5: -119.

Round 4: -59

Round 3: -100

Round 2: -115

Round 1: -87.

3. Lachlan Swinton’s red mist. The Waratahs’ No. 6 should contest that red card against the Chiefs, as Blues prop Ofa Tuungafasi effectively got away with something similar earlier this year. Swinton may be able to argue that the contact with Lachlan Boshier’s head was limited.

However, even if he beats the charge his obvious inability to control his aggression should rule him out of Wallabies contention. In the modern era, there’s no way any Test team can justify picking a time bomb: the risks are far greater than the reward.

Regardless of whether his latest red card was justified, Lachlan Swinton is beginning to look like the sort of liability Test sides can ill afford in the modern game.Credit:Getty

Swinton is a hard defender but discipline is a far greater asset than a big pair of shoulders in 2021 – and it’s been that way for four years. If Swinton can combine those two qualities he may yet develop into a good Test player, but charging a bloke on the ground in the late stages of a game indicates that he’s very much at a crossroads.

4. Refs boxed in by protocols. Reds fans raged at James Doleman for his penalty try/yellow card decision on Bryce Hegarty but here’s the thing: I’m not convinced other refs wouldn’t have done the same thing.

The issue isn’t the individual referee, it’s the way they are instructed to officiate with a blind loyalty to the slo-mo replay. The problem with that technology is that it strips all context out of every incident. In the Hegarty decision, for example, you need to rewind five seconds and play it at full speed. Hegarty and Ngani Laumape are charging at full speed for the ball.

Hegarty knocked it dead because he was desperate, not cheating. However, the slo-mo makes everyone look guilty. Ray Niuia (Blues), Will Jordan (Crusaders) and Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs) all copped yellows at the weekend for offences that may have not even warranted a penalty.

A resurgent Force are becoming a desirable destination for emerging Australian talent.Credit:Getty

5. Force rising. For the other Australian sides, the emergence of the Force as a tough, organised side is a case of ‘be careful what you wish for’.

If talented young players such as the Brumbies’ Bayley Kuenzle are heading west, that’s a sign that the word is out about the quality of the Force’s program. Their youthful No.8 Ollie Callan was terrific against the Blues in Auckland, and the way they have been able to integrate players of different backgrounds and ages into a cohesive unit.

There’s a finite talent pool in Australia and the rebuilding job at the Waratahs, for example, might be that little bit harder if players see the Force as better for their development. It wasn’t an issue in the years before the Force were initially excised from the competition, but the east coast sides are now having to grapple with a rival in the west whose progress may well be sustainable.

Cully’s team of the week

 1. Tom Robertson (Force)

2. Feleti Kaitu’u (Force)

3. Cabous Eloff (Rebels)

4. Rob Leota (Rebels)

5. Sitaleki Timani (Force)

6. Rob Valetini (Brumbies)

7. Kane Koteka (Force)

8. Harry Wilson (Reds)

9. Tate McDermott (Reds)

10. Carter Gordon (Rebels)

11. Filipo Daugunu (Reds)

12. Irae Simone (Brumbies)

13. Tevita Kuridrani (Force)

14. Frank Lomani (Rebels)

15. Tom Banks (Brumbies)

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