Six losses in a row and counting. Australia’s rugby union team is in the midst of its worst losing streak in 36 years.
The Wallabies’ 26-16 loss to France on Saturday sparked renewed calls for the axing of captain George Gregan — who notched a record 115th test in Saturday’s defeat — and for coach Eddie Jones to either bring in new talent or be sacked as well.
Former test star David Campese slammed the Wallabies for ”going through the motions” in Marseille.
Campese said the national team desperately needs an injection of youth even if the Wallabies beat England and Scotland over the next two weeks.
”Something’s got to happen, someone’s got to go, they can’t protect themselves forever,” the outspoken former winger told Sydney radio station 2KY on Monday.
”We’ve got another two years before the World Cup. If [the Wallabies] keep on going [the way they are] there won’t be a World Cup,” he added.
”You need the young guys who have got a bit of excitement about them.”
Campese, who leaves for South Africa on Wednesday to begin a one-year contract as an assistant coach with the Durban-based Super 14 team the Sharks, said the Wallabies took their latest defeat too lightly.
”They lose and it’s ‘oh well it’s another loss, we’re not that far off,”’ said Campese. ”That’s six losses. There’s a lot of questions that have got to be answered.”
Wayne Smith, rugby writer for The Australian newspaper, labelled Saturday’s performance ”bumblingly inept”.
”The most lavishly financed Wallabies side of all time is living on the boundary of the most impoverished eras of Australian rugby history, the dark days from 1956-58 when Australia lost nine tests in succession and the war-interrupted decade from 1937-1947 when it lost 10 consecutively,” wrote Smith.
Greg Growden, writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, said Australia repeated mistakes it made in losing five previous matches, including all four in the Tri-Nations tournament.
”Australia made the same old errors, fell down in the usual areas and showed once more that when confronting the major international rugby powers they are off the pace,” wrote Growden.
”The night was supposed to be a celebration of the moment when their captain, George Gregan, became world rugby’s most capped international player. Instead, it turned into a wake as the Wallabies again showed that when there is a big moment, they make the big mistake.”
Peter Jenkins, writing in News Limited newspapers, agreed the time was right to bring in new talent.
”The Wallabies have lost their way, lost their confidence and lost another test, leaving coach Eddie Jones to consider removing the young guns from his holster,” wrote Jenkins.
Campese said longtime halfback understudy Chris Whitaker and 23-year-old Matt Henjak should be given an opportunity at Gregan’s number nine jersey.
”I think he’s got to go,” Campese said in a blistering attack on Gregan. ”I’ve been saying this for a while.
”All Gregan does is go from ruck to ruck, head down, pass ball.
Look at the other halfback [France’s Jean-Baptiste Elissalde], he kicked ahead, and he had a look before every ruck to see what’s happened behind Australia’s line.”
”It’s simple, it’s not rocket science.” – Sapa-AP