Congrats to the team. They played some fine footy and clearly many are great prospects. Though, I think it needs to be said in no uncertain terms, that the overall performance was underwhelming. This group is not alone, they are possibly the best of the last several years of under age squads but they suffered a similar fate and made the same bafflingly stupid errors in game planning, adjustment and execution. The parallels to the Aussie Super Rugby sides and the hideously inadequate Wallabies are stark. These fellas played with great skill at times, undoubted commitment and were obviously dominant in many areas of each game against every opponent. But, let's face it, they played stupid rugby. They pushed wide while on the back foot, played footy in their own quarter too much, kicked aimlessly and failed to focus on easy attacking opportunities such as countering. (We play great in space--like the the Kiwis, but confidence does weird things). They were predictable in tight and were unable to think on their feet.
It's OK to say the individuals will improve -- they will, but it's not good enough, because the slippage against the Kiwis will result in the same rationalisation for our mistakes that results in medocity at the highest level. Developmental pathways are a whole big discussion--I very much lament the continued "exclusive" nature of the sport, but that's a rant for another space.
Suffice to say, there are a bunch of good Australian players and we got to see them in this tournament, but we are stragglers when it comes to a rugby IQ and we are being left behind in a game that is expanding at a wicked place in every other country but ours.
