Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read has admitted he is worried for Australia and expects them to struggle against Scotland, after a third heavy defeat in a row.
“They are behind. I worry for them. They’re going to struggle against Scotland,” Read said on The Good, The Bad & Rugby Australia & New Zealand.
Is he right, or will the Wallabies prove him wrong at Murrayfield?
The Kiwi was speaking with host Andy Rowe and former Wallabies hooker Jeremy Paul, in an episode published on 10 November.
Australia lost 45–22 to England at Twickenham on Sunday 8 November and have conceded 138 points in their last three Tests. They face Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday 15 November.
READ MORE: Wallabies defence leaks 138 points: can Kiss fix it in a week?
‘They are behind’
It was put to Read that openside Fraser McReight “hasn’t stolen a ball in three games”. Read said the flanker was not the problem.
“There’s no way he can get on the ball because he’s going backwards, mate,” Read said. “They’ve got a lot of work to do actually.”
‘You could not get set’
The 41-year-old said the Wallabies had shown progress this year and lost it when the opposition improved.
“I look at the Aussie team and you go, man, it’s frustrating when you see the progress and then suddenly it’s like, OK, we actually come up against maybe games that actually matter and they can’t put it out there on the field,” he explained.
“England was just rolling on. Their ruck speed was that quick you could not get set.
“You need to find a way to stop that first ruck, to stop them off set piece, whatever it is, to give yourself a chance to get set and have the structure that can do it, because otherwise you’re chasing tails.”
Head coach Les Kiss was unbeaten in his first five Tests in charge, and Australia beat the Springboks 42–38 in Perth earlier this season.
‘A pretty big hole’
Paul wants the coaches to drive the response with a brutal week of contact training. Read put it on the players.
“Right now they’re sitting in whatever hotel, they’re sitting in a nice hotel, and they should be looking around each other and going, ‘OK, how do we get out of this?'” he said.
“They’ve dug themselves a pretty big hole.
“Yes, the coaches, but he’ll need his players to start to step up. And there’s enough in that team to step up and take control.
“They’ve got to step up and step forward, because otherwise you’re just going around in circles and just waiting for things to happen on a weekend, which just won’t happen.”
Captain Harry Wilson has called for a far more physical defensive effort at Murrayfield. Australia then play Wales in Cardiff.
READ MORE: Kieran Read Says The Wallabies Just Gave Up In Sydney
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