Tim Horan pinpoints what the Wallabies ‘need’ to compete with the best

Two-time Rugby World Cup winner Tim Horan has highlighted “size” as one area of concern for the Wallabies following their second successive loss to the Springboks. Australia were beaten by comprehensive margins in both the Brisbane and Perth Tests earlier this month.

With Taniela Tupou ruled out of both Tests for family reasons, the Wallabies seemed to lack some muscle up front. The Springboks are unforgiving with their physicality and that was brought to the fore once again during these Rugby Championship fixtures.

It’s true that the Wallabies were a fair bit better in Perth than what they’d shown one week earlier in Brisbane, but it was still a one-sided annihilation by the time the full-time whistle sounded on a wet night at Optus Stadium.

There’s a lot to analyse and look at from that performance. Coach Joe Schmidt named Nic White and Noah Lolesio in the halves, and an injury to Hutner Paisami early in the second term was also another turning point – prompting a chaotic backline reshuffle.

But as Wallabies legend Tim Horan explained, Australia hasn’t had the size to match it with the likes of South Africa. Lachlan Swinton has left Aussie rugby for France, and the backrower is exactly what the Wallabies are missing according to Horan.

“I think there were some good signs in that first 40 minutes. The second 40 minutes wasn’t great – uncontested scrums, you couldn’t really get a gauge. Turnover ball really cost the Wallabies,” Tim Horan said on Stan Sports’ Rugby Heaven.

“Yes, it was difficult conditions but the Springboks are number one in the world, we’re number nine in the world.

“I actually think we’re lacking size. No Rob Leota, no (Will) Skelton, no Taniela Tupou. I don’t know why Rugby Australia let Lachie Swinton go overseas. I think if you had Lachie Swinton now, he’s got some size about him. Imagine him coming off the bench.

“I would have kept him around the squad. Big body, no Rob Leota… we need some size.”

But those losses to South Africa are in the past now. The Australians have another two-Test mini-series coming up against Argentina, and that’ll be another highly physical contest against the likes of Pablo Matera and Marcos Kremer.

The Wallabies have received a boost with Wallaby No. 917, Taniela Tupou, returning to the fold for these Tests in Argentina. Locks Jeremy Willams and Nick Frost are also available after missing the second clash with the Springboks.

Last weekend, about an hour after full-time in Perth, coach Joe Schmidt was asked about Tupou and what one of the NSW Waratahs’ new recruits can bring to the table. Schmidt was candid about the influence ‘The Tongan Thor’ can have but insisted it’s a team game.

“He’s a bit of a tank isn’t he, he’s pretty hard to stop if we can get him with a bit of momentum,” coach Joe Schmidt told reporters last weekend.

“But even last week in the second half, I thought that Harry (Wilson) got some good gain line, Bob Valetini got some good gain line.

“But I do feel that we’ve got to share the load. We can’t say that we’ve got Nela back, he’s gonna give us gain line, we’ve got to share the load.

“We’ve got to keep building other players to be confident, and we’ve got to have line options. I think one of the things when they’re storming at you is when they’re not sure who’s going to get the ball, and we’ve got to work really hard at all that.

“I thought Lukhan (Salakaia-Loto) carried the probably best I’ve seen him tonight, and I was gutted for him and obviously for us when he lost that ball because that again was an opportunity for us to get closer enough on the scoreboard to put them under some pressure.”