In the build-up to today's Tri-Nations Test, Australia's coach, Eddie Jones, has been blamed for "betraying" the nation's rugby talent, while the Wallaby captain, George Gregan, has featured on front and back pages of newspapers which are calling for his sacking.
Australia's third Test defeat in a row has been described in blaring headlines of which "The End of the World" is one of the less extreme. These are just a few snap-shots from the most emotional of weeks, where doom and gloom has descended upon Australian rugby, primarily because New Zealand humiliated them by a record 50-21 score in Sydney last weekend.
Reality has suddenly hit. For so long, Australians believed the 2003 World Cup would be rugby's version of the 2000 Sydney Olympics with endless golden moments. Now there are considerable fears that the hosts will struggle to get even to the semi-finals.
The reasons for Australia's decline are many. But the crucial elements are that the trendsetters have now been passed by so many teams, in particular New Zealand and England, who have utilised their ideas, and taken them to another level.
Australia have struggled to adapt from a rigid style that worked in the 1999 World Cup but is now outdated.
The game has become far more expansive and New Zealand, as shown in their recent thrashings of South Africa and Australia, are prepared to attack extravagantly from any spot of the field, and from any situation, most often from turnover ball. Five of New Zealand's seven tries against Australia came immediately after the Wallabies lost possession.
There is also the question of whether this Australian team have the required hunger or passion. The former Australian back rower Sam Scott-Young echoed the thoughts of many when he said: "This Australian team has gone soft, and they've got to get tough. Against the All Blacks, there was no bash in them, no heart, no passion, no anger, no nothing."
The Springboks, who love baiting Australia, have kept up the pressure this week. South Africa's coach, Rudolf Straeuli, has been playing mind games, arguing that if Australia persist in picking senior, experienced players who keep losing, panic is bound to set in.
Many believe it already has.
AUSTRALIA: Latham; Sailor, Rogers, Flatley, Tuqiri; Larkham, Gregan (capt); Young, Cannon, Noriega, Vickerman, Giffin, Smith, Waugh, Kefu. Replacements: Burke, Giteau, Paul, Panoho, Sharpe, Finegan, Whitaker.
SOUTH AFRICA: Pretorius; Terblanche, Muller, Barry, Willemse; Koen, Davidson; Kempson, Coetzee, Bands, Boome, Matfield, Krige (capt), Van Niekerk, Smith. Replacements: Russell, Bobo, Van der Westhuizen, Santon, Sephaka, Botha, Van Heerden.
Guardian Service
