Source: The Courier-Mail
With the departure of stand-in captain Nathan Sharpe this year, the Wallabies are now without anyone with Bledisloe Cup winning experience. Source: Getty Images
NATHAN Sharpe's exit from Test ranks means there is no active Wallaby who has taken a swig from the Bledisloe Cup, as subservience to the All Blacks now approaches a decade.
No matter what other baubles or achievements are mustered by the Wallabies, the lack of success against our formidable New Zealand foes is always the handbrake on the rating you can give the men in gold.
This was to be the year of turning the tide but those hopes were dashed over one ragged week in August when the Wallabies frittered away home ground advantage in Sydney for a 27-19 loss and were comprehensively picked apart 22-0 at Auckland's Eden Park.
The half-chances missed against the World Cup champions got to Sharpe, who gave perspective to the Wallabies' wasteful history during the final lap of a 116-Test career which was to finish in style with the Test captaincy.
"My biggest regret would be all the little things which have cost us in Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland over the years and could have been the difference between keeping us in the hunt for the Bledisloe Cup and not," Sharpe lamented.
Before the third Test against the All Blacks in Brisbane in October, Sharpe delivered an impassioned call to arms to prevent his Cup of regrets from spilling on to the new generation.
For the greater part of that Test at Suncorp Stadium, the 12-point underdogs were in the zone to seize a heroic upset. At 15-6 up with half an hour to play, a soaring highlight for 2012 loomed but the All Blacks clawed an 18-18 draw out of it.
The Wallabies held the ball for more than three minutes after the fulltime siren yet neither Kurtley Beale nor Mike Harris set themselves for a field goal to win it.
The Wallabies played 15 Tests for the year and won nine but it started horribly in the rain and wind of Newcastle. A 9-6 tumble to Scotland was an ugly disaster that made Robbie Deans' hold on his coaching job a hot topic for the five months to follow.
The admirable trait of finding ways to win tight Tests and the contribution of rookies freshly exposed to Test rugby were the big pluses of the campaign across eight countries.
Three tight results were clinched against the Welsh when the return of an old-fashioned three-Test series was a big winner. Come-from-behind wins over South Africa in Perth and the plucky Argentinians on the Gold Coast showed quality while beating England 20-14 at Twickenham was the best victory of the year.
The stark statistic of scoring only 15 tries in 15 Tests meant the run-and-stun reputation of the Aussies took a hit. The delirious overuse of rubbish grubber kicks reflected a lack of confidence at times.
The huge injury toll which cut down three captains - James Horwill, David Pocock and Will Genia - as well as James O'Connor, Quade Cooper and numerous others, should not disguise the fact that Deans' attacking ideas stuttered.
The Wallabies underplayed the off-loading game and the use of powerful forward runners out wide that made the All Blacks the best in the world.
Sharpe's earthy leadership at 34 in the final months of his Test career was excellent and he was a worthy winner of the John Eales Medal for a second time as he led the team in runs, tackles and minutes played.
Experienced hands Berrick Barnes, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Benn Robinson and late-season asset Wycliff Palu were rocks.
Rookies soared when given a shot and none more so than Michael Hooper, whose 50m gallop through four defenders in Rosario to run the Wallabies out of trouble against Argentina was typical of his big-moment class as the flanker who filled the Pocock void.
In the same Test, utility Harris defied laser pointers being traced on his face and the ball to kick Australia home.
Sitaleki Timani, Kane Douglas, Liam Gill, Dave Dennis, Nick Cummins and Dom Shipperley were other new caps who will be bigger assets next year, while centre Ben Tapuai and halfback Nick Phipps also stepped up as Test regulars for the first time.
The revival of Kurtley Beale was a great show of his character. He was down on fizz and confidence in his error-prone shocker at fullback against the All Blacks in Sydney and was dropped.
He answered the call at flyhalf for the final seven Tests. While he had limitations, his try-making pass to Digby Ioane in Rosario was much-needed class.
Cooper's shot at Deans and "toxic" elements in the Wallaby team environment was the biggest drama of the season. For a time the enigmatic flyhalf and rugby seemed headed for divorce.
Thankfully, Cooper copped a $40,000 fine, showed contrition and all involved came to a peace deal that keeps him in rugby for a role against the British and Irish Lions in the blockbuster series of next year.
Cooper figured in five wins from as many starts when he returned to the Reds after his knee surgery and a pulsating 32-16 victory over NSW in the final game catapulted the Queenslanders into the Super Rugby playoffs.
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