As seen in the match highlights on Sunday, Matt Toomua’s Wallaby debut will be remembered as a 47-29 loss to the All Blacks, and for a rather comical moment midway through the first half that resulted in him face down in the turf.
Ironically it’s the Australian’s that love the good old Falcon – when a ball hits a player on the head – but it was one of their own on the receiving end after New Zealand scrumhalf Aaron Smith failed to get any height on a clearing kick.
In fact if Toomua had gone for a proper charge down, rather than turn his back on it, a try might have been the result. It summed things up on a night when nothing went right for the hosts.
Quade Cooper, who Toomua was picked ahead of, found it quite amusing from the bench, although in fairness neither player impressed on what was a rough night in Sydney.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had a dig at Wallaby counterpart Ewen McKenzie after the game, hinting that he himself probably isn’t sure where to turn ahead of Saturday’s Wellington game.
“I felt both of them went OK. Both of them are good players,” Hansen said of Toomua and Cooper, the latter having been booed by New Zealand fans for the last few years.
“I don’t pick the Australian teams. I think they are both good players, but I am just happy I have got Dan Carter and Aaron Cruden… and Beauden Barrett for that matter.
“All five of those people are all very good rugby players, and four of them are New Zealanders.”
You can view more classic falcons in the Related Posts below the video
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