Wallabies five-eighth Christian Lealiifano has identified a worrying reason for their slow starts at the Rugby World Cup: stress.
In an analysis that may cause the Australians to double the hours of their team psychologists, Lealiifano says substandard first-half performances in all three pool games in Japan have built on themselves because of anxiety.
Having conceded big deficits and launched fightbacks against Fiji and Wales, the Wallabies were at least well clear (19-3) by halftime against lowly Uruguay in Oita on Saturday.
However, they were considerably more convincing after the break, creating four sharp tries to win 45-10.
The opening spell had been blotted by some indecision and yellow cards to forwards Adam Coleman and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto for high tackles.
The indiscretions were described by Lealiifano as “poor technique”, which, in turn, could be attributed to overeagerness.
“I think we’re putting a lot of pressure on ourselves to really, really start well and it’s creating a little bit of stress maybe, I don’t know,” Lealiifano said.
“And you can’t really start a game well when you’re getting penalised. We really need to fix that up as well and just be smart with what we’re doing early.”
Coach Michael Cheika had played down the slow starts earlier in the tournament, declaring the issue one that that could be resolved with greater concentration.
However, he singled their first 40 minute fades as his biggest concern heading into the final pool game against Georgia in Shizuoka on Friday.
Cheika wants to see an 80-minute performance a week out from a quarter-final that’s increasingly shaping to be against an ominous-looking England.
“Not that we haven’t played well. We’ve just been a little bit less consistent in the first 20-odd (minutes) and it gets you off on the wrong foot so it’s definitely something we need to address,” Cheika said.
“That’s three times now, three games a little bit off the pace at the start. So I know I have to get my pre-match speech a little bit better.”
Lealiifano is a central figure if the Wallabies’ heads are to be cooler from the outset.
The 32-year-old produced his best Test display since the crushing defeat of the All Blacks in Perth nearly two months ago and it will probably leave him as the team’s chief conductor for the remainder of the tournament.
Lealiifano’s goalkicking was better, aside from one adjacent missed conversion, and his understanding with two fellow-Brumbies – halfback Nic White and outside centre Tevita Kuridrani – proved incisive.