Tue 20 Aug 2013 | 06:11
The Matt Toomua Falcon against the All Blacks

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Comments

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

7 Comments

  • 7:51 AM 22/08/2013

    Mick "The Kick" Byrne ex AFL Demons (kicking/skills coach)
    Brian "Aussie" Mclean (defence coach)
    Ben Franks (he's not playing this weekend BUT Owen his brother was born in NZ)

  • ando
    5:34 PM 21/08/2013

    Is that true? That's GREAT ammunition to use with my Kiwi mates!

  • paimoe
    3:39 PM 21/08/2013

    I bet NZ even poached the groundsmen

  • drg
    1:00 PM 21/08/2013

    A tad hypocritical too, especially from an NZ coach, it's not like every All Black player in the past has JUST been from New Zealand!

  • foxtrot
    12:41 PM 21/08/2013

    Never liked Steve Hanson and this just keeps reaffirming my position. What a toss, its ok for fans to rib other teams over players that are not originally from their country but not the coach.

  • welshosprey
    10:21 AM 21/08/2013

    obligatory booing for Cooper

  • 10:26 PM 20/08/2013

    "All five of those people are all very good rugby players, and four of them are New Zealanders."

    And your kicking/skills coach, defence coach and one of your props were all born in Victoria Australia Mr Hanson