Nick Ferris writes: 2007 season is over, we failed at the World Cup. A new national coach is to be selected, and there is a changing of the guard with some senior players retiring.
The next question is, should there be a new Australian captain? If so who and why?
I’m not saying Stirling Mortlock is not the man for the job, but I think it’s a serious subject that needs some serious thought. Just picking the best player for captain or the “first picked selected” is not the way to pick a captain.
Sean Fitzpatrick, Nick Farr Jones, Martin Johnson, John Eales, Wayne Shelford, John Smit are all great players, but is was with their captaincy they made even more than just the sum of their parts
When Australia played South Africa, in Newlands, Cape Town, earlier this year the captain, John Smit, went off with an injury. Sth. Africa slumped and Australia would have won that match if not for a great field goal from 40 metres out and on the touch line by Frans Steyn. During the World Cup when playing the Fijian side in the quarter final, Fiji had crawled back to 20-20 with 15 minutes to go, John Smit pulled his team aside and told the players that he could see in their eyes what he had seen in those of the Australia and New Zealand players at the same stage in their games the previous day, he told them to snap out of it. They went on the win 37-20.
Under John Eales, Australia won an unprecedented 3 nil series against the All Blacks, two of which were in NZ, in 1998. Retained the Bledisloe Cup in 1999, 2000, and won again in 2001, won the 2001 series against the British Isles and Irish Lions. And through his maturity won the Web Ellis Cup in 1999. His talent and composure on, and off, the field was an inspiration to the whole team.
Michael Lynagh is not one of the more celebrated captains, although still a good captain, he had a particularly inspirational moment in 1991 RWC against Ireland. In the final minutes, Ireland had just scored to be in the lead. Nick Farr Jones, the regular Wallaby captain was injured, so is was Michael Lynagh’s job to address the team under the posts while the conversion was being lined up. He was aware of being positive in his comments, rather than saying “don’t” do this and that, it had to be “DO” this and that. He told the team they would kick deep, they would get a lineout and win it put the ball wide. He called the backline move and ended up scoring in the corner, winning the game and going on to win the World Cup.
Wayne Shelford was one of New Zealand’s greatest No.8s. He captained NZ from 1987 through to 1990. He captained NZ in 31 times, winning 31,14 of these were tests. But one of his most important contributions was his contribution to the Haka. Wikipedia says “After becoming captain, Shelford brought his teammates to Te Aute College, a Māori school, to see the students perform a traditional haka. Although the All Blacks had been performing hakas at the start of their matches since the team’s inception, Shelford taught them the proper way to perform the “Ka Mate,” the haka they still use to this day at the start of their matches.” This in itself is a significant achievement.
Sean Fitzpatrick’s contribution to New Zealand is also more than just a great hooker, from all reports he was more of a captain/coach. England would never had won the 2003 RWC without Martin Johnson
I would argue that when a team is selected the captain is picked first, regardless whether there is a player of equal talent or better in his position. The Captain IS a position in itself, and I feel it is the most important. The exception is of course that the captain’s form is so bad that he must be dropped. A good example is when Nick Farr Jones was playing, Queensland’s Peter Slattery was a fine half back, good enough for selection for the Wallabies, but Farr Jones was an exceptional captain. Todd Blackadder was another great captain for the Crusaders, probably their no. 2-3 second rower, but justified his position because of his captaincy. Also I don’t like the recent practice of having a captain that get replaced with 30 minutes to go. The captain should be an 80 minute player.
Therefore, should Mortlock be retained as captain, does he have the qualities needed, maybe Giteau. In the forwards we have Waugh or Vickerman, Could Rocky Elsom grow to be captain material. Do we have a Farr Jones or Eales in one of the younger guys? If so, I hope we find them soon. Along with the need for a good front row and a good half combination, an inspirational captain should be top of Wallabies wish list.
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