After a hammering with my predictions in the 2007 RWC tournament, it’s time to get back on the horse again with another fearless prediction. And here it is: Alan Jones won’t be the next Wallabies coach or manager.
There are the practical matters like how could the admittedly workaholic Jones (who sleeps apparently about four hours only a night, gasp!) fit in the intensely busy work schedule he currently has with a full-time coaching job? He did it with Souths, it might be argued, but then that particular coaching stint was not successful.
It should be remembered too that in 1987 the RWC favourites Australia went out in the semi-final under a Jones coaching regime that was undermined by his need to concentrate on his new radio commitments and devote only the afternoons and evenings to the Wallabies.
Then there is the fact that the game has moved on since Jones was last the Wallabies coach in the 1980s.
It may be that the shrewd John O’Neill may want to give Jones some sort of honorary role in Australian rugby (chief motivator perhaps? gasp!) on the Lyndon Johnson grounds that it’s better for critics to be inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in. But I doubt this will happen.
The thing about the push for Jones to take over control of the Wallabies is that it is grounded in some bitter rugby politics. Before Rod Macqueen was appointed to the job of Wallaby coach in late 1997, when Greg Smith was clearly not up to the job, I and all the other rugby writers were subjected to a strong campaign to get Jones back in. I even scored a lunch at Machiavelli’s with Ross Turnbull pushing the Jones case.
Turnbull’s attempted intervention gives a clue as to the motives of the Jones push. It was all about wrenching control of Australian rugby from the officials (the good guys in my opinion) who had beaten off the Turnbull-Packer rugby circus takeover bid. The mark of the defeat of the Turnbull-Packer gang was the appointment of John O’Neill in 1996 to run Australian rugby as an independent organisation not beholden to any media group.
Alan Jones was extremely critical of the O’Neill appointment. O’Neill successfully sued Jones. In the lead-up to O’Neill’s second coming, he was backed this time by Jones. But whether this is enough for Jones to be rewarded with some honorary position remains to be seen.
Who then is likely to get the Wallaby coaching job?
If the NZRU is stupid enough not to appoint Robbie Deans as the All Blacks coach, it is clear that John O’Neill will push hard for him. There are timing problems related to this. The NZRU appointment is due to take place after the ARU says it will make its decision. You’d presume that the former All Black Deans would see the NZ job as first prize.
If not Deans, then David Nucifora would seem to be the obvious next choice. He is the only Australian coach available who has won a Super 14 title. He was booted out by the ACT Brumbies because he wanted to regenerate the squad. O’Neill wanted the Wallabies to do the same thing but was stymied by Eddie Jones. Nucifora’s stint with the Auckland Blues has not been overly successful.
There are other candidates, including Scott Johnson. But there is a feeling, expressed quite strongly by Mark Ella in recent arguments, that as Johnson was responsible for coaching the Wallabies (he ran the field sessions, anyway) that the disastrous 2007 RWC tournament campaign should be held against him.
Jake White? I think not. There is his connection with Jones minor, Eddie Jones, which will not go down well with the board of the ARU. There seems to be a change of attitude too in South Africa regarding quotas with the president Thabo Mbeki now talking about greater ‘facilities’ for black players rather than quotas as the way to bring them forward. My guess though is that a black or coloured Springboks coach will be appointed, as a sign that ‘transformation’ is taking place.
It seems to me, too, that there is a push to get White (the right name for an England coach, after all) as England’s coach. Brian Ashton has been savagely attacked by Laurence Dallalgio, and criticised severely by Mike Catt and Sir Clive Woodward. Ashton looked like a shoo-in a couple of weeks ago to retain his coaching job. But not now.
So, gulp, here’s the fearless prediction on the coming coaching appointments: look for David Nucifora for Australia, Robbie Deans for NZ, and Jake White for England.
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.
Do you have what it takes to become a sports writer? Write for the roar
Rugby Union articles
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (198)
- Will South African rugby force a Super 21 by 2018? (172)
- Brumbies 2012: New coach, new players, new attitude (128)
- Dan Parks and the unsolved questions of expat rugby (61)
- Pocock set to be named new Force skipper (56)
- Can the ‘Tahs win the battle after losing the Waugh? (51)
- What does the future hold for the Six Nations (50)
- The real story of how John O’Neill turned Manchester City down (2)
- Wales’ Davies banned for ‘tip tackle’ (3)
- Graham Henry’s rugby future confirmed (12)
- Barnes to lead Waratahs in first hitout
- Harris and Lucas in Reds No.10 audition (3)
- Wales show Southern Hemisphere how to play running rugby (19)
- Dan Parks and the unsolved questions of expat rugby (61)
- Wales show Southern Hemisphere how to play running rugby (19)
- What opening matches of Six Nations taught us (16)
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (198)
- Clinical Chiefs cost rusty Rebels in Corio (9)
- Six Nations shows rugby is a parochial game at heart (5)
- Goose’s Super Rugby up-and-comer XV for 2012 (29)
- What does the future hold for the Six Nations (50)
- Explore:
Stu said | October 30th 2007 @ 4:42am | Report comment
As long as no Jones is coaching the Wallabies, then all is good – Dean is the obvious replacement for NZ & as for SA and ENG whio knows? Not including White & Connolly, considering the results of the RWC there should be a plethora of international coaches on the circuit on the market- Sullivan, Jenkins, Henry.
Considering the players Nucifora has had at the Blues i wonder if he is really up to coaching the Wallabies.
Stu said | October 30th 2007 @ 4:43am | Report comment
BTW – I’m not suggesting we go for Sullivan or Jenkins, but Henry could be good.
I seriously do like Mitchell.
stillmissit said | October 30th 2007 @ 4:58am | Report comment
Stu I agree I think of the coaches in Australia at the moment then Mitchell is the best. He has stated that he is not interested in the job and it appears that is where it ends. Pity, but understandable after the personal attacks he took following the 2003 WC. Henry in hindsight has done no better job with the AB’s than Mitchell who also had a fabulous record prior to the WC with players who didnt have the skills of the current AB’s.
David Nucifora would be a fine appointment and, in the absence of Deans, should be given the job of rebuilding Australia over the next 2 years with a RWC 2011 coach being brought in to take the team through the cup.
Scott Johnson could have had the job in the absence of Deans if the backs had performed well but I dont think they have improved over the last 2 years and that was his job.
I don’t believe there is anyone else.
sheek said | October 30th 2007 @ 5:00am | Report comment
Spiro,
I think you’re on the money – David Nuficora for Australia; Robbie Deans for NZ; Jake White for England. But then, my last prediction before the WC kicked off was that France would prevail over NZ in the final.
The good thing about Alan Jones, is that he would have involved two of the absolutely necessay men into coaching capacities. Jones already had flagged Mark Ella as an assistant coach. Jones is also close to Topo Rodriguez, who I think is ideal to head up any national scrum academy.
In your tribute to Steve Larkham, you spoke of coach MacQueen picking his best attacking player (I think they were roughly your words, or at least the sentiment) as flyhalf. Whoever is the next national coach, ought to involve the best “brains” in Australian rugby into coaching positions, irrespective of politics.
But I guess that is too much to ask for. Frankly, I think John O’Neill should offer the combined salaries of Tuqiri, Sailor & Rogers to snare Deans – he’s that good!
onside said | October 30th 2007 @ 5:26am | Report comment
The position should be called MANAGER, not COACH , in the same manner as international football.
MANAGER more realisticly describes the overall job specification. COACH suggests too narrow a brief.
onside said | October 30th 2007 @ 5:33am | Report comment
Sheek, Spiro (as l sporting tipsters)
You are in elite company, along with weather forcasters and economists.
It matters not how many times they are wrong ,people continually tune in
for the next prediction because deep down they never expect them to be
right. To that end ,you have lived up to expectation
stillmissit said | October 30th 2007 @ 6:18am | Report comment
This is the least obvious call of all the appointment of Wallaby coach I have seen over the years. Although McQueen was left field and I knew nothing of him prior to his appointment, as soon as I heard about his approach to the Wallabies he had my thumbs up.
In the current environment assuming Deans will not be it, and I believe NZ would be crazy to reappoint Henry, then I think O’Neil won’t appoint Nucifora although he would do a good job in rebuilding with our youth. O’Neil will want the very best in the world and I bet the discussions going on in North Sydney would be very interesting at the moment.
The Argentina coach? if he can speak english. Good forwards approach and as an ex back understands that side of the game as well as most. Maybe Henry? to rebuild the forwards and put some mongrel in the team then someone else for the World Cup. Who knows where you go when the main person for the job is unavailable and there is an obvious shortage of talent.
I expect that if Deans doesn’t accept the Wallaby job then O’Neil will put a lot of money and ego pressure on John Mitchell. It is what I would do.
O’Neal and McQueen was the winning combination for Austrlia and O’Neil will want someone at least as competent and creative as McQueen. That cuts out nearly all of the current applicants.
Pfitzy said | October 30th 2007 @ 10:51am | Report comment
Loffreda speaks English well enough – he’s easier to listen to than Eddie Jones at least.
I’d applaud the appointment of Nucifora as coach. He’s not afraid to tread on a few toes to get the job done, which is a double-edged sword of course in the overly political environment of Australian Rugby. But I think despite a lack of titles he’s done well with a Blues team that relies too much on flash rather than substance, especially with utter pillocks like Ali Williams disrupting things in the squad.
I would not have John Mitchell as head coach. He showed with the All Blacks and with the Force that developing a forwards game is not his forte, despite his playing years for Waikato. How else do you explain Nathan Sharpe seagulling at both provincial and national level?
The best thing going forward is the clean slate as far as selections go. Gregan and Larkham were kept on past their prime for fear of losing, where we should have taken the hard knocks and developed some talent. Short-term pain, long-term gain. Hopefully the new batch of youngsters are around long enough to make it interesting, unlike the procession of halves who headed overseas because the incumbents were immovable, despite form or injury.
stillmissit said | October 30th 2007 @ 11:01am | Report comment
Pfitzy
Having named nearly every coach in world rugby during this thread all that’s left for me to do to take issue with you over Nathan Sharpe. I have always believed that Sharpe is about as over rated as you can get as a second row. He found his job was a lot easier by sea gulling, under Eddie Jones, on the fringes or preferably in the centers and then driving the ball up mainly into backs and leaving the hard work for other forwards to do.
Basically he has always been an imposter at the Wallaby level in my book and what a waste of so much muscle particularly above the eyes.
I don’t believe Mitchell created this marshmellow it has always been there.
Greenie said | October 30th 2007 @ 11:08am | Report comment
Go Spiro! Wow, you’ve really gone out on a limb! In the spirit of the exercise, I’ve got a couple of fearless predictions myself. The next Wallaby coach will not be Santa Claus, nor the Easter Bunny. There, I’ve said it.