Tonight against the Crusaders, I saw, yet again, the Waratahs play like the Australian version of the England rugby team: grinding forward play and tactics solely reliant on the kick for field possession, followed by impassioned defence.
It is compounded by the ignorance of basic attacking play (use 15 players, support the ball carrier, run on to the ball, exploit mismatches).
This is a blatantly flawed strategy that has failed throughout the past four seasons, in both regular season and finals games.
Change is now mandatory.
The Waratahs’ strategy has consistently ignored:
1. positions 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. In addition, it also ignores a significant component (attack) of the roles of 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
2. 5 points for a try.
3. Bonus points for 4 tries.
4. The ELVs.
5. The natural instinct – and positive energy it brings – around which rugby is built: grab the ball and run with it. See instinctive, junior rugby, Touch rugby and Sevens.
6. That the fastest object on the field is the ball.
7. The cultural heritage of Sydney, NSW and Australian teams over many decades.
The good news is that season 2008 is not over yet. The solution is:
1. “Uncouple” Link.
2. Abandon the current strategy.
3. Name Todd Louden as temporary (performance based) head coach for the upcoming four home games.
Recommend this story.
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March 22nd 2008 @ 7:11pm
Dexter William said | March 22nd 2008 @ 7:11pm | Report comment
No Beale is good. He was one of the best in the ARC using the ELVs.
It is McKenzie who does not know how to use him.
March 22nd 2008 @ 7:49pm
LeftArmSpinner said | March 22nd 2008 @ 7:49pm | Report comment
Beale is the real deal. BUT in his first season, he didnt have a backs coach!!! This season, still just 19, is playing to instructions of the coach. Give him a go. Check out his stats. They are not D Carter but he has the same allround game.
March 22nd 2008 @ 8:32pm
CB said | March 22nd 2008 @ 8:32pm | Report comment
The problem as I see it with McKenzie is that he was a prop. And if you ask me once a prop you will always think like a prop. Get rid of him and replace him with someone who knows how to play and coach running rugby…
March 22nd 2008 @ 8:35pm
Blinkey Bill - Bellingen NSW said | March 22nd 2008 @ 8:35pm | Report comment
‘Disappointed’ would just about sum it up. How can the Tahs, with a week off to prepare for the match against the best team in the S14, come up with that weak arsed effort of a game plan? Was that their best idea? Shit a brick!
Phil Waugh, it’s time for you to act like a real Captain mate & really give your team a right bollocking. They need to fear your wrath for unperforming. Enough of this politically correct stuff such as “we need to go away & regroup and hopefully build on …………………..”. What’s that crap mean anyway?
These guys need a good slap, Tommy Redonikkas (sp?) style, before running out to play. Fire them up & start to play with some pride and passion. So help me the fans often seem more fired-up than the bloody players.
March 22nd 2008 @ 9:17pm
Yikes said | March 22nd 2008 @ 9:17pm | Report comment
ROB, Tuqiri (this was the 2nd penalty goal) was penalised for incorrect entry at the tackle. He must approach the tackle from the direction of his own goal line. Instead, he ran through the tackle as it was developing from the Crusaders’ side. It was oh so stupid.
March 22nd 2008 @ 9:17pm
Trevor said | March 22nd 2008 @ 9:17pm | Report comment
Beale is good. It has been noted in rugby circles that Beale is being told to curb his flair on the field because as a school boy he could perform the razzle dazzle and 9 times out of 10 it will come off. The opposition is not as strong at school boys but at S14 level if he makes a mistake because of a piece of flair, he will be punished. This was evident in games this year where Beale would take a kick into touch option instead of attacking. This is a massive coaching blunder. Telling a player he cant do what he is so naturally talanted to do is ridiculous. Sure, Beale needs to be coached in decision making and be shown that some situations onfield call for certain options but you should never coach a player in a way that will detract from all his natural talents. It is obviously Mckenzie who is making this call. Again, poor coaching from a egotistical know-it-all who should have been sacked after a 13th place last year on the table. Any Sth African, NZ or European team would have done this even half way thru the season last year when results were not coming thier way. Mckenzie has so much power and connections in NSW rugby that hes almost made himself untouchable and he is making not only the crucial decions for the Waratahs but dictating to all of NSW rugby that filters all the way down to grass roots. He would have a hand in the selection of coaches and players in NSW, the styles of play, coaching techniques etc etc. He is only one man but is having so much influence in this state. This bumbling fool needs to be outed and put a stop to his almost monopoly like control over NSW rugby, No one is standing up to him and saying you’ve made a bad decision here or selected the wrong player there. And please please please stop chasing leaguies. Great athletes yes, good in their original sport of league yes, but even good leaguies struggle in rugby. Despite the hammie injury, Tahu was still not ready to be put at outside centre for the first games this season. Please tell me what Tiquri has done for rugby for the past few years. Great athletes, great leaguies but not the best at rugby. There are still better young rugby players than these guys. Cheaper too. But nobody has the seeds to tell Mckenzie that these guys are not working out. Get rid of Mckenzie, get rid of his politics and put someone in who will take responsibility and be held accountable for the success/failure for the Waratahs.
March 22nd 2008 @ 11:40pm
stillmissit said | March 22nd 2008 @ 11:40pm | Report comment
Hi Guys agree with you all.
My partner is also pissed off as he doesn’t seem to be ‘into’ it or emotionally wound up about a loss or a win. His statement about all coaches are in the same pot as him sounded a bit like ‘Ah! well shit happens, I’ll get another gig’. He is also ‘Son of Eddie’ and his DNA is all over him including his love affair with the predictability of league and trying to bring this predictability into union.
I believe that McKenzie is living the lie about wanting the team to attack. It is written all over him how conservative and scared he is to risk anything and this infects the team. His use by date is up and a search for a replacement must start now!
These were my thoughts on the Waratahs game:
1) NSW created Nothing even the try seemed a surprise to everyone.
2) Plan seemed to be to kick and let the opposition make mistakes. (Not smart against the Crusaders)
3) No support of the player carrying the ball.
4) A strong defence and kicking only plan.
5) NSW seemed to be aiming to be competitive not dominant.
6) They had a preference to slow the game down.
7) They did not put on one attack in the first 40mins.
9) McKenzie never pulls off Lote regardless of how he plays. Most times last night he seemed absolutely lost on the paddock regardless of his couple of hits in defence. If he has a roaming licence like Campese had they must take it away from him immediately, he doesn’t know what to do with it and was just crashing into people.
10) Can’t believe that Mckenzie would not pick Burgess for the biggest game of the season.
Anyway guys I am sure you know all this.
To Vickerman, Polatu Nau, Mumm, Turner, Palu even though, like a lot of Islander boys, he is overwhelmed by All Blacks and Crusaders, Elsom and Waugh as the captain of these lost sheep, my apology’s for this attack, you guys seem to try your best each week in appauling conditions created by the coach. To the rest of you a new coach can’t come fast enough, some of you might make the transistion into an attacking and dynamic team but some of you are gone.
QUESTION: As a Waratahs supporter what can you ‘take out of this game’ ?
ANSWER: Same old shit as last week.
March 23rd 2008 @ 12:08am
westy said | March 23rd 2008 @ 12:08am | Report comment
Trevor…… great to read someone who loves rugby repects the skills of league but understands the immense difficulties of crossing over. There would only be very few leaguies who could do it ….a mad dog like Crocker playing as a flanker in the style of Price(or George Smith) or their absolute best playmakers ( football brains , great kickers and skills fit and 25/6 with 2 year ” training” exposure.)Lockyer and Johns only . Too late now. That is it. Rugby wants a sure fire easy fit…. athletic league wingers who by the way were never that creative.with the possible exception of Tahu when they already had these positions covered. You are right. Beale needs to learn patience but this will not be under the present coach.Rugby had the talent already in the positions it targeted league and unlike league’s poaching of rugby players never tried to target their best … Their playmakers . There were only 2 and rugby was very shallow in depth in the halves for over a decade. I always wondered who did the targeting/ marketing.League went for Messenger rugby never aimed for the bullseye. I saw Johns at a rugby session. Let just say he was a quick learner. The guy just had a football brain. I have seen it before but more often it was in a rugby player who switched to league. . Fit and earlier in his career with 5years to play rugby should have made him an offer he could not refuse and not worry about the rest. I am not really sure Mckenzie knows how to develop an attacking backline or engage in tactical kicking.
March 23rd 2008 @ 2:14am
NickF said | March 23rd 2008 @ 2:14am | Report comment
One of the new rules in the ELV is the 10 metre gap now created at scrum time when both sides have to stand back 5 metres from the last feet of the scrum. The Waratahs seem to either no know this or just squander the opportunity. Every time the ball went out the back line, and there was very little of this. the WHOLE backline received the ball flatfooted, where as the Crusaders had the 5/8 stand wide running on to the ball, as did the centre with the winger/s fullback and centre forming a V formation wide on the wing, AT PACE. This seems very obvious to me, and I am not a coach.
As for Beale, he may be the real deal or not, but potential does not win games. He has to do it or get off and let someone else do it.
Lote doesn’t have vision. It’s as simple as that. His positional play way dreadful. When he was successful in league all he did was run at the end of a backline and finish the play. He was playing in a good team that new how to run and pass. That kind of play does not need vision.
March 23rd 2008 @ 2:15am
NickF said | March 23rd 2008 @ 2:15am | Report comment
Attention: The Roar
Could someone there please forward this forum on to the NSWRU. I think they need to read it.