John O’Neill has cost Australia the Tri-Nations
Roar Guru By kingplaymaker, 2 Sep 2009 kingplaymaker is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Billy Slater, Dan Vickerman, James OConnor, John ONeill, Karmichael Hunt, Lote Tuqiri, NRL, robbie deans, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Timana Tahu, wallabies
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AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy - Managing Director and CEO of Australian Rugby John O'Neill
There’s one man who has had a bigger negative influence on the performance of the Wallabies than anyone else this year. Who is it?
Al Baxter, Robbie Deans, Richard Brown?
Of course not. It’s the man running the whole show, John O’Neill.
Let’s look at four crucial plays O’Neill has made which have had such an effect on the Wallabies.
1. Firing Lote Tuqiri
Very few journalists have mentioned what a devastating and disturbing effect this must have had on team morale and confidence.
To jettison such a senior member of the team just before the start of the season has had the expected effect on the side’s enthusiasm and quality, in contrast to the vibrant and dynamic beginning to the last Tri-Nations.
In addition, a superb wing (when on-form) has been lost.
2. Roughly negotiating with Dan Vickerman
How were the South Africans able to dominate Australia so much in the line-out and out-muscle them in the loose? The absence of a world-class lock, that’s how.
‘Neill negotiates with players as if they were normal employees in a company. That is, roughly.
Rugby players need to be handed more delicately.
And it is this tough approach that persuaded Vickerman to leave.
3. Refusal to buy a rugby league fullback
It has been blindingly obvious for some time that Australia lack a top running fullback. James O’Connor and Adam Ashley-Cooper are centres out of position.
Two were potentially available this year – Karmichael Hunt and Billy Slater – and the ARU didn’t seriously bid.
O’Neill now thinks that it doesn’t make good sense to buy league players, and in general, he may be right. However, in this critical case an exception should have been made.
4. Letting Tahu go
Stirling Mortlock gets injured and who is the brilliant strike runner to replace him? Ryan Cross.
There is no brilliant strike runner because O’Neill hasn’t done everything to keep Timana Tahu.
The absence of these four players has hugely weakened the Wallabies.
O’Neill has a hard approach to negotiating, which may be good for the administrative side of the game (though his failure to suggest a Super 18 instead of 15 would suggest not).
However, when it comes to players he simply seems to be unaware that:
a. There is a lack of talent available in Australia. Losing or not acquiring three or four top players really does matter in a way it wouldn’t in New Zealand.
b. Negotiating with players involves using kid gloves and backing down sometimes in a way unnecessary with office workers. Otherwise, they get unhappy and go.
By all means, keep O’Neill for the general administration of the game.
But for all matters relating to players, someone else should be given responsibility as soon as possible.
Recommend this story.
September 2nd 2009 @ 9:55am
kingplaymaker said | September 2nd 2009 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Hammer if anyone could be bought for money it’s Hunt, and in the past the ARU would have done it too. In some positions, such as openside flanker, the Wallabies have more good players than they need. In others, such as full-back, they have literally no one and so the difference to the team would be massive.
Couchnorm I feel sorry for Deans in all this. He has players taken away from him by O’Neill and none given to him in return.
Rick G if there’s a really good employee who needs to be retained, a CEO like O’Neill can persuade him, give him inducements, and in some way hold on to him.
Harry those are critical points too and the reason I didn’t mention them is that they will affect the future, and not the present. Obviously union will grow weaker and weaker without a high level club competition, as well as a development team. What also baffles me is that as South Africa and New Zealand both wanted an extra Super team, why didn’t O’Neill propose having two more in Australia and one more in each of the other countries? Then all three members would be happy and there would be two huge development opportunities for rugby in Australia (So what if one of the Australian teams would be weak for a while?).
Jameswm my point isn’t necessarily which league full-back, but one of them. By all means Hayne if they could get him while on-contract. Your sympathy with Vickerman’s life experience is touching but it has the unfortunate result of Australia losing 9 of their own throws against South Africa a couple of weeks ago, and subsequently being thrashed.
September 2nd 2009 @ 10:09am
Hammer said | September 2nd 2009 @ 10:09am | Report comment
the NZRFU didn’t want another Super team – that’s why the k/oed the Taranaki bid … expanding to 15 is going to dilute an already waning product – 18 would only sign it’s death warrant … plus SANZAR is a 3 way partnership – SA and NZ have already shown they don’t want their domestic competitions put at risk from expansion
“if anyone could be bought for money it’s Hunt, and in the past the ARU would have done it too” – what does that tell you the ARU haven’t got the money anymore – they’re strapped for cash – buying in talent from another code that has proved unspectacular in past is too big a risk ..
September 2nd 2009 @ 10:28am
chris said | September 2nd 2009 @ 10:28am | Report comment
did you see the link to an online article rickG about the lote saga. it was posted on one of the roar articles a while back in the comments section. i dont think it was available for too long apparently – i read it but not sure of the validity.
September 2nd 2009 @ 10:33am
kingplaymaker said | September 2nd 2009 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Hammer if O’Neill proposed a Super 18, South Africa would leap at the chance to have their team, Australia would have two (they could argue that it was quite reasonable for all three countries to have the same number of teams, especially with conferences), then New Zealand would definitely claim their sixth team.
Regarding Hunt what it tells you is that they don’t think it’s a good policy to buy in league players. However, they can afford one easily.
September 2nd 2009 @ 10:34am
ohtani's jacket said | September 2nd 2009 @ 10:34am | Report comment
John O’Neill wants a Super 18. It’s all part of his glorious plan.
I’ve been prattling on for a while now about how useless JON is, but it always ends up sounding like I hate O’Neill, Deans and Australian rugby. Seriously, though, this second dig as CEO? Not as good as the first.
September 2nd 2009 @ 10:39am
Vented Relief said | September 2nd 2009 @ 10:39am | Report comment
Yeah, seems like his time with the thespians (footballers) has made him a bit more uptight. Every interview he is in he seems to be angry with someone or something.
September 2nd 2009 @ 11:17am
Rah Rah Rasputin said | September 2nd 2009 @ 11:17am | Report comment
James O’Connor is an excellent talent and has displayed, in Super 14, the skill set to play at inside centre, but the guys weighs in at 80 kg. I’m not saying he’s not gutsey enough to make the tackle but the defensive workload would eventually take its toll, like it seems to be doing on Berrick Barnes.
If you want a strike runner, we’ve already got Giteau, we just need to use him properly. I also wouldn’t dismiss the talents of Ashley-Cooper and Ioane (when he returns).
Deans needs to develop more depth in the first/ second five-eigths postions, so when Barnes or Giteau get injured they can maintain some continuity in terms of skill set/ style of player, instead what we’ve seen happen with morlock/cross and aac/cross centre combinations.
September 2nd 2009 @ 11:17am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 2nd 2009 @ 11:17am | Report comment
kingplaymaker, congratulations on showing us the beauty of the Roar. we dont get the political correct ARU press releases. We get an opinion that is so wrong on all points, but it adds to the tapestry. Lote was gone as a player before his bad behaviour, Vicks had his heart set on other things, Tahu never made it, but the fault lies more with the Tahs induction programme that includes confidence sapping spells on the bench and then a playing strategy that didnt need a player will any attacking ability.
Refusal to buy a league fullback: are you serious? and then Mr Hunt. ever heard of the no dickheads policy? nothing special as a player, has a fetish for dummy cubicles, and chose league over union in the first instance, so good luck to him and his Sherrin!! have a look at the current players you would have disillusioned by such a signing: O’Connor, Hynes, Mitchell, Beale, AAC, Shepherd and Cooper to name a few. and they are better players anyway!!!!!!!
September 3rd 2009 @ 12:50am
Colin N said | September 3rd 2009 @ 12:50am | Report comment
LeftArmSpinner,
Kingplaymaker thinks League backs are the best thing since slice bread. It’s fine to have that opinion, but he also thinks Iain Balshaw and Lesley Vainikolo should be the first choice wingers for England, so I wouldn’t take him/her too seriously.
September 2nd 2009 @ 11:19am
onside said | September 2nd 2009 @ 11:19am | Report comment
Karmichael Hunt and Billy Slater as fullbacks.
If these players could automatically be as good in union as league then there is a valid point for recruiting one.
The trouble is these brilliant superb athletes might not be so influential in union.One, there is not as much room
to strut their stuff,and two, there is a different type of pressure in union,a different dynamic, because the ball
is not given to the opposition every six tackles. This in noway demeans league, but points out ,it’s not a simple
transition regardless of ability.
September 2nd 2009 @ 11:28am
Hammer said | September 2nd 2009 @ 11:28am | Report comment
“Australia would have two (they could argue that it was quite reasonable for all three countries to have the same number of teams, especially with conferences), then New Zealand would definitely claim their sixth team” … NZ have stated quite clearly they don’t have the depth for 6 teams
and Aust have 2 extra teams – WTF – they haven’t got the depth to fill 4 teams … the 5th (if they get) will consign 2 teams to bottom of the table for the medium to long term – effectively reducing their supporter base to a few diehards .. the 3rd team will be be in the bottom half – only two will have any strength – similar to where the Tahs and Brumbies are now – ie not good enough to make the top 4 … a 6th team would fit in below the first 2 teams mentioned
September 2nd 2009 @ 11:40am
Greg Russell said | September 2nd 2009 @ 11:40am | Report comment
kpm:
John O’Neill has not had a good year (right from the beginning I argued his folly in the Tuqiri case), but to blame the woes of the Wallabies on him is stretching things way too far.
Then again, you may not have devised the title of the article yourself. And in an odd sort of a way you are actually arguing the correct root cause of poor Wallaby performances: lack of talent.
September 2nd 2009 @ 6:07pm
cookee said | September 2nd 2009 @ 6:07pm | Report comment
lack of talented coaches /mentors who improve performance without ego driven dumb tactics/selections –OR do you mean there is no player talent good enough to be in the game agst nz OR are you saying nz is crap too?
agree that jon has had a crap year but hes not the coach cant blame him