An open letter to John, Robbie, Rocky and Berrick
Roar Guru By LeftArmSpinner, 25 Oct 2009 LeftArmSpinner is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- 1984 Wallaby grand slam tour, Berrick Barnes, Grand Slam rugby, John O’Neill, robbie deans, Rocky Elsom, Rugby Union, wallabies
Dear Messrs. O’Neill, Deans, Elsom and Barnes: On the eve of the first Grand Slam tour for 25 years, and having attended all four games in 1984, I write this letter to offer you my personal support for your efforts, and to galvanise the other Wallabies supporters behind you and show you just how much support you have from the grassroots.
As a Wallabies supporter for more than 40 years, I write to express my gratitude for the courage you have shown in accepting the challenge of reinvigorating the Wallabies over the past 18 months.
I appreciate that such a major cultural change in any organisation is not normally within the remit of a specialist football coach, even in light of Robbie’s remarkable record as a coach.
I also realise that it is extremely unusual for men of such a tender age, 26 and 23 respectively, to be asked to lead a team in the process of such change while still being expected to compete on the international stage.
I offer you my complete support at this difficult time and encourage you to stay courageous, decisive, keep sight of the context and follow your instincts.
If I may be so bold to comment, I see in all four of you a natural steel that is ideally suited to the task at hand.
Despite the apparent vitriol and angst, most of it well meaning and constructive. The Wallabies still have much in their favour, and are not far from success if you continue to back yourselves as leaders and galvanise this sufficiently skillful and gifted team. We all know that international sport and business is won by the team that wants it most.
All four of you have shown that determination, and it is now a matter of letting that determination infuse the rest of the players.
The Wallabies are well placed. They:
1. Remain the 3rd ranked team in the world.
2. Possess, in their DNA, the Australian spirit that, when unleashed, makes them a never say die outfit.
3. Have a competent pack of forwards and a potentially lethal back line blessed with natural speed.
4. Have the most successful coach in the professional era.
5. Have a “back office” led by the most experienced management team in world sport.
The Wallabies can return back to being Australia’s team.
I encourage you to continue on your path of finding sufficient “good men” to administer the code and representative bodies, to win matches and tournaments, but, most importantly, to change the outdated and corrosive team and code culture of the past nine years that puts the individual ahead of the team, and some players views ahead of those of the management and coach.
Yours sincerely,
LeftArmSpinner.
Recommend this story.
October 25th 2009 @ 4:17pm
Damo said | October 25th 2009 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
Now THAT’s what the boys need to read. A Henry V speech !!! Appropriate. BOLD yes but boldness is exactly what is required on this tour. This could be a good start . This tour could make the Tri-Nations woes history.
Here it is boys. This is 7 games in one month that could change the whole year. It’s in your lucky hands.
October 25th 2009 @ 5:02pm
Stash said | October 25th 2009 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
Good Luck wallabies for their end of year tour – its a good opportunity for some of the guys to put their hand up and be counted – (though the good luck does not extend to the Tokyo game against the ABs)
October 25th 2009 @ 5:07pm
Teo said | October 25th 2009 @ 5:07pm | Report comment
LAS, great to read a really positive article. Well said
October 25th 2009 @ 5:52pm
sloane said | October 25th 2009 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
Excellent article – one for the true believers. Most of us are completely over all the negative stuff . The Wallabies all know what they have to do and how to do it, however this should be read to the team while they’re on the bus en route to the Bledisloe in Tokyo. And maybe one of Tempo’s Churchill speeches AND Fab’s poems in the dressing rooms before they run on…
October 25th 2009 @ 6:21pm
MM Fike said | October 25th 2009 @ 6:21pm | Report comment
With a send off like that the boys just have to do well.
I can’t wait for these tests and especially the Grand Slam.
Great letter LAS.
October 25th 2009 @ 7:26pm
LeftArmSpinner said | October 25th 2009 @ 7:26pm | Report comment
gentlemen, I had initially included a Roar poll but it was edited so lets seek support in the form of cheers.
one and all, can I suggest that you give the article the necessary Roar “cheer”.
For the uninitiated, Just click the thumbs up icon to the right of the headline of the article.
October 25th 2009 @ 8:28pm
mudskipper said | October 25th 2009 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
Lefty… your heart is in the right place but JON is questionably past his best years now.
Deans, Rocky and Barnes are all good… O’Neill is past his best and has seemingly become intolerant old man. Read the following interview which reeks of paranoia, mistrust and fear. Are we seeing the old John O’Neill coming back out of the woods. Remember under the Australian Football Federation flag John O’Neill was answerable to Frank Lowe and Lowe gets his any.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/union/this-is-a-longhaul-turnaround–there-is-no-shortterm-fix-20091024-he78.html
Read the following is an extract :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O'Neill_(sport_administrator)
In December 2003, O’Neill announced that he would not seek a renewal of his contract with the ARU. Andrew Stevenson, a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald’s Rugby Union website “Rugby Heaven”, described the decision as having been reached at a board meeting with the ARU. Stevenson describes the following reasons for the sacking of John O’Neill:
“he was offside with members for a number of reasons – and top of the list was his ego.
There were serious concerns within the ARU that he had turned the World Cup into “the John O’Neill show”.
It started when he agreed to take part in a television documentary that focused heavily on him.
There was also concern that he was always with Prime Minister John Howard. It was felt that ARU president Peter Crittle should have taken that role.
There was a feeling that he didn’t offer enough praise for the success of the World Cup to the hard-working Carroll, who played a massive part in the success. ARU insiders were of the view he didn’t receive enough acclaim.
O’Neill had also lost the support of the majority of Wallabies players and there is irony in the fact that skipper George Gregan is now putting the finishing touches to a new deal.
O’Neill and Gregan had a frosty relationship and only just managed to work together professionally.
It was a poorly kept secret among the Wallabies that O’Neill did not want Gregan as captain and he was even suspected of leaking stories to the News Limited media to destabilise the skipper. O’Neill strongly denies the claims. {Note this was written despite the fact that O’Neill had re-signed George Gregan as captain.
O’Neill lost the players’ support during the battle over World Cup pay.”
October 25th 2009 @ 8:37pm
Bay35Pablo said | October 25th 2009 @ 8:37pm | Report comment
So we can blame the Brumbies player power for losing O’Neill in 2003 as well!!! They really are the source of all evil!!!
October 26th 2009 @ 12:56pm
mudskipper said | October 26th 2009 @ 12:56pm | Report comment
I’ve never seen John O’eill score a good try for the Tahs yet…
October 25th 2009 @ 8:43pm
Dogs Of War said | October 25th 2009 @ 8:43pm | Report comment
Interesting that you should post that article. I thought this comment from John was the exact reason he was brought back…
Sun-Herald: Define the state of rugby in Australia.
John O’Neill: We’re not where we’d like to be but we are gaining a lot of collective support to solve what are collective problems across the game. We are not sticking our heads in the sand, we are not delusional; we are realists. We are facing significant challenges and I said that from the time I returned. Another reality is that when I left after the 2003 Rugby World Cup, ARU had $38 million in reserves. When I returned there was $15 million. Our first assignment was to stop further erosion of those reserves and we achieved that in 2008.
SH: How would you describe your achievements as CEO since your return?
JO: As I said very clearly on my return, I am not and never will be a Messiah; it will take a team effort. I will leave it to others to make overall judgments on my abilities but the financial turnaround in 2008 was pleasing and absolutely necessary for our game. ARU announced a record operating surplus of $9.25 million before allocations.[b] In 2007 it was an operating deficit of $466,000. That was a turnaround of more than $9.7 million. ARU also increased allocations to member unions by more than $500,000 to $8.54 million. The surplus after allocations was $712,000 compared to a deficit after allocations in 2007 of $8.48 million. We have identified the reality of our position and are focusing on the things that matter, including the performance of the Wallabies. This is a long-haul turnaround in every aspect; there is no short-term fix.
____________
So he was brought back to get the finances under control. He has had to take the unpopular step of cutting things that are non-essential to bring the game back to living within it’s means. Next step is to make sure you are maximising your income sources, which he has been doing, and lastly hope that the teams themselves can start winning which in turn will bring exposure and allow you to build upwards again.
October 26th 2009 @ 6:17am
LeftArmSpinner said | October 26th 2009 @ 6:17am | Report comment
Mud, even if that is the case, he is still the best sports administrator going around. Steve Tew seems sensible. Gallop is good but he is really just a spokesman.
I dont have a problem with him butting heads with people, partic. the players. RUPA is next.
October 25th 2009 @ 8:38pm
Knives Out said | October 25th 2009 @ 8:38pm | Report comment
Who is the back office?
October 25th 2009 @ 8:56pm
Stash said | October 25th 2009 @ 8:56pm | Report comment
And what is this about the most successful coach in the professional era? – you guys got Robbie Deans not Henry… (next you’ll be wanting Richie McCaw as your captain)
October 25th 2009 @ 10:02pm
Knives Out said | October 25th 2009 @ 10:02pm | Report comment
That’s a whole other debate. Here’s an impressive medal collection from European coaches:
Woodward – 6N: 2000, 2001, 2003 (Grand Slam)
– WC: 2003
– Cook and Calcutta Cup
Gatland – Zurich Premiership: 2003, 2004, 2005
– Heineken Cup: 2004
– Parker Pen Challenge: 2003
– Anglo Welsh Cup: 2003
– Air New Zealand Cup: 2006
– 6N: 2008 (Grand Slam)
Richards – Allied Dunbar Premiership: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
– Heineken Cup: 2001, 2002
Kidney – FIRA World Cup: 1998
– Heineken Cup 2005, 2008
– 6N: 2009 (Grand Slam)
– Churchill Cup: 2009
October 26th 2009 @ 1:51am
Stash said | October 26th 2009 @ 1:51am | Report comment
(Just throwing a bit of gas on the fire – it was starting to get all fluffy…and nice…and, well, it is a rugby blog after all).
Wales has been quite good on occasion, particularly when their forwards become a cohesive unit – do you think Gatland may be on the radar for NZ after Henry? (or will Australia want him?)
October 26th 2009 @ 2:50am
Knives Out said | October 26th 2009 @ 2:50am | Report comment
I don’t think Gatland would like to coach NZ. He seemed very disenchanted when he left Waikato, and as for Australia I really don’t know. Coaching Australia is a bit of a thankless task, so why take the risk? If I were John O’Neill then I would definitely view Gatland as one of the top coaches in the world.
October 26th 2009 @ 5:52pm
katzilla said | October 26th 2009 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
‘I don’t think Gatland would like to coach NZ’
Big statement KO.
Would a NZ coach refuse an opportunity to coach the All Blacks?
October 26th 2009 @ 6:21am
LeftArmSpinner said | October 26th 2009 @ 6:21am | Report comment
So deans is in good company! thanks for the analysis. I had Deans a runaway leader but clearly not.
October 26th 2009 @ 6:53am
Knives Out said | October 26th 2009 @ 6:53am | Report comment
Guy Noves – Heineken Cup: 1996, 2003, 2005
– Top 14: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2008
Bernard Laporte had a very good career, as did MacQueen, McGeechan and Graham Henry (I couldn’t be bothered to list their successes).
October 26th 2009 @ 6:19am
LeftArmSpinner said | October 26th 2009 @ 6:19am | Report comment
O’Neill and Carroll, nucifora and thompson et al.
October 26th 2009 @ 6:01am
warrenexpatinnz said | October 26th 2009 @ 6:01am | Report comment
Good piece LAS and great to have a bit of positive and Aussie pep for the guys before they start this defining tour. I get sick of the dribble written by Growden and the likes who have become gutter, negative press who realisticaly don’t have a clue and rely on their innuendo reporting to justify their existence. Hopefully the sh.. they stir up splashes into their gravy train wagon.
Go hard boys, play like this is 2011, and shove it up all your detractors by playing the style of game we have seen glimpses of and we all know you are capable of.
Cheers
October 26th 2009 @ 6:22am
LeftArmSpinner said | October 26th 2009 @ 6:22am | Report comment
warren, we need more cheers for the article!!! did you cheer it?
October 26th 2009 @ 6:32am
Gladstone said | October 26th 2009 @ 6:32am | Report comment
LAS, instead of all the romantic sentiment, I think Oz rugby would be better served if you were a little tougher and pointed out to the team, and the powers that run it, what a lousy job they’ve done so far. I saw two games of the Grand Slam tour – England and Scotland – and boy, is this tour going to be different. We had greats in the backs in those days – Campo, Noddy, Ella, NFJ, Moon, Gould – and a pack rated No. 1 in the world. Now, we’re easy beats.
Our front five is cardboard in the scrum and undynamic around the field. We have two excellent breakaways but no No.8 because nobody’s been able to convince Palu that he’s a big strong guy and should play like one every game.
Our backs consistently underperform. A man with one eye could see that Giteau was never going to be the new Larkham but they wouldn’t admit it till now. O’Connor is not yet ready to play F/B in internationals. If they want to play him they’d do better to play him in Mitchell’s place on the wing. Ashley-Cooper has been the best of the backs, and he should be our 15.
He should also take the line kicks as Giteau’s technique can be woeful, and he often tries for too much distance and fails to get the ball out.
Who plays at 13? Cross isn’t going to set the place on fire, Ioane should start.
Biggest question in the backs now is will Barnes cut it at 5/8th? He’s not a gap runner but he’s a good distributor, good at the snap, and let’s hope he kicks accurately.
So while I remain a Wallaby fan I also remain a realist. Good wishes, hopes and crossed fingers aren’t enough to make a team perform well, so I cannot see the Ws beating Ireland or Wales. And I don’t see them beating England, either.
Bottom line is, we had all those Tri-Nation games to get the right team, and we couldn’t do it because the player talent and the coaching/section talent is sorely lacking.
October 26th 2009 @ 7:26am
LeftArmSpinner said | October 26th 2009 @ 7:26am | Report comment
gladstone, point taken. however, have a squiz at my previous articles and you will see that I have been very “honest” with and about the wallabies. Now is the time to get behind the new wallabies, play some good rugby and win some games………. have a look at my profile. i believe it has a list of the articles I have written. just look at the headlines!!!!