It’s time for Coach Hickey to make his mark
Roar Guru
By Rickety Knees, 24 Feb 2010 Rickety Knees is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Rugby Union, Sosene Anese, Super Rugby, Waratahs
In 2009, had the Waratahs scored just one more try, they would have made the Super 14 semi finals. Ironically, previous coach Ewen McKenzie was sacked for playing ugly rugby in 2007.
In 2009, Hickey took ugly rugby to a new level of ugliness.
In the off-season, three high profile backs were recruited in Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell and Sosene Anese – the new $2M backline. The coaching staff had suggested that making line breaks was not the issue for the Tahs, but finishing those breaks off was.
We are now into the 2010 season and not much has changed.
First up the Tahs (undeservedly in my opinion), were able to squeak out a win against a valiant Reds side. The change in refereeing emphasis to force the tackler to roll away and not play the ball lifted the tempo of the game and the result was great game of rugby, that somehow the Tahs won.
In the second round, the Tahs regressed back to their 2009 style and got hammered three tries to nil in the process. Little was shown in attack and the $2M backline were left lamenting as to what might have been.
The Tahs have scored just two tries in two games thus far.
Hickey (and backs coach Weismantel) are in their second year of coaching the Tahs, and yet there is no discernible change in the playing style of the Tahs since McKenzie’s era.
This weekend the Tahs play the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, who have just come off a convincing win over the committed, talented and determined Brumbies.
Last year’s Super 14 premiers and the best coached team – the Bulls – have somehow managed to completely reverse their 2009 kick centric playing style to now running the leather off the ball.
Coach Hickey is yet to make his mark on the Waratahs in 2010.
The game has changed – the Tahs haven’t.
This weekend will be fascinating from this aspect. For if the Tahs try to beat the Bulls by kicking the ball back at them, they are going to get hammered. And if this happens, the drums of change will start to beat for Coach Hickey.
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- Explore:
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Roger said | February 24th 2010 @ 7:24am | Report comment
Luke Burgess is the common factor between 2009 and 2010. Don’t get me wrong, his short passing game, running and defence are all oustanding,but his long pass is too slow, not allowing 10 much time to do anything constructive with his 12 and the outside backs. Give Holmes a go, then McKibbin…if they fail, put some WD40 in Chris Whittaker’s knees and bring him back.
Peter West said | February 24th 2010 @ 7:53am | Report comment
It is time for Phil Waugh to move on – playing ugly suits his gritty style and he is the one taking the onfield decisions. It is his force of personality along with his iconic status within the Tahs that I believe is holding the Tahs back from playing more attacking Rugby.
arthur rightus said | February 24th 2010 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Peter West is spot on. Phil Waugh is a virus in that side & as long as he is there it won’t matter what Hickey tries to do because Waugh dictates how they play the game & that is how HE likes to play the game. There was a classic example in the last game when Waugh could clearly be heard calling for a maul to be kept going after the Ref had warned them to use the ball. 2 seconds later, penalty Stormers. Burgess gets criticised for spending too long over the ball but he is simply waiting for instructions from Waugh. Get rid of him & I guarantee the Tahs play better Rugby.
Red Rooster said | February 24th 2010 @ 9:31am | Report comment
He is certainly the common denominator in the last ten years of the Tahs – has he not just re-signed for 2 years?
GM said | February 24th 2010 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Yes he has red rooster, not sure who agreed to that contract from NSW.
Rickety Knees said | February 24th 2010 @ 9:43am | Report comment
I cannot forget Waugh’s mean spiritedness in omiting to acknowledge Ewen McKenzie in his end of season speech in 2008. Given his recent negative comments about McKenzie, it is obvious that he had a role to play in his demise at NSW. Perhaps this has made Hickey wary in his dealings with Waugh and maybe a good part of the reason why the Waratahs are playing as they are – as suggested by Peter West. It is interesting that Robbie Deans has discarded him – perhaps it is time for NSW to so as well.
chrisa said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Hickey said after last weekend’s game something like “we just need to tighten up our defence and eliminate some errors, scoring tries isn’t the only thing”. Presumably he would be happy with a 6-0 win. You can’t blame Phil Waugh, for all his shortcomings, for that sort of attitude.
Rickety Knees said | February 24th 2010 @ 10:22am | Report comment
Agree chrisa – but two negatives (Hickey and Waugh) don’t add to a positive.
Terry Kidd said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:26am | Report comment
Waugh is probably still worth his place in the side but not as captain. Assuming that Hickey has the power to do this … appoint BB as captain, tell Waugh he has lost the captaincy due to his ill discipline and that he must adapt to the new game or find himself warming the bench. Likewise Burgess …. warn him that his long passing must improve to the point that it is quick and accurate, that the ball can’t be left gathering moss in rucks but must be cleared quickly, or that he will sit the bench until the opposition is tired enought to allow his short passing game.
If Hickey can’t, or won’t, do these things then the Tahs will finish about 10th and M Cheika will be coach in 2011 and a reason will be found to squeeze Waugh out.
Benny said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:37am | Report comment
How about we tell Barnes to stop kicking the pill away – would be a grand start to reinventing the team
Terry Kidd said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:46am | Report comment
Good point Benny because their only real chance of beating the Bulls this weekend is to give them as little ball as possible, which means not kicking it away …. can’t even kick it out cos that just gives the Bulls a lineout attack option ….. if the Tahs kick the ball this weekend then there is likely to be a century of points scored, with very few of them on the Tahs side of the scorecard.t
Rickety Knees said | February 24th 2010 @ 11:48am | Report comment
Spot on TK