The problem with Australia’s Super Rugby coach selections
Roar Guru By Rickety Knees, 24 Jul 2012 Rickety Knees is a Roar Guru
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It is difficult to know what is going on at the coaching level in Super Rugby in Australia at the moment.
In no particular order:
Earlier this year Force Coach – Richard Graham (with little Super Rugby success) is snapped up by Queensland mid season – creating major problems for the Force.
The Waratahs continue the same three year development cycle they have been espousing for the past 20 years and fail, again – Monty Python is alive and well in Tahland.
They review Michael Foley early and endorse him as a coach. Foley goes onto record the worst losing streak in the Waratahs history.
Meanwhile Michael Cheika (one of the few Australian championship winning coaches) packs his bags and heads back to France after commenting that “all that was left to do (with the Force) was tidy up the paper work”.
He then rejects the Force, now there is widespread speculation that the Force are mounting an offer to – wait for it – Foley.
Waratahs CEO Jason Allen was asked whether he was confident Foley would coach the Waratahs next year, Allen said: “I can’t comment on that. He has said publicly that he is. I hope he is”.
It would seem that any Super Rugby Coaching experience in Australia is in high demand.
David Nucifora – the ARU’s High Performance Manager – has just taken the Australian U/20 to its worst performance in a World Championship on record (this is his fourth consecutive time as the U/20 coach) – and not a murmur from the ARU.
NZ, by comparison have a production line of coaches, where the best are given one shot at coaching their u/20 side. Needless to say their record in winning this championship speaks for itself.
The ARU is running senior coaching courses to develop new talent. What is lacking, however, is any strategic plan for the further development of these coaches. Nucifora’s U/20 coaching position would be the obvious carrot.
A Tier 2 Australian rugby competition played at the same venue prior to the main game would provide this opportunity (and provide Australian Rugby with much needed player depth).
Clearly the Australian coaching cupboard is bare. Would we otherwise be watching the shenanigans around the coaching positions that are going on at the moment, with lightweight coaches who have done little and still have much to prove?
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July 24th 2012 @ 10:20am
sheek said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:20am | Report comment
Hi Rickety,
What intrigues me about all this, is the absence of control or direction from John O’Neill.
There’s no doubt that O’Neill is piqued, & has been for some time, with many other persons in Australian rugby. There’s a lot of personal poison out there in rugby-land. O’Neill seems to have adopted an attitude of, “Stuff the lot of you, I’m just going to sit back, collect my paycheck, & watch the lot of you implode”.
But O’Neill happens to be the CEO & MD of the ARU. And he’s apparently absented himself from the wheelhouse. The problems with both player & coach recruitment seems to go back to the ARU failing to provide a firm hand on proceedings.
Australian rugby currently has too few resources of quality players & coaches for O’Neill to ac like some Pontious Pilate, & wash his hands of directional responsibility. The ARU should be in the thick of it, directing players & coaches to specific provinces, if required, for the betterment of the game overall.
Individuals & individual provinces mightn’t like ARU interference, but for once I believe it’s absolutely necessary…..
July 24th 2012 @ 10:29am
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Agree mate – JON has just taken over as Chairman of Echo Entertainment which holds Sydney’s sole casino licence, in a James Packer coupe. Little wonder he has his eye off the rugby ball
July 24th 2012 @ 10:35am
kingplaymaker said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:35am | Report comment
sheek there are oddities about JON’s statements. Supposedly he is planning to step down next year, but he talks about the future in a way that suggests he plans to be involved. Will he or not? If so then he has even less excuse not to sort things out.
It’s quite possible that next year Jake White will be the only high quality coach of an Australian franchise. The insider culture involving the promotion of mediocre assistants and rejection of outsiders i.e. successful Australian coaches abroad such as Cheika, Brian Smith, Steve Meehan is extremely damaging for the game and the ARU must step in appoint the oligarchic boards who appoint their friends and ruin their organisations.
July 24th 2012 @ 1:06pm
Jeff said | July 24th 2012 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Sheek,
I agree with all you say.I have commented on this for the last 12 months.We are hopelessly lacking in top class coaches and referees and yet the ARU has done nothing to rectify this.
And is there any sign of any activity or plan.Not likely while we have O’Neill running the show.
July 24th 2012 @ 3:55pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
There is not much coming from JON at the moment ….. perhaps the change of the guard should come sooner than later.
July 24th 2012 @ 10:23am
Hoy said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
I said it in the other thread yesterday.
We seem to reward mediocrity with our coaches. They don’t even need to have winning percentages to get high paying prestige jobs. Fix up our coaches, and our players will improve. Players improve, and our conference is no longer the worst of the three, or it still might be, but at least competitive throughout the season.
I would love transparency from the Australian teams.
Why the hell would the Reds hire a coach with such poor results? I don’t care what team he was coaching, if he was any good, he would have improved them. I expect steps backwards or treading water from the reds for first season or two once he takes over.
Why would the Force seriously chase Foley? What the hell do they see in him, after taking a team with 13 players good enough for national duty to 8 losses in a row, and only 4 wins this year overall? That is a terrible record, yet the Force are apparently going to offer him the role of head coach. Why? How about anyone else?
Nucifora at the under 20s? There must be some heads rolling after our worst ever under 20s result. That kind or record must mean changes. We can’t sit on our hands after that kind or thing.
But… we keep on rewarding the same old people on the revolving merry go around with jobs in different franchises, and use excuses like “injuries” “new team” “building” etc. Poor form Aus Rugby, and poor form Super team managment.
July 25th 2012 @ 9:47am
jameswm said | July 25th 2012 @ 9:47am | Report comment
The U20s have been awful and almost unwatchable for 3 years. Nucifora has been their coach. Join the dots.
July 28th 2012 @ 7:10pm
Bakkies said | July 28th 2012 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
They made the Final last season. They took a very young side this time but it backfired
July 24th 2012 @ 10:29am
fin said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:29am | Report comment
The cupboard is bare for players and refs aswell. Australia has a much more competitive market for young talent and the ARU needs to make some big decisions to secure their share. Imagine you are talented 12/13 yearold athelete or keen whistle blower or coach and you live in perth . Are you going to follow down the Path of the local Super Rugby side that gets beat week in week out or are you going to get behind the Dockers or Weagles. Same in Sydney at the moment, the Doggies and Souths are going great guns and the Swannies are on top of the table. Is a young kid going to choose Rugby over NRL or AFL in this market- unlikely. What’s happening now is going to cause even more heartache in 8-10 years time. The ARU needs to import more talent in the short term- players coaches and refs. If they don’t we will be known as the weak conference for ever and to be honest the shoe will fit.
July 24th 2012 @ 10:45am
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:45am | Report comment
IMHO the ARU overall strategy of driving growth through Super Rugby is wrong. Nothing built from the top down lasts – it is a house of cards waiting to crumble. Every sustainable structure needs a solid foundation and Rugby’s is foundering.
The game is screaming out for a co-ordinated multi level strategic plan!
July 24th 2012 @ 10:59am
sheek said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:59am | Report comment
A-G-R-E-E-D……….
July 24th 2012 @ 12:07pm
Riccardo said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
“Monty Python is alive and well in Tahland”. Brilliant!
While it may be a little off topic I absolutely agree with your post Rickety.
All the postings we see here demanding an increased Super Rugby format are frankly deluded without structural investment beneath it. I’m also not sure that a diluted product, which is surely what will occur without an increased marquee-player quota sytem, is an attractive sell for the TV distributors. It’s hard enough to compete with other codes now and the yawnfests that have been the Australian derbies is not helpful either.
The ARU should take a little bit of what makes the models in the NRL and NZRU/SRU work and apply a broadbase platform from the ground up. Most importantly the ARU needs to identify where they are losing their juniors, area and age-band. Area’s can be targeted for Wallaby workshops and clinics with the kids’ National heroes and inspiring the fervour in the National jumper which appears to be lacking when compared to your SANZAR partners’. Age-band can be countered with representative feeder competitions that track to the next level.
Anyway, this is a long and tedious argument. The unfortunate reality is that this commitment would require a substantial investment with real results a long time away, maybe 5-10 years. Immediate gratification, the world’s preference, would not be possible and as such may negate the logic.
Sorry to digress. As you were…
July 24th 2012 @ 3:57pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Unfortunately the only view taken by the ARU has been a financial one – how to get the best short term return on investement with the minimum financial exposure …. which does nothing for the mid to long term needs of the game
July 24th 2012 @ 11:28pm
Junior coach said | July 24th 2012 @ 11:28pm | Report comment
I am in regular contact with a number of aru development officers from around NSW. Ideas, passion, knowledge, and commitment aren’t lacking from these guys – they are very professional men. The ARU simply give them next to no resources – financial or manpower – to build the kind of structures you mention and which are so obvious to us all. As a junior club president, junior rep coach, and father of two playing sons, I wince when I think of the financial mean-ness imposed on the junior development structure by the CEO when he pockets in the vicinity of a million dollars every year PERSONALLY. JON in his second term in rugby has raped the game of its finances, it’s soul, and it’s immediate on field future.
July 25th 2012 @ 11:02am
Ktjn said | July 25th 2012 @ 11:02am | Report comment
Rickety, this is absolutely the crux of the matter, it has to be built ground up. We lack depth in players, coaches and refs. ATier 2 comp is vital to strengthening rugby in Australia. It is critical that a structured, coordinated, nationwide plan is put into place, that will support all states from juniors up.
July 25th 2012 @ 2:18pm
Rickety Knees said | July 25th 2012 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
This won’t happen under JON – hopefully his replacement will fix this. If not it is time to storm ARU HQ
July 24th 2012 @ 10:32am
Red Kev said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:32am | Report comment
I have to admit the musical chairs of the Australian Super Rugby coaches at this year has been bizarre.
The Reds jumping on Richard Graham is astonishing (and a nice bit of sabotage from the Force in the ongoing sniping war between the two franchises) considering his complete lack of achievement as an assistant coach at the Wallabies and head coach at the Force.
I would love to know what the problem with Cheika and the Force was – The Rugby Club has been saying for the last month that “next week” they’d have an announcement on the new Force coach. And for them to be now chasing Foley defies belief.
I guess the good news is that if the Waratahs can sign Cheika he’s unlikely to put up with any crap from the board or the players and the Tah’s might finally deliver next season.
Are there good Australian coaches overseas that we need to bring back (I honestly don’t know – never looked into that sort of thing)?
Given that Mooney has received a lot of credit for laying the foundations of the Reds turn around, how is he doing with Otago? Might he be given another crack at a team?
I’d also like to see one of the franchises make a play for Wallaby Coaching Co-ordinator Tony McGahan.
July 24th 2012 @ 10:47am
Hoy said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Mooney is back in Brisbane coaching Wests. Under Moooney, they look to have turned around a horror few seasons with a few good wins over good teams this year.
July 24th 2012 @ 11:51am
formeropenside said | July 24th 2012 @ 11:51am | Report comment
I’d happiliy have Mooney back to help out at the Reds as a backs coach.
July 24th 2012 @ 4:00pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
Mooney can some credit for the Reds backline – most of which have gone on to becoming Wallabies – an excellent result for a coach.
July 25th 2012 @ 11:12am
ianmac said | July 25th 2012 @ 11:12am | Report comment
Mooney should also get credit for establishing in Queensland a style of play and adventure that was so obvious it was able to convert McKenzie from the lacklustre coach he was for NSW and then Stade Francais. I dont know why Mooney is not on the Force’s want list.
July 24th 2012 @ 10:42am
kingplaymaker said | July 24th 2012 @ 10:42am | Report comment
Why don’t the Reds or Waratahs have a look at this guy who at least has been a head coach and is available:
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/international/french-clubs-rule-the-roost-says-steve-meehan-7499438.html
July 24th 2012 @ 12:12pm
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
That’s an interesting read and I’m wondering if the ARU have a talent scout for coaches.
It seems to me that unlike other nations where the game is booming, like NZ, SA and France, Australia can’t afford to keep mismanaging Rugby and expect to progress. We must do more with less. It’s as simple as that.
For me that means getting the best coaches, improve structures (starting from the grass roots up) and have the left hand actually knowing what the right hand is doing.
July 24th 2012 @ 12:12pm
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
That’s an interesting read and I’m wondering if the ARU have a talent scout for coaches.
It seems to me that unlike other nations where the game is booming, like NZ, SA and France, Australia can’t afford to keep mismanaging Rugby and expect to progress. We must do more with less. It’s as simple as that.
For me that means getting the best coaches, improve structures (starting from the grass roots up) and have the left hand actually knowing what the right hand is doing.
July 24th 2012 @ 12:41pm
Red Kev said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Very interesting – an attacking coach, someone get him a direct line to Moore Park.
July 24th 2012 @ 12:46pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
Moore Park? There are none so blind as those that will not see ….
July 24th 2012 @ 12:51pm
kingplaymaker said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
RK and RK Steve Meehan was highly praised at Bath and at the very least has been a head coach at an English club: Foley didn’t even progress beyond assistant coach at the same club.
Whenever you hear lists of possible Australian head coaches they are always insider assistant coaches, someone like Meehan is never mentioned.
Meehan is in Australia and available: now why are the Force persuing the ex-Bath assistant coach so much more vigorously than the ex-Bath HEAD coach? (who is also AUSTRALIAN!!!).
July 24th 2012 @ 12:57pm
Red Kev said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
I don’t understand what the two of you are on about.
July 24th 2012 @ 1:05pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 1:05pm | Report comment
KPM – it is about boys wanting to get one up on each other – they become mired in local politics and their ego’s. In the process they lose sight of the big picture and that is about giving the players the best coaching that is available.
July 28th 2012 @ 7:16pm
Bakkies said | July 28th 2012 @ 7:16pm | Report comment
Meehan got Bath to attack after the dirge they served up under Knuckles and Foley
July 24th 2012 @ 12:47pm
Big Steve said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Very interesting, who would have thought you could achieve anything by actually playing some rugby. I have been a rugby supporter for many years, but some peoples attitudes to the game really are killing it.
July 24th 2012 @ 11:50am
7andabit said | July 24th 2012 @ 11:50am | Report comment
Wonder why it is bare. You throw them away. Did you see that smile on Eddie Jones face when they won the 2007 World Cup?
July 28th 2012 @ 7:14pm
Bakkies said | July 28th 2012 @ 7:14pm | Report comment
92-3 was one of the reasons why Jones was thrown aside.
July 24th 2012 @ 11:50am
Dr John said | July 24th 2012 @ 11:50am | Report comment
On a positive note there are two coaches that have good and improving credentials in the Australian conference, both from Sydney University. Damian Hill (ex Uni) has improved the Rebels and will continue to do so in 2013. Todd Louden is doing well with a very young and inexperienced Sydney University side, where the skills, strength and conditioning aspects are second to none. Go back to Uni and get a degree in coaching, it is the feeder system into super rugby for coaches and players.
July 24th 2012 @ 4:05pm
Persona Non Grata said | July 24th 2012 @ 4:05pm | Report comment
Hill?
With all of the stars in the team and not even in the top 6? He couldn’t even put players in the positions best suited to their strengths.
It does strike me as hilarious that Huxley was picked as fullback of the week (by the SMH) in his last game because the Rebels let him go for reasons that defy me. He didn’t play enough at that position when the wily, experienced leader was needed right there. Which brings me to Kurtley Beale.
Despite his seeming love of the fizz (despite the trouble it brings him), Beale is the number 10 to stamp his mark all over, not just the Rebels, but the competition. He now has the playing maturity (note, I said playing) to set up the attack to score far more tries. That was seen in the times he spent there; they were a more balanced, attacking side with more players being brought into attack. His attack on the ball, combined with great vision, draws the others in. A pity his coach can’t see it. And onto the least impressive player despite his score and his salary;
Young Jimmy. With playboy Cipriani, a destabilising influence with an immaturity and ego that doesn’t allow him to understand that it is a team game. If he could only realise that he the team would benefit from him being out, say on the wing or other attacking position, everyone would love what he could do, scoring tries. Unfortunately, Hill is too weak to put O’Connor where he should be, to the detriment of the team, as well as James in not realising the suitability of his strengths. (Just don’t have a look as his website or you will have a jaundiced view of his self-opinion.)
To Cooper, lose some weight. Too fat, too slow and lazy. Wings back up the defence, if they can get there. As for the rest, some very, very good players, as well as some developing youngsters, but who is going to develop the younger players? It won’t be Hill because he can’t. The older players have left, or been shown the door. Who fills in those gaps to teach. Sure, Gareth is a great player and a very good leader on-field (as well as being an absolute gentlemen and nice bloke), but he can’t do it by himself.
Hill? No, even he knows it. Just look at some of the Rebels website footage and see what leadership and direction is lacking. The board will make up Hill’s mind before he sees sense though and jumps ship.
July 26th 2012 @ 2:07pm
Sam said | July 26th 2012 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
He’s actually quite good at developing a system and sticking to it. I sense he doesn’t like to be reactive, and will stick with a formula until it works. I think he does actually have the smarts, but lacks the confidence. The Rebels have struggled with injury all year, and barely got Beale, Cipriani and JOC into the same side, so he had to play with the cards he was dealt. I think part of the problem for Hill is that the Rebels had too many “jack of all trade” utility backs and not enough specialists.
Will Hill wake up and smell the coffee re team balance? May be, may be not but he definitely won’t put JOC on a wing. The team balance was better for the Rebels with Beale at 10 and Huxley at fullback. It’s a shame he was released. JOC simply isn’t a playmaker and the sooner everyone realises it the better. He’s a finisher, that’s why he plays outside for the Wallabies. For my mind: 9. Phipps 10. Beale 11. Vuna 12. Mitchell 13. Inman 14. O’Connor 15…..probably Kingi.
Muggleton’s doing a great job with the defence, he just needs the players to listen, and apply the skills. What the Rebels really need is an excellent scrummaging coach like Mike Cron to mould what should be a really effective forward pack.
In conclusion, I kinda agree with you and kinda don’t.
July 26th 2012 @ 2:20pm
Jutsie said | July 26th 2012 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
Nice summary Sam, Hill hasnt been that bad for a first year coach, its one thing to have the stars on the roster its another to actually have them out on the park.
That backline looks alright too, we have recruited alex rokbara who was playing in top 15 at full back he might be able to slot into ur backline otherwise kingi has done quite a good job everytime he has started.
July 26th 2012 @ 2:21pm
Persona Non Grata said | July 26th 2012 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
Muggleton may be a nice bloke but he doesn’t have a strategy. His back line team meetings show that; it is a generic talk about keeping up the pressure but without any defined way of doing it. I think part of the defence strength was Huxley who has been around long enough to manage that part of the team on the pitch. As you said, when Beale went to 10 and Huxley at 15, it was a different team; cohesive, attacking and a solid defence. Without a solid pivotal point in the backline, their defence will flounder and they won’t be able to score enough tries to overcome the ones they let through.
No, I still don’t think Hill has got the where with all to make the Rebels anything other than bridesmaids; they might go up the ladder a bit but won’t be genuine contenders.
July 26th 2012 @ 6:33pm
Sam said | July 26th 2012 @ 6:33pm | Report comment
Huxley was definitely the General in the outside backs, when he came on in Canberra and Sydney he’d be barking orders at everyone to maintain the game plan. I swear he nearly dislocated both arms point and waving! Generally speaking the Rebels will still struggle, until they get into their fourth year. There’s been too much player movement to allow anyone to truly settle into a long term structure. They’d need to lock down a core: for at least 3 more years; Phipps, Kingi, Neville, Pyle, Jones, Mitchell, Inman, Vuna. Beyond that they have Nick Stirzaker, Paul Alo Emile, Eddie Aholelei who are still at the younger end of the squad. I’ll continue to reserve judgement on Hill but I took a look at their development program today. There isn’t 1 true, highly qualified or credentialed coach in their “Rebel Rugby” or “Rebel Rising” program. Due respect to them, but none of them have much experience other than low assistance at Super Rugby sides.
July 24th 2012 @ 11:55am
mark said | July 24th 2012 @ 11:55am | Report comment
there is no reason why super franchises should not have more foreign coaches. brumbies had a much better season under jake white then last year when they were basically the worst side.
July 24th 2012 @ 12:45pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 12:45pm | Report comment
I agree – the players need the best coaches that they can get. Fighting over guys who have achieved 5/8s of f/a is just insane.
July 24th 2012 @ 1:06pm
Brett McKay said | July 24th 2012 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
nailed it Rickety, well played Sir..
July 24th 2012 @ 1:09pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 1:09pm | Report comment
Cheers mate
July 24th 2012 @ 4:53pm
Wilson said | July 24th 2012 @ 4:53pm | Report comment
I am waiting with baited breath for the Force Coach announcement. And it has been a painful 17 week wait.
The fact that David Pocock has said he won’t commit to stay or go until he knows who the coach is upsets me but is what it is. I’ve beaten that drum to hard and often that I’ve broken it.
What I do fear is that the same issues facing for Force with player recruitment is also hindering their coach recruitment. Isolation. Expensive city to live in. AFL state. No record to speak of. A Captain who refuses to commit unless a,b,c happen (sound familiar Mr KPI O’Connor). A Playing group that has many hard working players but few stars. Even less players who get any love from Mr Deans. If Pocock leaves the Force will have no current Wallabies at all. The 1 development international player recruitment concession will do little, if anything to help advantage the squad. They need real concessions like the Rebels and they needed then from day one. The CEO is a baboon. The board are a bunch of club level hasbeens who think they know best. There are so many negatives at the Force at the moment that it is going to take an inspirational person to come in and turn things around.
In all my couch wisdom I don’t know who that man is. I believe that Hodgson should be the captain, regardless of whether Pocock decides he wants to stay or not. As we need a solid hard leader who is actually an impassioned communicator who people can relate to and who wants to stay in Perth. This is not the very talented player Pocock. He is as dynamic as cardboard in person and hardly relatable on his impressive pedestal. The CEO baboon needs to go. That to me is an easy one. His head will be on ice by the end of next season for sure. I have such high hopes and very few easy answers.
I did however have a chuckle when I heard that Graham had left to coach the Reds next year. Only for it to be clarified that he would only be bridesmaid in 2013. That was not what was previously said and I doubt the idea is sitting well with Graham. Great family move for the QLDer, not a great career move. I’ve never read a CV that read Head Coach of Super team, down to Assistant Coach of Super team, then maybe back up to head coach if it then suits us. Interesting developments and career regression.
July 24th 2012 @ 7:42pm
Rickety Knees said | July 24th 2012 @ 7:42pm | Report comment
I empathise Wilson – the Force are on a hiding to nothing and JON has his eye on the Echo ball