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No one in the mainstream media seems to say it, but I can assure you that Richard Graham is the worst coach in Super Rugby. The stats don’t lie.
As head coach of the Western Force and Queensland Reds, Graham’s total winning percentage in Super Rugby was 28.5 per cent.
I would really like to hear how anyone can try to defend Graham. This stat alone says he cannot cut it at this level.
Focusing on Graham’s time at the Queensland Reds, the team has remained relatively unchanged in the last four years minus one or two players. Yet their performances this year have been the worst ever.
Under Ewen McKenzie, the Reds finished 5th, 1st, 3rd and 5th. This year the Reds are hovering at 13th, and there has only been one major change. Graham has brought boring kicking field-position ideals to a team that built their success around an ability to play exciting, attacking rugby.
Any team that has Quade Cooper at 10 has to have an element of unpredictability, and needs to be given a loose structure to which he can work his magic.
The Reds also pride themselves on their one-on-one defence and ability to chop low. In the game against the Blues, the Reds worst performance in four years, they were falling off tackles, allowing the Blues ball runners to gain easy metres.
I blame this on Richard Graham.
Defence requires mental toughness. It is about putting your head into dark places and putting your body on the line. While I do not question the toughness of the Reds players, I do question whether or not Graham is able to get them into the necessary mindset to put their body on the line.
The penalty rate has been well documented and I put this down to poor technique as a result of poor coaching.
Dominant first up tackles have disappeared from the Reds’ game, but their continued pestering at the breakdown on balls that aren’t there to be played at has resulted in numerous penalties. This is again down to poor coaching.
Players that were once starting for the Wallabies now look like the worst players running around in Super Rugby. Ben Tapuai and Mike Harris look nothing like the players they were three years ago and Graham doesn’t have the guts to make the big decisions and drop some these poor performers. McKenzie had the guts to make those tough calls.
I wonder now if those in charge at the Reds have the guts to make the big calls and sack Graham?
The players are clueless and the coach just cannot cut it at this level. Graham’s game plans don’t work and their predictability have put the Reds back to their easy-beat ways of the mid-2000s.
It’s time for Graham and his Western Force coaching staff to go. We need new staff who are able to make decisions, get the best out of all their players and bring a game plan that offers exciting and unpredictable rugby.
So it’s either goodbye to Richard Graham as coach, or goodbye to the glory days of the Queensland Reds.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.