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Link's strength is his lack of favourites

Roar Guru
10th June, 2014
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Ewen McKenzie made his name at the Reds but he needs to ditch the Queensland game plan. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Roar Guru
10th June, 2014
110
1844 Reads

I’ve been ashamed to see fellow Queenslanders turning on Ewen McKenzie for his selections and man management.

‘Link’ is better placed than anybody to deal with the Reds’ senior players. As Wallaby coach, he is also obliged to say if they aren’t up to it.

We all know what Will Genia and James Horwill are capable of. On their day, both are world class – in fact Genia is arguably the best 9 of his generation. But Genia and Horwill are not in form.

It may be down to hunger, freshness or a little of both. Whatever the case, McKenzie was right to drop them. The bench or the stands are the perfect places to rediscover how much a Wallaby jersey means, and to breathe life into tired legs.

There are other lower-profile casualties of the Reds fall from the summit. The Fainga’as, Jake Schatz, Ben Tapuai and Mike Harris have all been ordinary. None of them deserved someone else’s place in the Wallaby squad.

While a Rebel now, Scott Higginbotham was undoubtedly a favourite of McKenzie’s at the Reds. Yet Scott Fardy at 6 and Ben McCalman at 8 have kept him out of the side, probably due to work rate and discipline.

But let’s not pretend that McKenzie’s approach to man management and selection only has an impact on Queenslanders.

Benn Robinson was undroppable under Robbie Deans. Suddenly he is no longer is within the squad, let alone the starting XV.

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David Pocock has barely been mentioned in the context of 2015. Admittedly he has been injured, but one wonders whether McKenzie has consciously decided his time has gone.

Adam Ashley-Cooper was right at the centre of the ‘Dublin Experience’. The indignity was almost too much to bare and even his old mate Drew Mitchell defended his valour from Toulon!

All three of those calls by McKenzie have led to positives.

James Slipper (a Red) has emerged as one of the Wallaby’s best players. His work rate is miles beyond Robinson’s and his scrummaging is getting close to parity.

Michael Hooper went from good to great without the spectre of Pocock hanging over him. As a Wallaby captain whose Energiser bunny-style plays right into McKenzie’s game plan, it is hard to see how Pocock could displace him.

Adam Ashley-Cooper has no doubt made his mum very proud and become the statesman of the backline.

When you add Sam Carter’s debut to remember following Horwill’s benching to that list, it is hard to argue with McKenzie’s calls.

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How long did we all complain about Deans picking a team full of Waratahs when they were blatantly out of form? Remember the number of times we moaned when Rocky Elsom and Pat McCabe were picked despite carrying injuries? What about James O’Connor and Kurtley Beale being undroppable even though they carried on like brats?

McKenzie has changed all of that, and not before time.

It is too early to say whether those changes will bring Bill back or fill stadiums around the country again. But no matter what state you come from, you have to admit that McKenzie is on the right path.

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