- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
How much pain will it take to change? One of Robbie Deans’ well known sayings was ‘to learn from the pain’.
Let the pain burn. Harness it. And then use it to move forward.
How much more pain will it take for the ARU to make rugby a game for everyone, and not just played at private schools?
Unless there is a massive overhaul from the top down, we will have many more decades of what he had last night. That is the long term answer.
The short term answer?
Sack Michael Cheika and go cap in hand back to Deans. Before you stop reading, hear me out.
Deans is the only coach I can think of who could make something out of the ‘cattle’ the Wallabies have.
Yes, his record against New Zealand isn’t great, but heck, Australia were at least more competitive!
Jake White is another coach who could coach in the meantime, while this imaginary massive overhaul happens and we await to see with bated breath the positive results come to fruition, he might have some positive impact.
What about Mark Ella? His brother seems to be doing good with England – why not? Does he have coaching experience?
If last night was about the lack of mental toughness, why don’t Australia have a mental skills specialist like the All Blacks? Yes, that means hiring a psychologist! Look how it’s helped NZ! The chokers from 2007 are no more.
Much of the same side that lifted the World Cup last year yes – that same side that were called brilliant and ruthless! – were the same side that were called serial chokers in 2007.
Rugby is dying, if not already dead in Australia. The game needs to move away from private schools. Rugby is competing against AFL, league and soccer. But these are not new problems that have just popped up today. Hasn’t this been known for a while? So what has been done to fix it? What is the long term plan?
Is it case of ‘the chicken or the egg’ whereby if the Wallabies play good this brings in money which gets fed down to the grassroots? Or is time to start from the bottom up, and fix the foundation? The rugby foundation in Australia is dodgy. It appears there is no healthy school competition, club competition, let alone provincial competition.
Or maybe the truth is that Australia can’t grow the game outside of Sydney and Brisbane. And the time it will take to make the game stronger from the grassroots up will be more than ten years.
Maybe the reality is the game is dead in Australia. And if the game is dead, then Australia need to hire a coach who can make-do with what Australia have – and to me, that is Robbie Deans. If he wants to come back, that is.
If not, we may have to have more realistic expectations from the Wallabies. They overachieved at the World Cup. They have been overachieving for years.
But, here’s the one thing about the game being so called ‘dead’ in Australia. Last I heard, (correct me if I’m wrong please) but there were more registered rugby players in Australia than in New Zealand!
If that is the case, then wouldn’t it come down to quality over quantity? Invest more in teaching from a young age? If there aren’t enough quality coaches, bring in foreign coaches to teach the necessary skills at grassroots level. Do what needs to be done to rectify it.
On another note, I felt for Adam Ashley-Copper last night when he was interviewed after the game. I could see his eyes watering up as he was asked for his opinion straight after that loss. He couldn’t even look the interviewer in the eye. Adam Ashley-Cooper was set on answering questions looking to the side of the interviewer. Maybe he didn’t want to show the world he was hurting. It seemed like he was one question away from crying in front of the camera.
I wonder what it’s like to train your whole life to be good at something and then to be consistently called a loser. That’s probably how it feels to play for the Wallabies. Or maybe just when they play against the All Blacks.
I hate to think what it would be like to be a Wallabies supporter. But no one has died, this is a first world problem, these guys get paid heaps to take the responsibility that comes with representing your country.
That may be true. But, had Adam Ashley-Cooper cried in front of the world last night, that to me, would’ve been the truest description about the state of Australian Rugby. Is this what it takes for the administers of the game to take notice and do something?
To some degree, I don’t think it’s the players fault. They are a product of their environment. I think there needs to be more accountability about where funds are being used. Or is this already happening? The evidence suggests otherwise.
Is it just me, but apart from (1999 – 2003) haven’t the Wallabies played better as amateurs than professionals!?
Tim Horan, Michael Lynagh, David Campese, Nick Far Jones, the Ella brothers, Willie Ofahengaue, John Eales – these players set up the Gregans, Larkhams and Kefus of the professional era. But what you will find is that as the professional era continued – the significant, dominant, world-class player in Australia waned.
Can you tell me this, since Gregan’s time (when he was in his prime of course), who in Australia could’ve been legitimately called the best in the world in their position?
Players like Sonny Bill Williams will take a pay cut to play for the All Blacks. How can Australia create that ‘want’? I would imagine that one would need to create credibility in the jersey first.
In the case of NZ, it appears everything is done for the greater good of the All Blacks. Super rugby, provincial rugby – everyone (like clogs in one big machine) works towards the end result – the All Blacks!
Can Australia have this same setup with the Wallabies? And if so, when is a realistic time-frame for this happening? When Deans was in charge, I heard a rumour that he tried implement these grassroots changes. If so, where has this work gone? Is anyone taking over from this? Any update on where it is at?
Gordon Bray said last night that the obvious difference between Australian rugby and New Zealand rugby is that every boy growing up in New Zealand wants only one thing: to play for the All Blacks! And I agree. A smaller unified nation, will always beat a bigger divided nation.
But there is hope.
In summary:
Australian rugby need to harness the pain of losing. Accept it. Learn from it. And then move forward.
The long term plan:
The short term plan while the long term plan is being put in progress:
Something to think about: How can Australian rugby have a setup where everything works towards the betterment of the national team?
Since my Dad first introduced me to the game. I have been a fierce All Black supporter. But I wonder how good it is for the game when Australia are playing this badly.
When I see where the state of Australian rugby is at, it reminds me of where New Zealand were in 1999, 2003 and 2007 (maybe not that bad). But it makes me sympathetic to Australian rugby nonetheless.
New Zealand were in mourning when we lost. Maybe this is where Australia needs to start? It needs to hurt enough to make real change.
I asked in the beginning as a concerned Kiwi, how much pain will it take to change?
As much pain as it takes until change – real change – happens! Otherwise, get used to more of last night happening again. And if you expect a different result while doing the same thing again, isn’t that the definition of insanity?
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.