Exactly.
Then recruit players he wants. Let’s face it, when the force went, a load of players came to Melbourne with DW. Massive salaries needed for some. Then He picks them and really they haven’t been that good.
Surely, the Rebels need to stop being the club for older more expensive ‘stars’. Look at the U20 side to start with and then build.

DW looked out of his depth for the 3rd season in a row.
I believe that if they survive, the Rebels need to be clever about their coaches.
The best coaches don’t hit the panic button and just choose big name players as soon as they are 80% back from injury. They trust their structure. I do not believe he has got the best out of Hodge or Genia the last 2 seasons. And the team looked like they weren’t really up for it the last 4 weeks.
Not sure bringing in Jake White would help now.
I reckon they’d do better looking for a coach of a lower ranked nation after the RWC. Someone like Conor O Shea from Italy. Need a complete change.

In my mind this makes no sense. The last 2 Australian sides to win super, did so when there were 5 teams. As the sport evolves and injury tolls abound, surely having more players exposed to high level rugby has to help. That said, the Rebels demise this season seems to point to a complete lack of ability to evolve and adapt during the season. That problem must lie with the coaching team? 2 seasons in a row starting strong and finishing beyond poor.
Jack D seems to have developed greatly at the chiefs. To a level he never managed consistently at the Rebels. Mmm
Was it worth Quade? Are DW and CEO Stephenson actually worth it?
ARU needs to develop coaches first. Then spread talent across the clubs. Worry about big name contracts much further down list.

The tribalism idea is fine and valid in terms of crowds but the super Rugby season is not conducive to tribalism in the same way as the French top 14 or the English premiership.
An English premiership team plays 11 home games as part of the premiership, another 3 or 4 home games in a European competition and then the Anglo Welsh cup couple of fixtures. Plus there are weekly 2nd team games. Then, possibly play offs etc. it’s a lot of games to go to and build a rapport with the other fans.
Plus some away games in both England and France are in a reasonable distance so travelling as an away group of supporters becomes more possible.
Only 8 home games and really long distance away games will not help build the fans as a group. It isn’t just isn’t enough games regardless of conferences or derbies. Shute shield etc is more appealing for many because it’s local and they can travel to away games as well.

I agree. But as an ex pat former quins member I’m quite used to seein good first half performances disappear.
DW has done some good things but they are in a rut and the Jags showed the others the way.

Yeah, I reckon the Rebels need to start thinking of the words unforgiving and relentless. 2 ideals very close to the heart of Phil Larder as I remember.
Of course starting off with your 10 as your best tackler probably dragged a few along.
Let’s see what DW does next. I feel like they have been better defensively when Parling has been on the pitch. Might be wrong.
Cheers

Hi Nicholas,
I completely agree with the last sentiment. The Rebels in particular start with good defensive intentions but one or two changes in players and the whole thing goes to pot.
The Jaguares seem to have a fairly simple approach but everyone buys into it from minute 1-80.
How hard can it be to instil a defensive pattern or ideal? Most of the players I work with have good attacking instincts but have to be taught the value of defence. Is this true all the way up?
Anyway, great article as always. Thank you. Maybe it takes a new team adapting quickly to highlight to the established teams the key things needed for success. In this case proper defensive alignment and of course not missing squillions of tackles.

I feel like the Sunwolves are fitting right in to the Australian conference.
Good luck Brumbies but I feel this round could end up with Oz Conference-played 5 lost 5.

It was interesting to see that when the Rebels bought in Parling at half time, the tactics changed slightly and the breakdown became more of a contest.

I love seeing running rugby but I feel the Australian teams need to subscribe a little more to the ‘earn the right to go wide’ philosophy. Quick hands and unsighted pop passes come off more regularly when there’less defenders left to beat.

So far The tendency to needlessly turn over your own possession points to a bleak June series.

Well at least they had a crack against the Crusaders. So far in this weeks games, their result doesn’t look too far out of synch with the rest of the Australian conference.

Hi Brett,

Good to read about Baden and the Rebels.
I was fortunate enough to see them train In Ballarat, in the heat. Everyone from the top down interacted with fans really well and not like they had been instructed to contractually!
It is true that there was a disconnect between the fans and the team and between the injury toll, the results and the possible axe, AAMI was not a happy place.
Working with the community Rugby in regional Victoria has allowed me to see the way the Rebels are reconnecting with the Victorian Rugby and makes me hopeful.
I believe their intentions are really positive and I am hopeful the game will grow in the state.
There are some really positive people at the top and a bit of success would naturally get the turnstiles going. It’s exciting.
Watch this space!

TWAS- Don’t you know that you’re only allowed to talk about results from 2017? Otherwise some arguements start to fall apart! Wouldn’t want to look too closely at average wins per club during existence either. This will be followed by stuff about money which won’t take into account anything that happened from when the Force started to when the Rebels started!

Fair, but he doesn’t reflect all of us and I’m sure you are neither bitter or twisted. Just raw, which you have every right to be!

Fair, but he doesn’t reflect us all and I don’t reckon you should label yourselves as bitter or twisted. Pissed off, sure and every right to be.

Fionn,
Good article.
Do you think Wessels will work with the Force for Twiggy’s tournament as part of this deal? Could be how ARU and Twiggy came to some sort of agreement?
Cheers

But more wins over last 3 seasons than the Force. Come on. No one loves the way it came about but the Rebels fans and the Rebels themselves didn’t ‘gut’ your team. Direct vitriol to ARU-fine. Not to supporters who campaigned with you to keep 5 teams.

The English always approach Australia games with a bit of trepidation but I doubt EJ is nervous. He doesn’t tend to share his actual thoughts much, just points to things they are obviously going to work on:
1) win the breakdown.
2) win the midfield defensive battle.
3) nursing the lions who are below par throgh the European Cup games.

The most interesting selection in his squad is the young quins 10, Marcus Smith. A very promising player being guided by Nick Evans at quins.

Apart from that, not a lot really.

Cheers Nick,
Another informative and accurate piece that makes me wonder if even the players are confused with an over complex system.
I worry that the mind set in Australian Rugby has switched from how will the opponents cope with us to how will we cope with the opponents. That switch often propagates over complicated systems.

Have a read of this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/11196506/Revealed-How-Stuart-Lancaster-transformed-England-from-national-laughing-stock-into-World-Cup-hopefuls.html

Ultimately he couldn’t win the World cup, but the set up is vastly changed from that which went before the 2011 RWC. Team ahead of individuals etc. I think Culture is too often a buzzword, but in this case seeing it play out in front of me at the time, it did change. And the rugby Public backed it.

Think how it unearthed Owen Farrell, Billy Vunipola, etc.

Cheers

Hi Rhys,
Great article. It strikes me that the focus needs to be re-set in Australian Rugby. Australia could learn a bit from England here. Lancaster took on the England role with his main aim being to have a united and competitive team. He changed the culture at the top but it meant some pretty major disappointments along the way and he ultimately couldn’t win the big ones.
However, Eddie Jones took over a player group that just needed the finishing touches and look at them go.
If star players demand too much, the ARU needs to be confident that the next crop of players can step up. This again comes back to the questions around fitness and coaching.
If Australia keeps 5 teams and they all have a similar philosophy re coaching and fitness, the player pool grows and more players can step up.
The idea of saving 6 million by cutting a club versus the idea of having another 10-15 match hardened well coached players is laughable.
If all the money goes on star players, they have to perform.
If they can’t, let someone who can or at least will try.
Money has to be ploughed into the game. Not the top players.
The ARU needs to be prepared for some possible short term pain, but they may be surprised at how the perceived 2nd tier step up.

Likewise, Can’t speak for all Rebels fans but I reckon it would work. The Rebels fans are a really knowledgeable bunch and they just love the sport. Join forces, win Super 2018 and super 2019 and then see what the new broadcast deal is. ?

I love the last table. It’s the first time the Rebels haven’t been bottom!
Australian teams have pretty woeful records in 2017. The 2 under threat franchises have clearly had a very tough time and then rack up the injuries. However, I think the lack of leadership from the ARU, the disgruntled fan base across the whole country and the general insidious apathy that is regularly seen in the forums has had a detrimental impact on all the teams.
If money weren’t a problem, Australia would be better out of Super. However it isa problem.
IMO they should split the teams into 2 divisions, adding in some pacific island representation to get 9 teams in each division. Play 8 home and 8 away games each. In Division B the top two go up.
In Division A, top 4 play straight semi and then final.
Bottom 2 go down.
Divisions should just be based on quality. Not country.
Admittedly this would mean all Australian teams would start in the B Division but hey, they may win a few and could even get promoted.

Melbourne would definitely notice but I agree. They should combine for 2 seasons to keep everything going in both states.
The Rebels on field this season have had a shocker granted but over the last few years both teams have shown that they can cut it.
The Force beat the tahs comprehensively. The rebels pushed the Jaguars and performed. (Gutted they lost but the Jags really switched on in 2nd half.)
It may not be ideal in the long term to combine but for 2 years and to prevent the work being lost in both states, I’m sure they could get along.

Unless you unearth some talent in your lowly states, at which point they are Australian and we’ll have them.

Good job. If some of the most versatile and greatest players in world rugby can do it, everyone should be able to and easily. Honestly?

I agree. The injury toll has been disastrous. Good comments.