I’m sorry Robbie, we all think you are a great bloke with a good football brain, but you can’t do it with this bunch of gutless Gen Y ‘me only’ players.
I blame you for showing too much faith in players who have repeatedly shown just enough to hold the jersey but not enough to win the jersey.
Deeper than that is the feeling I have that you can’t read a game as it is unfolding. It was obvious, even to Mardo on Fox, that O’Connor had to come off the pitch, and you did nothing.
At half time when it was obvious the game was lost everywhere but on the scoreboard you made no changes. Halfway through the second half when the only supporters who thought we could win had an IQ of less than 50, still you made no tactical changes.
There is also my grinding, old forward feeling that you didn’t make it clear to them, in language they can respond to, that they had to commit more than one and occasionally two to the breakdown.
When did you tell them that this game needed total, prepared-to-die-on-the-field commitment from this entire bunch of bastards? At the start? Or was it at half time? Or didn’t you think it was necessary, as you had faith in the group?
These guys are looking for the shortest route to a pay-day that doesn’t involve putting their bodies on the line too much. It is your job to change this attitude in them.
Of course, I understand there were some who stood up, Rocky Elsom, Horwill and Polatu Nau tried hard but without the back up of their other forward ‘watchers of the breakdown’ they were whistling in the dark, on their own.
When did you tell Giteau to start wandering around like a mutton-bird without a flight in it? By the way did you tell O’Conner that it didn’t matter about kicking for touch, he just had to ‘back himself’.
Sorry Robbie, this game was absolute rubbish and if you wanted an example of how not to play the All Blacks, this is the best blueprint anyone could have given you.
You are an ex back so you could be forgiven for not knowing but games are won or lost at the breakdown. And, like most things in rugby, it is about attitude.
These guys were not prepared to fight that fight and preferred to line up in the D and take the soft option. Bloody pathetic! I thought, was this OK with you? Have these forwards of ours ever heard of the pod theory? I guess not.
All the players, but mostly the forwards, were too busy making sure they didn’t make a mistake on the loose ball, so they let the All Blacks have it. They also didn’t jump to compete for the high ball, or chase any kicks in the field of play.
Like most Australians, I believed that we were developing into a harder team with some unity and purpose. You can forget this idea.
Robbie, your day may well be coming. I don’t love you any more. Not sure how John O’Neil feels. Guess you will know on Monday.
andystath
Guest
Im just amazed at the Wallabies lineout let alone the breakdown.The ABs looked like stunned rabbits in headlights against the Boks and we didin't even contest against their lineout throw. If the cattle aren't listening then its time to get new cattle,they couldn't do any worse than the current lot.
mother teresa
Guest
THANKS STILLMISSIT fair enough mate
Blinky Bill of Bellingen
Guest
"Sorry about the length mate, you shouldn’t have asked and I am sure you won’t again." Far from it mate. It was a good read & I appreciate your efforts. Gentlemen - You won't be hearing from me for a wee while. 'Thank F#@K for that' I am hearing. No I'm not jumping ship or going to the dark side. Too old, too lazy & too stuck in my ways for that. The Missus & Moi are off to land of the rising yen. So until next time. It's been fun having someone to share the pain with. Such is life as a Wallaby supporter. It's sayonara from me.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Blinky - your last points are very pertinent. I will try to answer them. PWIFOY - I think that Deans is trying to rebuild the great old teams that had Ella, Campese, Horon etc in them. The problem is that without a top scavenging pack it is impossible to play what's in front of you as it is mostly a Mack Truck. With a bunch of forwards giving quick clean ball 50-60% of the time the PWIFOY plan is easy or at least easier to play. Forwards Commitment - In Australia we don't have a great history of attacking rucks as, certainly where I coach, the guys all grew up on league. As soon as Eddie Jones came out with 'don't over commit to the breakdown' the guys saw this as an excuse to just stand in the D and nobody attacks the breakdown, then someone gets up them and they all attack the breakdown. You just can't win and as Andrew Logan said in another post that Les Kiss (Ex Waratahs defence coach) is right, you have to put these guys through it so many times until it becomes part of their DNA. The AB's grow up on this stuff and are taught it from the start in school, in other words it is in their educational DNA. BTW we have a kiwi in our team and his breakdown work is miles ahead of anyone else. The same with collapsing scrums. With the discovery that there were not a lot of scrums compared to everything else, the idea was to get it over and done with as quickly and painlessly as possible a la rugby league. Then we didn't need the fatties in the front row we could have pseudo breakaways and if the pressure came on them 'Face Plant' was the call. Disgusting, gutless, sort of understandable but never excusable. Sorry about the length mate, you shouldn't have asked and I am sure you won't again.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen
Guest
stillmissit - All this agreeing with each has got to stop. Well that's one thing the Wallabies have managed to achieve anyway. For once we all seem united. I 'Probably', as opposed to 'Possibly' (you like that?), should have made the point about Robbie needing to re-adjust his thinking better than I did. For mine the poor guy may not actually realise the core differences between NZ & Aust Rugby players. He may need to liase with former coaches and pick their brains. Put it this way, how crap would your typical All Black be feeling now compared to the Wallabies, if they were in our position? My guess would be that the coach would spend more time on building confidence or calming them down rather than motivating them. The NZ public are probably motivation enough (although I'm delighted that the Aussie public are starting to care). How can Robbie motivate these guys to lift their game to the level required? Clearly the jersey ain't enough. I have absolutely no idea what can be done. More money, less money, pats on the back, slaps on the face, reruns of the test (your's I believe), axing, etc. There's so many differing and conflicting ideas that I can at least see that I'm not the only one who has no idea. I started off trying to be clearer about Robbie needing to re-adjust his thinking and I've just realised that I'm actually no clearer than when I started. Maybe it's the players who need to do the re-adjusting? But I do wonder about this 'play what's in front of you' plan of his. I like it, in principle. However if the players are not up to it then something else needs to be tried. Perhaps something that will eventually get them to play what's in front of them. stillmissit, you coach don't you? In you opinion is he any closer to getting them to play what's in front of them than this time last year? And how can our forwards stand by & allow our backs to get man handled by those AB forwards & not respond? More to the point why didn't RD put a rocket up their butts at 1/2 time?
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Blinky mate - again I agree with what you have written. All I am saying is we can't just sit here and expect it all to come right. A game like this one can be a one off but we have had too many one off's for too long. Robbie is the best qualified coach in the country I think only the lunatic fringe believe differently. He has his weaknesses and I am starting to think that these Wallabies think they are too smart for some provincial hick from NZ. I can here the Wallabies thinking "Sure he knows a bit about rugby but so what" they have been fed too much carrot and not enough of Robbie's stick he likes to talk about but has rarely been known to use.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen
Guest
Sorry stillmissit but we must agree to disagree. I still believe in Robbie Deans, Santa and the tooth fairy. Look, I'm emotionally a mess at the moment. That loss and it's style AND the news that Mitchell has fronted-up to play a club game one day after the test, has done my head in. The following is something I posted elsewhere on The Roar. Make of it what you will 'cause I can be talked into anything at the moment. Hang on I think that's Avon at the door and I need some more make-up. For what it's worth - "I well remember being hugely relieved when Robbie Deans got the Wallaby Coaching gig. IMHO he’s the best by a country mile. Having said that, I do wonder about how he will cope with Rugby in Oz. The lack of structures between S14 & club is a killer for producing depth and the best players (attitude & skill). Will he cope? Only time will tell. My guess is that he will but may have to re-adjust his thinking. I don’t see our blokes playing what’s in front of them until they can be trusted to do just that. At present they see what’s in front of them (ie us getting smashed at breakdown) and just fail to respond. I’m a firm believer in supporting the bloke that’s appointed and that bloke is RD. However I do wonder at times about his selections, tactics & use of the bench. Like Smith at 8? What the bloody hell gives there? Tactics – seemingly unchanged on Saturday. I was really expecting after 1/2 time for the forwards to absolutely get stuck into the breakdowns and take control. Lineout our strength – Backs instructed to kick for touch up the AB’s end of the park and all lineouts to be contested. The bench – Plan B – Fresh legs to be introduced at the key time to drive the black hordes off the ball. Facts are the Wallabies were playing so poorly up until half time that I’d actually convinced myself that Robbie was conning them and come second half the real game plan would be revealed. Boy was I mistaken? It was more of the same & the AB’s made us pay big time. Weilding the axe – There’s no point. We know it & the players know it. Sorry truth is that they almost certainly believe that they are doing their best. Maybe a sports ‘head doctor’ is the answer. Something needs to change & if we can belt them financially or axe them then perhaps we need to go the opposite way by rewarding them in some way when they play well & win. That seemed to work on the Biggest Loser and at the moment these guys are precisely that." Now if only I had more hair I could try a tint. Do pubes count?
QC
Guest
I'm not so sure of the truth too it Sam but I have heard this from a very good friend of mine who happens to be a Sports Journo who was told by a very prominant Journo who has close links with the AB camp. Suppossedly if they had lost on Saturday Hansen was going to be down the road come Monday. However they won the test and all seems safe for now. As for Blackadder I'm not so sure he's the man to be honest and I am one of those who believe he did not deserve his spot in the ABs much the same as Rueben Thorne but hey it's all done and dusted now isn't it. The Crusaders had a decent season under him and he is seemingly quite knowledgeable. I am of the belief how will we ever have decent back up to the likes of Henry, Deans or Gatland for that matter if we don't blood some guys. I'd back a bolter in Dave Rennie coach of Manawatu or Ian Jones/Robin Brooke however both these guys have other committments and Ian Jones is seekeing stardom through TV these days lol :-)
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Mother save me. He may have had different cattle but I think it is in the nature of the local cattle that they don't want to listen to anything apart from their ipods. To answer your list: McQueen taught the team to think for themselves and to a large extent manage themselves, that was a generation ago times have changed. Dwyer could pick a player better than anyone else in Australia before or since. I assume you are talking about Alan and NOT Eddie, Alan could motivate them for a while until the petulant nature got to be too much and we lost a great full back in Roger Gould. E. Jones was a bloody impostor who fed like a vulture off McQueens work. McKenzie - a nice guy and an ex great prop but he didn't know how to break with the E.Jones stats and the 'wang eye' way .
mother teresa
Guest
YOUR STILL MISSING IT FRIEND;WHY IS DEANS NOT successful like at crusaders and why have previous wallaby coaches done better?its quite simple really;deans for the first time in his coaching career has to put up with the same conditions these coaches had to endure whereas in chch he was spoilt with choice with huge background music. DWYER MCQUEEN,JONES MCKENZIE MUST BE SUPERCOACHES IN COMPARISON or has the dna mutated in the deans era.NO. BUT still IT TAKES A CLASS HUMAN BEING TO KNOW ANOTHER
mother teresa
Guest
MAXXY ;FAIR POINTsee oneill has absolute confidence in deans and agrees with his philosophy and selections but not too happy with the players. further john has a theory that the coaches work is done when the team hits the ground and after that the players were responsible for performance. SHIT I MESSED UP ; i always blamed deans for not signaling for the droppie if not forthcoming; and the imprudent use of the bench.i thought saturday that george smith was taken off by deans cos he wasnt his captaincy choice whereas he left oconnor on cos he values him as one of his gifted selections(what would greg martin know) etc etc NOW im aware deans is just playing out oneills theories;that would be right central office not allowing deans to strut his stuff frustrating stuff.best buy real estate deansy go into partnership in a hair salon with oconnor(hes got a few bob now) forget about the wallies everyone knows its too hard if YOU cant get more than 54% wins. I BLAME JONO
stillmissit
Roar Guru
The other factor in this situation is that Deans is a class human being or at least that was my thoughts when I met him at one of the many speaking duties he has done in Aust. Now I don't understand how a guy who obviously knows the game and can add value to this bunch is so dismissed by the players that they capitulate in a huge game where they had a chance to prove they were improving, before a watching world. If I was him I would guess these guys either don't appreciate the knowledge he brings or they will do whatever they want to regardless.
Sam Taulelei
Guest
Ha, don't hold back Mother T, tell us how you really feel.
mother teresa
Guest
yep but both similar ;canterbury,plodders with iq problems
Sam Taulelei
Guest
QC I heard those same whispers and dismissed them as pure speculation on both counts however if Hansen does go, I wonder if the appointment will be driven by the NZRU or whether Henry gets to choose his assistant. I'd imagine that any replacement will be told in no uncertain terms that they have to improve the performance of the lineout, so in that respect is Blackadder the right person for the job?
stillmissit
Roar Guru
QC - Now a guy like Blackadder, a guy who should never have played for the AB's apart from a ticker like Pharlap (sorry about the ozzie angle) is coaching the forwards then he could make a difference to the AB's. If Mumm or Chisholm had some of his ticker then I wouldn't be feeling so bad. Deans may end up a victim of our own piss poority (New Word by me) but if he cant move them then you are better off saving the wage. Deans could take over from Henry and do a great job as the cattle in NZ do not low all the time, like ours seem to at this point in time.
QC
Guest
Rumour has it that one more slip up Hansen could lose his Job. The NZRU is clearly not happy with the results this year Saturday night aside. If Hansen goes he has been widely tipped to be replaced by Todd Blackadder. Now if there is any truth to the matter it could make for some interesting dynamics in the AB camp.
Maxxy
Guest
LAS thats a ridiculous statement - if you accept that being successful in s14 is a necessity for being a successful Test coach then you would think like that. The reality is that there are many successful coaches who have never coached s12 or 14 who have done well in the test arena. We are just stuck in the mindset that they are the same types of jobs. Deans last 18 months would suggest otherwise. Everyone is replaceable and success is a function of culture and environment. Macqueen never won a s12 title yet he is the Wallabies most successful coach - please explain why that is? Bob Dwyer won a RWC but did not repeat this at s12 (one semi and a record 90 point to loss to the Crusaders) Jake White and de Villiers never coached s12 in SA so were is the correlation
stillmissit
Roar Guru
yes MM Fike - watch this space.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Posibly True - LAS. I would have agreed with you a few months ago but I am starting to have second thoughts. I have been a big supporter of Robbie and O'Neil as the only combination that could do a job on these fancy forwards and blighted backs. Now Nucifora is starting to loom in my reckoning, but the players can't just walk away from this untouched. Average age of 24 is not a bad age for a mixture of youth and experience. I am sure that the Grand Slam winning Wallabies with Ella were about this age group (but dont quote me on that). This is the hard review anyone who has failed to produce in just about anything must expect and sometimes they have hard outcomes! BTW - The Wallabies should watch yesterdays Diamonds v Ferns in netball if they want to learn how to win tough. These girls are twice as focussed and hard edged than our current crop.