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Sydney University teaches Randwick a rugby lesson

27th September, 2009
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27th September, 2009
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Sydney University won their fifth consecutive Shute Shield premiership 24 – 19 by playing its traditional hard graft forward game and direct running in the backs, guided around the field brilliantly (until the last 15 minutes) by a cool, clever Daniel Halangahu.

Randwick, the Galloping Greens of a legend, tried to out-Uni the champions, unfortunately, and paid the penalty for this.

In the last 10 minutes Randwick was virtually camped inside the University 22. Instead of stretching the defence with clever back play and slick passing by the backs, Randwick became the Plodding Greens, trying to crash through a tough, well-organised University defensive wall with one-off hit ups.

The final drive of an intense and well-played match saw Randwick metres out from the University try line still plodding forward. There was the inevitable turn-over, a short-arm penalty to University when Randwick infringed trying to correct the wrong option and Halangahu booting the tap penalty into the crowd.

Before the final, the Randwick coach Gary Ella said that his team intended to follow the traditional Galloping Green tactics that have brought so much glory to one of Australia’s greatest rugby clubs. ‘We have to keep them moving around the paddock,’ he told reporters, pointing out that Univeristy had some advantages in cohesion and team-work from playing together for some time.

Whether it was the extremely windy conditions, or just big match nerves or whatever, Randwick kicked away too much ball and rarely, if ever, mounted one of those thrilling counter-attacks from deep inside its own territory that have been the hallmark of the club’s play – and success – over the decades.

It was disappointing for Randwick supporters like myself to see their reversion to a style of play that was a long way away from the running rugby that has brought so much success and pleasure to supporters over the decades.

The plodding, unskilled bash-and-barge tactics reinforced some scathing comments made in the Sunday Telegraph by the former Wallabies coach, Alan Jones, about the present dismal state of Australian rugby.

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Jones, after assailing ‘what looks like the hopeless administrative mess’ in relation to the proposed Melbourne Super 15 franchise, went on to make the more valid point that Australian Super Rugby players spend far too much time in the gym bulking up and too little time on their skills.

He was also critical of the inability of Australian sides at all levels (and this includes the Wallabies) to make use of the full width of the field.

On the Melbourne franchise issue, we have to wait and see what happens before any claim of a mess can be made.

My guess is that the ARU has had to deal with a tricky situation where some of the various parties interested in running the franchise don’t even talk to each other. The outcome will probably be a good one for Australian rugby.

But on the other two points, Jones is totally correct. The skill levels of the Australian players are well below those of players in South Africa and New Zealand.

And this is at all levels, mental and physical. I read somewhere recently, for instance, that there is some resistance among many of the Wallabies to embrace the Robbie Deans high-energy, clever game of forcing turn-overs and putting the ball wide to run around the defensive lines.

Even in this club final, with strong runners on the wings and the centres in both sides, there was a marked reluctance to spread the ball and run hard at the defence at the edges of the field. One exception to this, in my opinion, was the young Mitch Inman, the University centre, who is big, fast and young.

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If there are any bolters in the Wallaby side for Europe, he would be my pick of the type of player Deans needs to give some size and penetration to his outside backs.

You have to admire the work, too, of the coaching staff of University, Damien Hill and Greg Mumm, Dean Mumm’s brother.

Both these coaches are in their 30s. Hill has now won back-to-back premierships, a significant achievement. He has worked for the Brumbies franchise, in Japan and in the Sydney University system which is now clearly the best club system in Australia with the first grade side making 9 out of the last 11 Sydney grand finals.

For a bright future for Australian rugby ARU and the various Super Rugby franchises must look to coaches like Hill, Todd Louden, and Michael Cheika for the next generation of front line coaches. Forget about Ewen McKenzie and the other usual suspects.

The NSW Waratahs franchise, too, should anticipate this rise of the new breed by bringing Hill into its system as a back-up for Chris Hickey and his coaching staff who looked out of their depth this year.

Tom Carter - Tooheys New Shute Shield Grand Final Day at the Sydney Football Stadium Image credit: seiserphotography.com

Tom Carter - Tooheys New Shute Shield Grand Final Day at the Sydney Football Stadium Image credit: seiserphotography.com

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