Getting sacked two games into the season may seem harsh, but Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie admitted the warning signs were there ahead of Andy Friend’s sensational ACT Brumbies exit.
If only McKenzie had the same foresight regarding the early 2011 Super Rugby season trends.
While saddened by Friend’s axing, McKenzie thought something was up when he began reading about internal problems at the ACT so early in the season.
History shows Friend was given his marching orders after the Brumbies’ shock round two loss to debutants Melbourne Rebels.
Which is probably not good news for the Reds.
Still reeling from last round’s 30-6 thrashing from NSW Waratahs, Queensland must try to win for the first time in Canberra against an ACT outfit sure to come out swinging on Saturday night after their tumultuous week.
“You always worry when you see paper talk so early in the season – where there is smoke there is fire,” McKenzie said of recent reports of Brumbies rumblings.
“But I think we have all been a bit surprised that it has happened.
“I don’t know the background but the fact that it was in the paper so early wasn’t a good sign.
“And when team dynamics change like that there can be a sudden burst of enthusiasm – we know they will be galvanised as a group.
“They were going to be tough anyway – it hasn’t made it easier.”
He may have been right about Friend’s fate, but McKenzie is the first to admit his Nostradamus-like talent didn’t extend to the Reds.
The Queensland mentor put his hand up and conceded that the gameplan used to clinch fifth last year just wasn’t stacking up in 2011.
McKenzie made it clear he’s targeting improvement at the breakdown in naming his side for the ACT clash.
After being muscled off the ball last week, the Reds will give fleet-footed ball scavenger Beau Robinson a starting debut at openside breakaway in a revamped backrow in Canberra.
Boosting his plans for breakdown dominance, McKenzie has also gone with a 5-2 forward-dominated split on the bench.
“Beau deserves an opportunity. He definitely makes a difference and plays with the right spirit,” McKenzie said.
Robinson comes into the backrow with Scott Higginbotham shifting to blindside flanker and Leroy Houston at No.8 and Ed Quirk dropping to the bench.
The other change to the starting lineup sees versatile Ben Lucas replace injured fullback Peter Hynes.
McKenzie said they were no closer to knowing when Hynes would return after a recurrence of a troublesome knee injury.
“It’s back to the drawing board on the same injury and that is disappointing,” he said.
“But we will take stock, speak to the medical people and get a plan and get on with it.”
With skipper James Horwill also ruled out by injury, halfback Will Genia takes over the captaincy.
Dave
Guest
Spot on jonny-boy. He got booted from the Tahs, as well as over in France - so he should let the Reds do what they did so well last year.
anopinion
Guest
Agree with everything.
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
http://twitpic.com/45li6m "how to lose friend and alienate people" theatrical poster...
johnny-boy
Guest
I hope Link can see his own sacking coming if doesn't let the boys of the leash. Stuff the theory, just have a go. It worked really really well last year until Link got chicken. It's what Australian teams do best and other countries struggle to come to grips with. The sheer damn enthusiasm and audacity.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Perhaps us Reds supporters should all sent e-mails earlier in the week to Ewen to alert him of his selections blunders that have plagued the team this season. A direct link (no pun intended) to our defeat against the Waratahs was the inept selections that EM employed. Horwill at 6 was huge blunder and I said that after the first game against the Force. And blind freddy could see that they needed to start Robinson at 7 from the outset. And the pathetic hiding of Cooper at the back in the defensive line is ridiculous. When you put a poor defender out in space he only looks far worse because the opposition have room to make him look stupid. Putting a poor tackler up front and in close with support around him is the way to go at least when he attempts to tackle the opposition haven't got the room to move and would have to run at him or over him and in that case he would be able to hinder their way or make a tackle, giving the support time to wrap the attacker up. I was all for EM last season as he pulled all the right strings but so far he is way off the mark with even better personal at his disposal than last season. Daley is sadly out of form in the front row and Saia F is not going that well either Hanson looks better when he comes on and Holmes looks better also when he replaces Daley, So the law of averages says why not switch them around????? But time marches on slowly as does changes at the Reds.
BennO
Guest
But that wasn't in the paper quite so early!
Dingo Bob
Guest
You would think with such foresight Ewan would have foreseen the bollocking the Reds got from the Waratahs