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So Jake White has done it. Yesterday he locked in George Gregan and Eddie Jones as his Brumbies coaching consultants for next season, a bit better than part-timers, with Stephen Larkham (backs), and Laurie Fisher (forwards), his full-time assistants. Now isn’t that all nice and cosy.
With the Brumbies desperately needing a culture change, White has turned to four dyed-in-the-wool Brumbies for more of the same culture.
It’s a potentially dangerous decision.
Former Brumbies and Wallaby coach Jones was an obvious choice, having been Boks head coach White’s right-hand man when they won the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
They are a proven combination, even if it was just a one-off.
But it’s the Jones-Gregan combination that could still embarrass the South African.
Jones coached the Brumbies from 1998 to 2001, taking over from Rod Macqueen. In 2001, Jones led the Brumbies to its first Super crown, thumping the Sharks 36-6 in the Super 12 final.
From 2002 to 2005, Jones was the Wallaby coach, again taking over from Macqueen, reaching the World Cup final in 2003, only to lose in extra time to England 20-17.
And in those seven years, Gregan was Jones’ half-back.
During that period, Gregan was dynamic for the Wallabies, capturing the 1999 RWC and the 2001 Super 12 success.
From there on in, Gregan was in decline: his options poor, his service slow, while his fly-half, Larkham, copped a hammering.
Gregan should have retired after the 2003 RWC final loss, but he didn’t. And Jones didn’t punt him.
As Gregan’s form went further down the mine, the Wallabies lost all their Tri-Nations games and eight of their last nine in 2005. Was Gregan dropped? No, Jones was sacked with two years left on his contract, and John Connolly saw out the balance.
Did Connolly drop Gregan? No, and the Wallabies were unceremoniously dumped out of the 2007 RWC quarters by England.
Then Gregan retired, four years too late.
In 2004, Gregan and Larkham were instrumental in Brumbies coach David Nucifora being sacked. He was a name-only coach when the Brumbies won the Super 12 final 42-38 over the Crusaders.
And who took over from Nucifora?
Laurie Fisher. Nice and cosy alright.
Since 2005, the Brumbies couldn’t get rid of the player-power stench instigated by Gregan and Larkham, finishing fifth, 15 points behind the Crusaders.
* In 2006, the Brumbies finished sixth, 13 points adrift of the Crusaders.
* In 2007, sixth again, but closer within five points of the Sharks.
* In 2008, ninth, 22 points behind the Crusaders.
* In 2009, with Andy Friend in charge, finished seventh, eight points adrift of the Bulls.
* And last year, fifth, 10 points behind the Bulls.
From Super champions in 2001 and 2004 to not one semi-final appearance in six years, capped off by the player-power sacking of Friend after just two rounds this season.
And where are the Brumbies on the current Super 15 table?
Hanging limply onto 13th, their worst season ever, languishing 22 points behind the Auckland Blues. They’re a basket case.
And next season three senior players will be gone – Matt Giteau to Toulouse, Adam Ashley-Cooper with the Waratahs, and Rocky Elsom, yet to play this season with on-going hamstring problems, will be somewhere else.
So Jake White has made a bed of nails for himself for 2012. On paper, at least.
But paper doesn’t count, only the 80 minutes of playing time on the paddock. And for that we’ll have to wait and see.