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A breath of sporting fresh air at last from Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland and new Brumbies coach Jake White.
Sutherland gave his chairman of selectors John Inverarity a wake-up call on transparency, while White appointed former Waratah Ben Mowen as his skipper for the Super Rugby tournament ahead of long-term Brumbies in a bid to stamp out the franchise’s rotten player-power culture.
Low-key Sutherland hit a high note of transparency over the well-publicised Brad Haddin affair.
Fact – Inverarity told cricket fans Haddin was being rested for the first three ODI games in the Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series tournament,
Fact – Haddin told cricket fans he was dropped.
Sutherland didn’t explain why Inverarity didn’t tell the truth to the fans, especially as the chairman allegedly did tell Haddin he was dropped because of poor form.
Which begs the question: why hasn’t Inverarity come clean himself with his hidden agenda?
And why has it taken Sutherland nearly three weeks to tell the truth?
In the end he had to carry the can yesterday with: “We’re not comfortable with the level of uncertainty and public discussion on this particular matter (Haddin). The really important thing for us (Cricket Australia), and the real focus in recent times has been to the players and that must be improved for the public’s benefit.
“The public deserves to know why certain selections were being taken, and I hope this situation will be avoided in the future. We owe that to cricket fans, and the country”.
Pity Inverarity didn’t think of that when the squad was first named. Telling the truth from day one, instead of gilding the lily for some unknown reason, would have saved a lot of angst.
But there’s no doubt which side of truth Jake White is on. He is a straight as an arrow. He also takes no prisoners as a strict disciplinarian.
The 48-year-old was a shock appointment as Brumbies coach. But his CV bristles with success: coaching South Africa to capture both the junior and senior Rugby World Cups, plus the 2004 Tri-Nations, and being recognised as the IRB Coach-of-the-Year in 2004 and 2007.
His track record as Boks coach stands at 67%, with 36 wins, 17 losses, and a draw.
All those impressive stats were behind his decision to appoint Mowen as skipper. It sent a strong message to any player-power members left at the franchise: “Don’t mess with me as you did by sacking David Nucifora in 2004, and Andy Friend last year, or I’ll bury you.”
Judging by reports from the capital, the message has been taken on board, but with no grace. Noses are well and truly out of joint.
Good.
It’s just the major uppercut the Brumbies need. Shape up or ship out.
Mowen is a class footballer, who was never truly recognised by the Waratahs. Jake White has seen his talent, and acted on instinct that has proved so successful over the years.