As June 5 approaches, the flak aimed at John O’Neill and the Australian Rugby Union gains momentum over their scheduling. Misplaced flak.
In my book, the June 5 international against Scotland and the June 9 clash with Wales will be doing the Wallabies a huge favour.
The blinkered reckon it’s a disaster to schedule two internationals just four days apart.
Quite the opposite. By scheduling such a short turnaround, the ARU is virtually telling Wallaby coach Robbie Deans to pick two teams.
Let’s see what the depth of Wallaby rugby is really like by giving the fringe contenders a run against the Scots, who didn’t win a game in the last Six-Nations. Let’s keep the top side under wraps until the three Tests against the Welsh, who won all five Six-Nation games and clinched the Grand Slam.
With much gnashing of teeth, the blinkered are gunning for O’Neill and the ARU and complaining that the concept cheapens the gold jersey. Only the very best XV should take to the field every international.
Cheapen the jersey? Bollocks.
And the blinkered also reckon it’s an insult to the Scots by not selecting the best Wallaby side. More bollocks.
In the past, both France and England have sent their fringe players on tours Down Under. Rugby fans didn’t complain when the Wallabies posted cricket scores against both nations.
And they won’t complain if the fringe contenders are named for the Scotland game. Newcastle will be a sell-out for the historic first rugby international to be played in the city.
The only question still to be answered is will Deans have the bottle to keep his entire top side under wraps, and go with a full-on fringe side against the Scots?
The answer is probably no. Deans has a 59% win record from his 53 internationals as Wallaby coach since June 2008. He’s a far better coach than those stats suggest.
But well short of Rod Macqueen’s 79% from 43 internationals, and Alan Jones’ 77% from 30. And still short of John Connolly’s 64% from 22, Bobby Dwyer’s 63% from 73, and Greg Smith’s 63% from 19.
Deans obviously sets out to win every international and would dearly want to get that win record into the 60s by the end of the year. He would see Scotland as the first positive move in that direction.
But that’s counter productive. Why risk his top Wallabies in internationals four days apart, when they have three internationals against Wales in two weeks, return to the Super Rugby tournament immediately after that, and straight into the inaugural Rugby Championship with long trips to South Africa and Argentina?
Burn out looms large.
Deans can minimise that by selecting a fringe side for Scotland.
Do it Robbie.
I reckon the fringe dwellers will spank Scotland anyway, despite limited preparation. And that means Deans will have at least 44 literally current Wallabies for the demanding Rugby Championship.
And every one of them will have proudly worn the coveted gold jersey in 2012.
More importantly, not one of them will have cheapened its value. No way.
dontkickittokieren
Guest
As much as I think Beale is our most promising prospect at 10, I am not sure he is conditioned to the non stop intensity of the position yet. Although he master classed for about an hour against the Force, he faded dramatically to the point where he was heaving multiple lead pillows to nowhere in the last quarter. Also, even though Quade showed flashes of brilliance on return, I doubt he has the needed game time to last 80 minutes without a brain snap or two, as he struggled to avoid doing that even at peak form during the world cup. Deans should contemplate rotating them both either off the bench or even simultaneously from 10 to 15 between attack and defense, especially nursing Quade at 15 come tackle time. Trying to read or predict either of them is a nightmare at the best of times, let alone the pure chaos of trying to deal with both of them on rotation.
Sprigs
Guest
Ah ha! Hooray, a Moggist like me.
Sprigs
Guest
Are you sure you can't see Mogg as a future star, KPM?
sittingbison
Guest
Toupu has been out injured for 8 or so weeks, and its his first game back. He did actually do the scything attack that led to McCalmans try.
Justin2
Guest
BW needs to win games not give a benchie a run to see if he might be a goer for AUS though BR. Speight has been fantastic this year so would be cruel to drop him unless he isnt fit as Markus is alluding to...
snowman
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the clarification. So I understand that you are saying - if a national game appears outside an official window, the clubs have a veto. If this is right, that means any games that appear outside "a window" are likely to be a second string team.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
The IRB has also set some rules to protect the right for players to be selected by their national team, (regulation 9). http://www.irb.com/mm/document/lawsregs/regulations/04/23/27/42327_pdf.pdf
Markus
Guest
You may get your wish, bluerose. While I would never drop in on form, Speight is currently struggling to get over a knee injury by Saturday. If he doesn't make it then Kuridrani will likely come in on the wing and Cam Crawford onto the bench.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
You said " In France and England, as I understand it, players are contracted to the club first and the National team comes second ". what i meant is that the players arent contracted at all with the rugby federation, only the club (thought you meant there were 2 contracts, first with the club then naional team. maybe i misunderstood, sorry if its the case, no harm done :). 2nd point: the clubs dont have a veto: they have to obey and release their french players during 'windows' (time frames) decided by the FFR or LNR (first is the federation 2nd is the ligue nationale de rugby). So the national squad does have priority to some extent now but again, its one week or so before an international game. I even remeber that during the 6 nations, when France have the bye, they have to release the players to the clubs where they can play (and get injured).
snowman
Roar Rookie
Sorry, I thought that was what I said. The club in England and France decides what the player does, the National teams requirements are secondary - the Club has a veto. Unless your saying that this applies to the World Cup as well, where I believe there might be an override in favour of the national squad.
bluerose
Guest
not for me too but i would expect some new faces this year, if JW doesnt want to start Kuridrani at #13 then at least select him on the wing in place of Speight who isnt qualified at the moment, this will give the Wallaby qualified Kuridrani a chance to prove if he's the real deal or the real #$%&*......lol, i dont think that one run by Sautia is enough to start praising him, he has the potential but needs more exposure in top level rugby to help him develop, i was impressed with Will Tupou's defence against the Rebels but was a no show in attack.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
I just correct a little thing in your post snowman: french players are not contracted at all by the national team, only by their clubs. The national team has never been a priority in French rugby where clubs are the dominant entity. Now, clubs have the obligation to release their french internationals during 'international windows' (6 nations, RWC, tours). But if we compare to all SH nations, they spend much less time together, play 10-12 more games every year etc... This has been an on going issue for decades. same in england i would assume although am less familiar with their national team
snowman
Roar Rookie
In France and England, as I understand it, players are contracted to the club first and the National team comes second in its call on a player - except when it comes to a World Cup. This means that if the Club won't release a top player for their own reasons, there is nothing the national team can do about it. Hence why sometimes the best players don't tour. In Australia, again I understand, that the national team comes first - province second.
Thurl
Guest
Stlll be the same circus, just a different ringmaster
Justin2
Guest
Yeah fair enough, just KPM wants to see a whole host who have done very little be promoted. Not for me
Justin2
Guest
KPM - agreed one match is extreme to judge a player on. Imagine doing it to a player who hasnt even played a full match!
jameswm
Guest
I think some of the Reds and Fore first string test players should be rested for the Wales test. I'm talking Genia and Pocock mainly. Otherwise, Quade needs the game time and can play against Scotland, and you've got Harris, Lucas, Higginbotham, Holmes, AFinger, Hanson and Gill at the Reds and Charles, Sharpe, Hodgson and Cummins pushing for a test spot from the Force. I'd like interesting prospects from the other 3 teams like Vaea, BFoley and Nevill/Pyle to get a look-in too, but you guys are right, we don't want to be ambushed playing a development team against the Scots.
Jagman
Guest
Justin2 Kepu was a bench player for the Waratahs when he got his first Wallabies cap. Held back by al Baxter I believe. Goes to show not all bench players for super teams are unworthy of being picked. I advocated Paddy Ryan as a potential wallabie against Scotland.
Jagman
Guest
Put in some fringe players yes but not a whole team of them. They'll get ambushed. Lesson from Samoa test. Genia needs to start. Bench him when/if the wallabies take a decent lead but don't play him off the bench like Samoa test. In my opinion Pocock, Higginbotham and Ioani are also required to start and will have to back up 4 days later.
Johnno
Guest
Oh can we just sack Deans now and end this circus, and put the rightful best coach in the country Jake White as head wallaby coach. Just like the other south african in cricket micky arthur took over from teflon tim as he was coach of WA. Surely the wallabies come no 1 and the brumbies no 2.