Australian rugby supremo John O’Neill has labelled fierce criticism from former Wallabies coach John Connolly as absurd and not based on fact.
Connolly last week said the past four years had been the worst for Australian rugby in the professional era and called for a complete review of the game if the Wallabies lose their three Test series with Wales.
His comments came between the Wallabies’ disastrous 9-6 loss to Scotland last Tuesday and their face saving win over Wales in the first Test on Saturday.
The 27-19 win over the Welsh relieved the pressure on O’Neill as much as it did for coach Robbie Deans who Connolly said should be replaced if the Wallabies lose the series.
“There are those who choose to bring an agenda to any stumble in Australian rugby,” O’Neill told AAP on Tuesday.
“For a commentator to say where we are now is the worst shape Australian rugby has been in in the entire professional era off the back of that loss to Scotland is absurd and cannot be supported by fact based evidence.”
The Australian Rugby Union chief executive said the facts showed Australia is ranked No.2 in the world and won the Tri Nations last year, while Queensland won the Super 15 in 2011.
He also cited a 25 per cent growth in playing numbers, record TV figures and record crowds to indicate rugby was healthy in Australia.
He admitted the defeat by Scotland and last year’s loss to Samoa were inexplicable, but boilovers were a part of sport.
O’Neill, who was instrumental in securing Deans in 2008 and last year re-signed him for another two years, says the New Zealander is the right man for the job and has his full support.
“It’s premature to make any judgments on the coaching position until well into next year,” O’Neill said.
“I’m not being drawn, and nor is anyone at the ARU even thinking about, the coaching position other than supporting Robbie and the team to go on and win the Wales series, then go on to win the Rugby Championship and then on to the British and Irish Lions series next year.”
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Surprised JON actually made a comment in the media, he has been MIA since the World Cup. Knuckles and JON don't get on so no surprises. The Under 20 loss was very disappointing, it has been a tournament os upsets as KOG mentioned however that isn't good enough. Have we actually won this tournament ? Part of the problem IMO stems from the Schoolboy systems. I don't think the players particularly coming out of the GPS and CAS systems are hard enough, they only play 6 or 7 comp games. It should be mandatory for all assocations to play in the Waratah Shield and Buchan which I think is under 15 or 16. Kids from GPS schools would benefit enormously from going to play a school like Prairiewood. They leave there palatial school confines and play in unfamiliar surroundings and opponents. It will toughen them up ( hopefully physically ) but more importantly mentally. There is and has been for some time a soft underbelly in Australian Rugby. Where are the solutions JON ?
the bone
Guest
Boyd Killingworth (Pocockjnr) and gun backrower Michael Wells both out injured and stars of the future, available next year also
Moreton Bait
Guest
So many issues emanating around the management and administration of the Rugby code in Australia. Player identification, development, coaching standards and funding / sponsorship are the big issues. Where is the clear communication regarding these issues from the ARU. Where are the strategic development plans? Who communicates them to the stakeholders? It is time for an overhaul and review. Too many issues and in many respects Deans and the Wallabies are the least of the concerns. Perhaps the focus should really be on management at ARU and Super / provincial level. A more professional and independent approach is urgently needed. Why is Nucifora entrenched and beyond performance review, why is Deans guaranteed a role till after the Lions series, what’s going on at the Force/RugbyWA and Waratahs/NSWRU? Is there a plan to broaden depth via the Shute shield and Premier rugby in Brisbane? Randwick and Syd Uni were vociferous in there rejection of the ARC, what have they proposed to broaden / replace the ARC initiative since it’s demise? Why do we suddenly field the youngest squad at the U20s tournament? Is the plan to blood younger players via U20s to broaden playing stocks at club level? Does the ARU now see the club level as the development tier below Super rugby? Are there plans for a national club competition? Will all academy and Super squad players be required to play for clubs when available? Are there any policies and plans in place? Who knows? I certainly don't see Connolly as the solution and tend to see his rant, if anything, as an attempt to deflect attention away from his mate Foley and the fiasco at the Tahs.
formeropenside
Guest
lost to a sunshine coast independent, more or less narrowly. The ALP candidate, if there was one, must have got 2-3 votes.
Ripper Eater
Guest
O'Neill also mentioned he had two shiny bridges for sale, one in Sydney and one in Brisbane, if anyone was interested.
Jutsie
Guest
Deal we give you PAE and you give us digby back.
Jutsie
Guest
That doesnt mean they were any good, just like france last year.
formeropenside
Guest
You do remember that England made the RWC final in 2007, correct?
formeropenside
Guest
Please god can Tilse go to the Rebels. We can also send them Shepherdson, and PAE can come home.
Richie McCaw
Guest
Sarcasms a funny thing. :D
JBees
Guest
Yeah NZs future is all doom & gloom especially when I watch NZs current 1st XV comp - scary, full of talent, NZ 7s winners, U20s consistantly winners and onlly lost by 3 playing in Newcastle weather, I'm sure the Wallabies can relate. I think their rugby conveyor belt seems to have more & more on it - worrying times
Mark W
Guest
The QF in France was for me the worst performance of the wallabies in the last 5 years or so. Worse than Scotland x 2, Samoa, Ireland last year and the huge thrashing by SA in SA a few years back.
Jutsie
Guest
Paddy ryan or even better bring johnny ulugia back home :D I heard QLD were after tilse too? I think weekes is ok but henderson isnt great and whilst big rodzilla has been great around the park he is terrible at scrum time. Because of his height most good props can easily get underneath him and apply pressure.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Have thought that myself DB.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Jutsie - agree. Not sure of their contracting details but the Rebels could do a lot worse than poach Jeremy Tilse and Paddy Ryan from my side's bench. Got a developing young pack if that happened.
jeznez
Roar Guru
KPM - Union isn't competing with League for the likes of Pyle and Neville - which is two of your four new Rebel Wallabies.
Jutsie
Guest
See your point KPM but Im actually happy they havent just gone out and bought established superstars in every position. I didnt want to see a repeat of the force saga where QLD took years to recover and on top of that we have unearthed some potential stars (pyle, jones, neville) in the pack. For me the most important goal of the expansion teams is to build player depth for aus rugby, if we just selected a lot of established aus and overseas stars we would not achieve this.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Jutsie I see yout point and by and large agree, but the Rebels did have far more money than other franchises and could have bought a stellar pack. Not only that, but after the weak showing of the forwards in the first year they didn't go and buy more good ones for the next year. In any case I think the outlook is strong for next year. The young players will develop and it should all go fine.
ianmac
Guest
?And didn't someone say in one of these discussions recently that he is also responsible for choosing Robbie Deans' coaching assistants?
Jutsie
Guest
But they are a new team. I think their pack has been pretty decent in all their home games this year but go off the boil whenever they travel. Rodzilla, henderson and weekes are good around the park but need to improve their scrummaging. Weekes' injury was a big issue as he is the only decent scrummager out of the three. There was also big raps on our young prop Paul Alo-Emile but he has been injured all season too. Robinson is an ok hooker but needs to work on his lineout throwing, freir unfortunately is over the hill. The backrowers have all been good (delve especially) but our only decent fetcher in lipman has been injured for most of the season too. Saffy looks like a 7 but plays like a 6 and is also out for the rest of the year. So I think we are going along pretty nicely for a team in their 2nd year considering we have rarely played a game where all our big stars have been on the field at the same time.