NSW coach Michael Cheika says he’s a traditionalist and won’t be naming co-captains at the Waratahs for the upcoming Super Rugby season.
Leadership groups and co-captaincy have become the flavour of the month for many new coaches across the football codes.
Sharing the load wouldn’t be a problem at the Waratahs, with their team stacked with Wallabies and experienced names.
But Cheika still reckons an old fashioned skipper is the way to go.
The Waratahs will announce their captain at the Super Rugby season launch on February 6 in Melbourne.
Cheika won’t share the top job but will name one or two vice-captains.
The Waratahs’ new boss says he’s been impressed with the amount of players who are desperate to take on the captaincy.
“I’m probably more traditional in the way there’s one boss,” said Cheika.
“You have to earn that right. I’m not a big man for appointing a leadership group or anything, it’s found through the respect of the players amongst themselves and they organise themselves accordingly.
“There’s a bit of a battle going on. There’s a few guys who have stepped up that I have seen who want it. They want to be the captain.”
Wallabies prop Benn Robinson captained the team for most of last year, and will again be a frontrunner for the job.
However, there are a host of other candidates putting their hand up, including Berrick Barnes, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Wycliff Palu.
Brendan McKibbin will lead the Waratahs in their opening trial against Melbourne on Saturday in Hobart.
The halfback would be a surprise choice as skipper, but Cheika confirmed McKibbin has the shown the attitude he’s looking for.
“(Captaincy) just naturally happens and a lot of it comes from guys who have the best work ethic,” said Cheika.
“With McKibbin, everything he does at training is 100 per cent and players can’t fault him on anything and you earn respect like that.”
Mango Jack
Guest
Harsh, FOS, he seems like a pretty decent bloke to me, regardless of ability.
Albo
Guest
Whilst I see where you're coming from and agree to a point, I think off field rugby is a different beast in terms of leadership. Training is divided up into skills sets, positions, then throw into that the back up team etc. Only in team runs are just two voices needed. To use a military example: A general needs his lieutenants to be heavily involved in directing training and development so that come battle time they can implement his decisions for the rest to follow. On game day I agree with you totally. But other senior members need an opportunity to stand up so that they can stand behind every word of their Captain in the huddle, knowing they've helped shape it. And if the Captain isn't able to communicate something quickly to the entire team, he has those that he can trust to pass it on as directed.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Barnes is a reasonable loss to the tahs, he is their best goal kicker and an ok 12 at super level. Barnes is NO loss to the Wallabies. He has not been up to intl standard ever since his migraines. He panics too much , kicks too much and poorly.
tj
Guest
Mckibbin will make a good vice captain as halfbacks traditionally do, they're proximal to the ref to have a chat, intersect the forwards and the backs for communication, they're usually talking the whole match anyway but have a high work load and therefore don't need the added pressure of being The Captain... we should all be looking at why Sir Richie or Nobody were such great captains, there on field presence was huge and impacted on not only the players but the refs. Honestly, not sure any of the current candidates mentioned are up for it. Might be a bit young but I'm looking at Hooper
jameswm
Guest
FOS still hasn't forgiven him for leaving Qld. Barnes puts in every game, no doubt about that.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
FOS a bit harsh your estimation of Barnes, I know that he looks like he has swallowed a lemon most of the time he is on the field but off the field you can't meet a nicer more obliging person. One of the nicest blokes I have had the pleasure of conversing with and a great club man.
Johnno
Guest
Albo even then, you are going down the leadership group line. It slowly lads, to a beurocracy, and to many chiefs and not enough soldiers. Endles team meetings for the sake of heaving meetings, and internal leadership struggles. I think you need a clear boss, 1 head coach, 1 captain , and draw a line in the sand that's it. Have 1 vice-captian, and assistant coaches, but only 2 should have formal power the coach, and the captain .
Jiggles
Roar Guru
A lot of player movements after the lions. It smells like rats jumping off the sinking ship.
formeropenside
Guest
Barnes is off to Japan? Excellent news. If anyone was made for Japanese corporate rugby - heartless and soulless - its Barnes.
The OG AlBo
Roar Guru
Exactly. By all means have a leadership group of half a dozen off the field. But as J2 says when it comes to game day you need autocratic rule. One decision that is made by one and backed by the team, right or wrong. We saw what happened between Gits and SMoore.
Justin2
Guest
Exactly, especially in rugby where you must be pulling in one direction on the field. There is no place for democracy in a match.
Justin2
Guest
You wouldn't want him anyway as a skipper, worst body language in international rugby, injury prone and tactically ordinary.
Atawhai Drive
Guest
Berrick Barnes unlikely to be a leadership candidate, now that he's leaving for Japan at end of Super Rugby season.
Who Needs Melon
Roar Guru
I agree Johnno. And it's got ridiculous at times where it has seemed there were more players IN the leadership group than out of it. Captains and vice captains are appointed. But leaders lead - they don't need to be appointed first.
Johnno
Guest
Good move this. I have never liked co-captains, leadership groups, endless team bonding sessions kumbaya. Just have a head coach, a captain and get on with it. Have a vice captain, but just 1 head.
Hightackle
Guest
If Australia had 6 Super teams there would be enough teams for all the captains and we wouldnt have co-captains. Just look at Mortlock.