Ewen McKenzie’s announcement that he is leaving the Queensland Reds at the end of the Super Rugby season to go somewhere is a clear case of throwing his hat into the ring for the job of Wallabies coach.
As Wayne Smith in The Australian pointed out, McKenzie is now available if the ARU wants him or if, say, Ireland who need a new head coach after a poor Six Nations tournament make him an offer he can’t refuse.
The point about the Ireland job, for which McKenzie would be a shoo-in to be offered, is that even the possibility of it might be enough to galvanise the ARU into claiming McKenzie for Australian rugby.
This is what John O’Neill as CEO of the ARU in 2011 did with Robbie Deans. He signed up the Wallaby coach for two more years with an option for four in total even before the 2011 Rugby World Cup tournament.
The key to Deans’ re-appointment at the end of the season, with him and the ARU taking up the extra two-year option until after the 2015 Rugby World Cup tournament is a series win against the British and Irish Lions.
No series win, end of the Wallaby coaching job contract. It’s as simple and as complicated (in terms of winning) as that.
Even if the Wallabies win the season, it is not a sure thing that Deans will get his extra two years. He has powerful enemies with agendas inside the Australian rugby community who resent the fact that he is a New Zealander.
Bill Pulver, the new CEO, has being talking about the need for all the Australian teams, including the Wallabies, to play smart, attractive, running and winning rugby.
The implication in his remarks has been that the Wallabies, as well as most of the other teams, especially the Waratahs, had not played in this preferred style in recent years.
The further point here is that in 2011 the Reds did do that and won the Super Rugby tournament for the first time with their expansive and spectator-friendly style of play. It must be noted though that this season, particularly, the Reds have been less attractive in their play.
But then they have missed until last week Will Genia, arguably the best halfback in world rugby, to set the backs and forwards running on spectacular break-out plays.
It is interesting, too, for those of us who like to read the rugby’s political tea leaves to see the promotion of Jake White as a candidate for the Wallabies coaching job. This promotion, of course, has been sparked by White’s admission that he wants to get back at some stage to coaching an international side.
White has also stated that he will honour his contract with the Brumbies that ends in 2015.
What this means, I believe, is that if McKenzie does not get the Wallaby coaching job in 2014, he will not get it in 2016.
White is creating a Brumbies side that should win at least one Super Rugby title in the next three seasons (and this includes this season). If he does this, he could argue after the 2015 Rugby World Cup that he took an Under-21 Springboks side which won a world tournament to winning the 2007 Rugby World Cup. T
he Brumbies would be the equivalent of his championship-winning Under-21 Springboks side.
This would be a powerful argument. It is something that Rod Macqueen did with his Brumbies when he coached the Wallabies, even though he never actually won a Super Rugby title with the Brumbies.
This saga of the Wallaby coach going into the 2015 Rugby World Cup has a long way to run, obviously. What McKenzie has going for him is a Super Rugby win in 2011, powerful supporters on the ARU board and the fact that the Australian rugby community seems to favour an Australian coaching the Wallabies, when all other things are equal.
But there is the rub. If Deans can coach the Wallabies to a series win against the Lions, then he must be in the box seat to continue to 2015.
If he doesn’t win the series, McKenzie – in the absence of White – is the obvious successor.
White comes into the picture in 2016. But by then, who knows? Michael Cheika might have turned around the Waratahs into a championship-winning side.
If this happens, White might have to look outside Australia for his international side.
Colvin
Guest
It seems to be an Australian thing to be available for selection but to play tactics. Link is doing it. Jake White is in and around it but only after his contract with the Brumbies is over Quade did it with WBs/rugby/league Genia did it with Force/Reds Kevin Rudd just did it. Simon Crean did it The gang of four in the Aus cricket team just did it. Even Warney is suggesting a number of different people to run Aus cricket On and on. With a vibrant media, life is never dull in Aus.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
I somehow doubt this might be the case Mr Zavos you are ignoring the distinct possibility that he might have been offered the Irish Top Job an may just be doing this as a public protest at the obstinency of the ARU (nothing new to that of course )
brasso
Guest
I think you have nailed it right there!
richard
Guest
That might be pushing it a bit.Reuben Thorne,Scott Robertson,Todd Slackbladder for example.Hardly the best on offer. The problem with Deans was he was too Canterbury focused.Which has no place when coaching your national team.It's hard to say what he's worse at - coaching or selecting.
I wonder if the attention Jake White has been recieivng recently is influencing this reaction of McKenzie.
mapu
Guest
You think if Christchurch didnt have their earthquakes he would still have a title to his name.
mapu
Guest
Don't agree.if Christchurch didnt get earthquake s that year he wouldn't have title to his name.
mapu
Guest
Yea like at the start of every year how they gunna win this and be that
Kipper
Guest
and - on the plus side (for non Reds fans) of McKenzie taking the Wallabies job is that Richard Graham has complete control of coaching the reds - good luck :-)
Die hard
Roar Rookie
An astonishinly thoughtful piece KPM. I don't necessarily think an applicant should coach overseasas a prerequisite, but I do think he should come as a package like NZ. The game is too big and too fast for one man to be the everything nowadays, and I don't ever see McKenzie sharing the load (much like RD). Long term strategies and no rush.... I agree!
richard
Guest
Funny,looking at Australian rugby,you must be dipping into that same player pool. It's amusing how other countries think they can tell NZ what it can and can't do with its own resources.Trust me,W.Samoa,Tonga and Fiiji need us more than we need them. Is that rabid enough for you?
Rob
Guest
Ewan turned the reds into an average super team that one a comp when other teams were concentrating on the RWC. Deans turned the crusaders into the greatest super rugby team of all time. I don't see why you queenslands can't grasp that. I guess I shouldn't expect much, look how hard it is for you to grasp the idea of daylight savings.
Silver_Sovereign
Guest
ewen McKenzie turned the reds into the best aussie super team, link can do it again with national side. Deans' coaching career survives game to game, some of the losses and negative/defensive tactics he employs are disgusting. An aussie side should have a go, not use useless grubber kicks and kicking duels. And for gods sake, go for the try when u get a penalty within 50m more often than not. Be POSITIVE!! The way some of the aussie goal kickers are kicking penalities the last couple of years its a gamble just to take a shot at goal. In short, Deans should have been turfed ages ago. Ive lost count how everyone wants him fired and then all of a sudden the wallabies actually perform for ONE game and his career is saved. Then that win is followed by bad losses or losing after having big leads
Big Merv's Jockstrap
Guest
The biggest indictment I can think of against Jake White is that he's mates with, and respects the coaching of Eddie Jones. After the way Eddie stuffed up the Wallabies and later the Reds, that alone should bring Jake's judgement into question!
Simon_Sez
Roar Guru
I agree with Mysonsaremaggots, the ARU should really try and convince McKenzie to stay in Queensland, give him a top up in salary to continue with the good work. His wife and in particular his teenage girls, would probably prefer to stay in Queensland and continue to grow up with all their friends. Ireland, if that is what he is thinking, is not a place you really want to be living at the moment. This is not really a difficult decision for McKenzie to make if the correct approach was made by the ARU.
DCNZ
Guest
Big Merv, as a Kiwi, I think your comment is hilarious. but i think Deans' wooden style and impenetrable vocab would, evidently, not go down well with the Samoan boys. Plus he is fro Christchurch, so he is an anglo mainlander! Anyhoo I reckon Link now wants the international kudos and the dollars.... The big question is ...does Jake understand the Wallaby psyche?
ADSA
Guest
Choice bro, no fush n chups for ewe!
Big Merv's Jockstrap
Guest
Maybe we could do a deal that keeps everyone happy - Link coaches the Wallabies, and we compensate Dingo by sending him to coach the All Blacks Academy aka Samoa. *cowers in wait for the rabid NZ repies*
Tissot Time
Guest
KPM - nice post
Mysonsaremaggots
Roar Rookie
I dont think Robbie's right for Australia even though i think his still a great coach, think he would do better coaching Ireland with players who want to be coached, Australian coach needs to be a man manger more than a coach. But Link should not be Ozzie coach ether, hes publicly stated that he cant win without copper, that's not man management. Also He took over a team that was assembled by someone else and won a title, now the team he built is going backwards and he says hes leaving at the end of the year and demanding the wallaby Job WTF? Just dont think hes got the skill set to develop player or mange some of the most pampered footballers in the world. White on the other hand is a great man manger, who can spot talent. Also he can deal with the politics involved with being an Australian coach