Australian rugby can hope to mirror cricket’s much-needed new feelgood factor with Ewen McKenzie set to take over as Wallabies coach.
The parallels between the Wallabies and the Australian cricket team are striking.
Cricket Australia punted foreign national team coach Mickey Arthur and replaced him with rising Australian mentor Darren Lehmann after disappointing results were exacerbated by player behaviour issues – David Warner’s punch and the Homeworkgate affair – raising concerns about team culture.
The Australian Rugby Union is expected to announce it’s axing New Zealander Deans and replacing him with well-credentialled local McKenzie in the wake of the blowout Lions series decider defeat after a tenure marked by off-field discipline problems involving Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor and outspoken Quade Cooper.
The cricket team bounced back with their first win in months and appeared a more unified camp following the well-received appointment of Lehmann.
Lehmann moved quickly to reassure a public disillusioned by rotation policy selection and to reassure star allrounder Shane Watson, who’d had his issues with Arthur after giving up the vice-captaincy in the wake of his Homeworkgate Test suspension.
McKenzie could expect widespread public support initially from fans who crave the attacking style he brought to the Queensland Reds and he would doubtless reinstall his mercurial Reds playmaker Cooper, who hasn’t played for the Wallabies since describing the team set up under Deans as toxic.
A Fairfax Media public opinion poll on who should coach the Wallabies was running overwhelmingly in his favour ahead of Deans and the Brumbies’ South African mentor Jake White on Monday.
Of course public opinion can soon change, foreign coach or not, and the proof lies ultimately in results.
Those are no given for either Lehmann, heading into back-to-back Ashes series, or McKenzie, who must overcome Deans’ nemesis the All Blacks and win the Bledisloe Cup for the first time in a decade.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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