After last weekend’s debacle in Auckland, Wallabies supporters have had much to ponder. The All Blacks were outstanding to be sure, however the Wallaby effort was unacceptable on many levels.
Australian rugby is one big roller coaster ride for fans and has been for over 10 years. Only in Australia do we see one of our teams capture the Super Rugby title, and then three weeks later suffer a record loss.
Of course Super and International Rugby are two different beasts. On the 10-year roller coaster the Wallabies haven’t had a strong forward pack. They’ve produced some good performances but generally have never dominated the All Blacks, Boks or England.
They have provided just enough ball for the backs to carry the load.
Australian rugby has always been obsessed by the backline. No doubt we have produced some wonderful players which is recognised in the game globally. But we have reached a point where producing talented backs is simply not enough.
The shift in attitude and approach must be geared towards producing forwards. This is a given you might ask, stating the obvious you might say, yes to both but the penny has to drop now.
The game isn’t producing the quality forwards with the required strength, skill, toughness and athleticism to dominate any of the top five nations at International level. Our Super teams can compete up front but again, two different games.
Australian rugby in my view need to think laterally about how they identify and develop the right talent. I look at the lack of depth in our second row stocks. We need athletes not plodders.
The game needs to target sports such as AFL, basketball and even rowing to identify these athletes. Not all the rising ruckmen are going to play at the elite level, ditto basketball power forwards / centres.
I’m not proclaiming this to be the answer however it can form part of the solution in talent identification and unearthing the next Brodie Retallick or Sam Whitelock. Once this talent is identified I’d love to see them join a tight five academy headed up by some quality forward coaches.
This would double as the scrum school many of us have been calling for years. A guy like Topo Rodriguez would take charge of the front row talent. Get them packing scrums until there blue in the face, likewise have them living in the weights room.
These young talents would eat, sleep and breath the game. The training would be intense, tough and provide the players with the skill sets required to take the next step up to Club / NRC / Super level.
Now of course this kind of project must also coincide with a renewed grass roots focus. Australian rugby requires a bottom up approach first and foremost.
Peter Hughes
Roar Rookie
Totally agree with the Article. Just look at the commentary since the Eden park disaster. Mainly talk about Beale/Foley & White/Phipps & wingers when the problemm were clearly in the forwards. Wallabies continue to pick a passenger at No 8 and try to play the AB's with 7 forwards >> then blame the backs. We had a journeyman Hooker (4th choice) also. They finally put on Higginbotham with 20 mins to go and the game already long gone & instantly we had parity & some punch. Aust don't produce many props & hookers but there's 100's of great ones in Argentina every year dreaming of a Super contract & Australia. I know cos I lived & worked there. If ARU & Super Franchises had any brains they'd be buying 4-6 Argentine props & hookers every year and within 3 yrs Wallabies front 5 would be feared & could start beating the ABs consistently. But instead we waste $$ on backs like C Hunt. Players we just don't need.
Shop
Roar Guru
Good stuff WB. It seems to be a long lasting problem in Australia, this obsession with backs. A forward focus is definitely something that would improve our chances. Even with an ex frontrow forward as coach we don't seem to be able to respect the engine room enough.
BrumbyJack
Guest
I agree Harry, knowing him quite well. Loves the rough stuff and the niggle. Hodgo also has that rare ability to read a game and be in the right position at the right time. He is a freak when it comes to turning over the ball in pressure situations. One has to ask - imagine how many Wallaby caps he would have won if he were the starting 7 at a stronger team like the Tahs or Brumbies? Plenty you would think...
RobC
Roar Guru
Im a big fan of Skelton,and have waited a year to see him wear Gold. He can be damaging in he loose, and great maul defender. But he's not there yet. Scrum is average, and can push passes in contact. He threw the ball away in the AB redzone. And also a soft ball loss in contact. He will improve. Im just hoping Chieka concentrates on this next year, along with lineout. Carter and Simmons are better srummagers, I believe.
Louie
Guest
Good call Xeno. Australia wants rugby without forward play, 15 man sevens is apparently the answer. I for one love the game as it is and want to see Aust get on with developing players necessary to win classic rugby. Don't like scrums, resets, rugby set piece stoppages...watch league.
Harry Jones
Expert
Mongrel comes from within. Playing on a struggling team and STILL never giving up/in...that's mongrel. Hodgson seems to have mongrel. Need to see him battle on the deck w Bismarck, Louw, Vermeulen.
Harry Jones
Expert
Haha NOS that's good logic. One punch and it's over. Bakkies wouldn't fight you. Off the field, he's very kind.
Louie
Guest
Agree Rob, Slipper and Kepu are better than they appear, I also like Sio, but not so much the rest. Piggies need the guys behind them tight and pushing hard for the full 60 sec to keep them stable. Wallabies is a scrum of individuals that don't work as a unit. How often do we see the second shove come from the opposition and our guys are already releasing or Merecatting, props don't stand a chance against a committed 8. Decent 4 & 5 + 6 will make a world of difference to to the scrum. Scrum goes better with Skelton on and don't get me started about contribution and impact at the breakdown and ball carry.
Mike
Guest
"our forwards have been conning the refs for years(I’ll go back to the Bill Young?Owen Finnigan act)" All forwards con the referee. Tony Woodcock is a master at it. That doesn't mean he's a bad forward.
Mike
Guest
Dave H, wonderful post. Bang on. I am glad to hear about the work you are doing - you are laying the ground work for the Wallabies of the future. And you are right about good locks being the foundation of success.
Mike
Guest
"Only in Australia do we see one of our teams capture the Super Rugby title, and then three weeks later suffer a record loss" I don't know about that. Bulls won Super 14 in 2007, with Sharks second. Yet two months later, the All Blacks spanked the Boks 33-6.
The layabout
Guest
Well its won us some games so there
Worlds Biggest
Guest
it's actually Leinster who signed him Gazza.
RobC
Roar Guru
Ditto. Great comments and insight. Except. Im not sure locks are more important than front row, or flankers.
Louie
Guest
NFL don't produce the right body shapes. Loosies yes. Which NRL players could become piggy or lock? How many 6' 120kg no necks or 6'10" 120kg+ behemoths running around in the NRL at the moment? Skelton and Palu came to rugby because they were to tall for League. I recall during the Super League wars an article that valued the rugby star of the day, if they moved to League, at the time John Eales was the best rugby player in the world and whilst the backs were valued highly, the value for 'Nobody'...$0. That is why people are suggesting Basketball, rowing, even AFL as the hunting ground not League. Unfortunately Rugby must produce its own talented monsters, with athleticism and mongrel.
Louie
Guest
Well said Dave...every young guy in Aust rugby want to be a star 9 or 10. We have a obsession with the x-factor, rather than the s-factor (size) or m-factor. Mongrel like size can't be taught, you either have it or you don't. I have been banging on for a while now that our problem is 4&5. The props are not that bad, they need the guys behind them tight and pushing for a solid 60seconds. We seem to pick line out jumpers and busy defenders rather than uncompromising mongrels, that just want to belt guys, in attack, defence and at the ruck. I think it was Jack Gibson who said something to the effect of 'If you want a team with hard defence, pick guys who love to tackle'.
SteveP
Guest
You people are descending to the level of AFL with your stupid comments about brawling in bars.
Louie
Guest
One of the fitness trainers and the team doctor is apparently a real handful. On the field we don't have one. As Skelton matures I think he has it in him, Palu and TPN on their day can be. But other that we have some if the nicest forwards in the game, the sort of guys you want to have a beer with.
RobC
Roar Guru
Hi Xeno. My comment was more about SR scrum and rucks, than NRC. My thoughts on NRC, though its too early to tell: - Quick scrums force the pack to setup quickly. imo Australian packs take too much time milling around, instead of getting stuck into it. - Less focus on penalties will turn the scrum and rucks into a contest for power and territory - Less penalty goals, more lineouts and mauls. And more scrums. A few penalties earnt in the redzone, scrum option was taken - Faster game forces the pack to step up their contribution in the loose - More points for conversion means more focus to score under the posts, which promotes fowards involvement.
Stu. B.
Guest
Good topic W.B. and appreciated Dave H's contribution,our forwards have been conning the refs for years(I'll go back to the Bill Young?Owen Finnigan act)and have been getting softer & softer to where they are at now.Dave H I look at Falou and think he would have made a better loosey,just slow enough and would be good at accepting kick offs also could possibly find positioning easier but may be to pretty to make a forward,by contrast I have sometimes thought Hooper would be a more effective inside back,quick,elusive, a thinker and would more too the weight,just as an example of how coaches see their young players in their younger years we all have different thinking processes?