“God, give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…” – The Serenity Prayer, Reinhold Niebuhr
Perhaps those holy words were penned with the game played in heaven in mind.
We’ve grown tired of talking about Wallaby coach Ewen McKenzie’s often-incomprehensible selections and tactical decision-making.
So in the interest of accepting that which we cannot change, it might be refreshing to shift gears and see what we can take away from the Rugby Championship to date. What could McKenzie do to make the team better?
Well, on a dark and stormy night a few years back an old coach of mine gave me some insight into the game which has proven true ever since.
His name was Spud, he played the game for the better part of three decades and sporting his trademark bomber jacket and aviators, he could generally be found in the club house with beer in, hand spinning Zavos-ian quality rants about the history of the game and how it should be played.
He said to me, “Alex, in any rugby team you must pick three players before all others. First, you pick your captain. Second, you pick your kicker…” He paused to take a puff of what I guess was his 60th cigarette of the day. “And third, you pick an absolute bloody mongrel.”
Spud explained that a “mongrel” was an enforcer who understood the line between playing clean and playing dirty, and would tiptoe towards latter on appropriate occasion.
No other player has such an ability to influence the 30 men on the field, because the mongrel plays the mental game. He knows his actions can wake up his team, rattle the other, slow down the game, or distract a key player at the right moment.
Before anyone gets all indignant and starts explaining how that’s not in the spirit of the game, that it has no place in the professional era and so on, don’t kid yourself. If you have ever played club rugby you would know that so long as the player doesn’t take it too far, it is absolutely in the spirit of rugby. Indeed, it is commonplace.
Ask the Super Rugby champion Waratahs’ resident mongrel Jacques Potgieter. Being a mongrel made him a cult hero and lifted a forward pack that was not the most technically skilled in the competition to a new level. Failing that, ask Potgieter’s mongrel 2IC Kane Douglas, who embraced the role and found the form of his career.
Fernandez Lobbe of the Pumas, and pretty much any All Black prop from the last decade qualify too. The Springboks have a squad full of these players, mostly in the second row or named du Plessis.
Where is the Wallabies’ mongrel? Potegiter and Douglas are ineligible, albeit for different reasons, and our incumbent second rowers, while improving, are hardly intimidating compared to Duane Vermeulen, Victor Matfield, Brodie Retallick and Kieran Reid.
Wycliff Palu is often tagged the enforcer but physical or not he is about as intimidating as Labrador without ball in hand. Scott Higginbotham gets an honorary mention, but spends too much time away from the ruck.
Mongrels players are the heart, soul and attitude of a forward pack, the hard bastards who are first to the melee and last to leave, smiling the whole time.
Conrad Smith, who knows a thing or two about rugby, recently said that body language is a huge part of our game, so to drive home my point I’m going to issue you all a challenge.
For Round 6 of the Rugby Championship, watch the Pumas, Springboks and All Blacks forwards during breaks in play. Watch the way they stand, the way they confront each other – they never ever take a backwards step. It’s as if every face-off was life or death.
Then, watch the Wallaby pack. The belief is there, but the presence is not. It’s like a four-year-old threatening to run away from home mid-tantrum – you know he’s not going to go through with it.
So, what to do? Perhaps scour the National Rugby Championship for the biggest and angriest lock who has sound fundamentals and give him a go. Or introduce a post-match award and bonus for controlled aggression to kick-start the culture, albeit an unofficial one (these things aren’t politically correct after all).
Perhaps we can train up Will Skelton, or forge Mr Potgieter some residency papers. I don’t know.
What I do know is the Wallabies must find a mongrel or two. Fast.
All Bent Out of Shape.
Guest
Hello
trent
Guest
I clicked reply to a comment suggesting Hodgson as the solution but this comment is showing up unlinked? Agreed. God he'd make a great Wallabies captain too. Experienced. Knows how to work with the referees with up most respect and helpful guidance. He's also the highest scoring Forward in oz super rugby. Move Hooper to 6 as he plays looser naturally and give Hodgson the green light to be a real pain in the butt all game long. He can switch to 6 for lineouts if Hooper doesn't have the jump or skill set. Not difficult to do.
Greater Sydney Rams
Roar Rookie
Owen Finegan anyone?
jeznez
Roar Guru
All good TT. Had a touristy sticky beak at the protesters in CWB last night, all quite peaceful and with lots of signs apologising for the inconvenience along with their campaign slogans. Looks to have taken a darker turn overnight though. Is the proverbial interesting times.
Tissot Time
Guest
Jez I hope you are safe in Honkers. Matched with the testosterone rise is the fall off in the stress hormone cortisol so try power posing some time it works.
Redarmy
Guest
Sorry old son but I have to agree with the article. Test rugby to this day remains as such that the team who dominates physically will almost always win. When two teams are even or at very least competitive physically then the skill and class will shine. But at present, the wallabies just can't keep up with these quality packs. I remember a quote from will greenwood who said "we can put frills on this, but at the end of the day rugby is a contact sport. Win the contact, and the few inches either side of it, and the rest will take care of itself"
Cole
Guest
I completely agree with this sentiment. I believe that our forward pack has individualy shown there ability to atleast come close to gaining parity against there opposite number in the Rc. The problem appears to be a collective focus or drive which could be found with the addition of an enforcer/rough edge to intimidate and spark the group.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Brad Thorn agrees. I love his comments in this article. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/this-all-black-thrives-on-being-a-thorn-in-the-oppositions-side-20100909-153ca.html
jeznez
Roar Guru
Mossop, switched to League around age 25. He played junior rugby union for St Matthews Church and later Manly High School. He was playing first grade for Manly Rugby Club by 16 so not sure where the junior league comment comes from. Junior club information from the ARU. http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/3570/Australian-Rugby-mourns-the-loss-of-Rex-Mossop.aspx
jeznez
Roar Guru
That was Kepu penalised for interfering with Pollard. Hooper's role in that play was to make the charge down that gave us the opportunity before Phipps crossed the line. I'd consider Hooper's reaction a wry smile rather than a smirk or are we talking about a different incident?
etienne marais
Guest
Fardy has mongrel. He sure scared me at Newlands this past Saturday. At one point, after a slight scuffle with him, Jannie turned his back and walked away. That was a "moment". More of that and the streetcred will stick.
etienne marais
Guest
spot on !
etienne marais
Guest
Absolutely correct. The mongrel can never be the regular captain. BdP used to be all mongrel. But his role as Sharks captain has mellowed him slightly in that respect...it had to. he now only goes psycho on very select occasions.
etienne marais
Guest
I think you have that right Harry. It seems there is a general misunderstanding of what (in the article) is meant by the term “mongrel”. The “mongrel” is the guy who, from time to time, just loses himself totally. It is not so much his willingness to skirt the law, but rather his inability to restrain himself within it. It makes him unpredictable, and that’s where the fear-factor originates. Does not matter what figure of authority is present, whether schoolmaster, policeman, or referee, the mongrel will (or might) just give in to their base instinct. We’ve all (I’m sure) been in that situation, whether on the school ground, in the alley behind the pub, or on the rugby field. They get that look in their eyes, like a shark on attack, with the membrane that blanks out the rest of the world. Think Bakkies Botha. Many will remember his tackling head-butt to the back of a prone Jimmy Cowan’s head. It was a shameful moment. But that in essence is the “mongrel” for you. That is not their standard fare; it is just that you can never predict when they will overstep the rules in such exaggerated fashion. That is what makes them super-dangerous...and feared enforcers. In fact, there are not that many “true enforcers” around, in that classical sense (a very good thing). But confusing a hard-working, mean, and tough forward for being a “mongrel” is not fair...to the non-mongrel. Full disclosure: that Bakkies moment was shameful, no doubt. And I despised him fully. For about a week. Yes, I am a hypocrite.
etienne marais
Guest
Pocock a mongrel ? I don't think you understand the concept. A very talented, robust, and tough player...but he is a gentleman. Very much not a mongrel.
etienne marais
Guest
Bondi is where Potgieter lives.
Harry Jones
Expert
Fardy was a mongrel in 2013 and at Newlands this year
All Bent Out of Shape.
Guest
J.Pot is a good player in form but overrated is an understatement. Wouldnt make the Bok or NZ side imo so why is he considered the answer to lifting Aus from out of the depths of 3rd place (so sad, I bet Eng and Ire really feel for poor old Aus)?
Gnome06
Guest
I agree wholeheartedly with the article. Where do we find mongrels? The NRL. To me the definition of a mongrel is they irritate the crap out of the opposition and have little/no regard for the own self preservation (they should probably be able to play footy as well). Though I prefer rugby over league, I do follow and have played both codes as a backrower. For whatever reason, whether its the private school thing or not, there is no doubt in my mind you'll find a lot more Aussie mongrels in the NRL than the NRC. That's the code Aussie "mongrels" on the east code are drawn to. I don't know why were so focused on poaching outside backs from league... To me, it should be forwards. The learning curve is a bit steeper, especially when it comes to scrums, and league players are usually too vertically challenged to make good second rowers (even Thorn was short, but looked massive playing league).. So we're basically talking loose forwards. Pick any NRL team, there's at least one mongrel who could be coached to smash rucks like Vickerman, put an arm on the side of the scrum and lift in the lineouts. They would generally be impactful running the ball up with a little coaching on body height, and be used to doing a lot more tackling than your average rugby forward. Fifita, Myles, Scott, Papali, Gallen, Lewis, Tamou, Parker, Bird, Thaiday... Even big Willie... Would love to see any of these guys smash a ruck...
mactheblack
Guest
FLAIR, FLAIR, FLAIR .. give it to me anytime. Ella brothers had it, Campese, Farr-Jones, Mortlock, Latham, Burke, Gregan yes Beale and Cooper have it too. What are the Aussies coaching? No spark in the backs anymore? Except Cooper, Kirandrani. Forwards have to have that mongrel .. goes without saying .. Eales wasn't mongrel? Was he? But brilliant lock who led an outstanding forward pack ... then there was Kearns Williams, Kefu, Out with notions of the mongrel ... they say it's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!!!!