Ok I am willing to fully admit it. As a fan of the Wallabies, I am panicking.
Sunday morning’s defeat at the hands of the Pumas, refereeing decisions and laser controversies aside, was not what a team already lacking confidence needed less than 12 months out from a World Cup.
Hopes were high that coming off the momentum created by the Waratahs’ historic Super Rugby Championship would inspire the Wallabies to regain the Rugby Championship and perhaps even the sorely missed Bledisloe Cup.
Unfortunately for followers of the national side, it was not meant to be, as the Wallabies were massively outclassed by their greatest rivals the All Blacks.
Back-to-back losses to Springboks and the Pumas well and truly extinguished any faint hopes Ewan McKenzie’s men had of registering an unlikely series victory.
To make matters worse, Kurtley Beale was once again in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, leading once again to questions about the discipline within the squad.
With the World Cup in November next year, time is running out for the Wallabies to get it right per say.
In my opinion the ARU needs to get in contact with Waratahs coach Michael Cheika as soon as possible to bring him on board the Wallabies set up.
It wouldn’t necessarily be as the head coach, but more-so an assistant role, although I would fully support his appointment in the top job.
Although you couldn’t guarantee a World Cup win, or even a vast improvement, by adding the Waratah’s boss to the set up, I can’t see it as anything but an advantage.
Cheika got the most out of a previously underperforming Waratahs outfit.
He was able to get the most out of Kurtley Beale, who has unfortunately spent just as much time in the headlines for off-field reasons rather than his on-field form.
Most importantly, Cheika knows how to win.
Cheika’s close relationship and knowledge of the Waratahs, who are likely to provide a fair share of the Wallaby set up come World Cup selection, can be nothing but a weapon in the Wallaby armour.
Whether he’d be interested or not is up for debate, and whether or not the Waratahs would allow their coach to work both jobs is also unknown, but for mine, the option needs to be explored before it is too late.
Daniel Nichols
Roar Guru
Talk that Cheika is set to be unveiled as new Wallabies coach very soon
Common Sense
Guest
If it concerns a member of staff then maybe Mckenzie does not have the authority to deal with it on the spot. Mckenzie is not Di Patston's boss, Bill Pulver and the ARU are her bosses therefore the ARU is conducting an investigation.
Common Sense
Guest
The 2011 Reds playbook was just as good if not better than the 2014 Waratahs playbook.
Bobbo7
Guest
Big step up to international level though - Jake White is clearly the way to go - has won the WC and has the big game experience. Chieka needs a few more season yet, but clearly he has done well this year, albeit with a good side on paper
Ronaldo
Guest
There are enough cattle of sufficient quality. Witness the fact that there were 3 Australian teams high up the SR ladder & one of them won it. The problem is the coach has not get them playing for him. It's mainly a man management question but maybe also a confused game strategy. It is a fact that Link was a decent prop but it's also a fact that the Wallaby scrum has not come to parity with the others & you can't win very often when you spend two thirds of the game tackling. I am still wondering why Link did not deal with the Beale matter on the spot. From what we hear he was right there at the time. Seems he has no clout at all with his players. I am also perturbed about this sense of priorities …. missing an important training session to act as an usher to take the lady to the airport?? If that task is more important than being there for what he is paid for then this whole set up really is destined for continual failure.
Bruce
Guest
Couldn't agree more Daniel -- we do need Cheika now. McKenzie is utterly hopeless.
bennalong
Guest
There's something to that Mike, but McKenzie's refusal to take any plays from the Daryl Gibson playbook despite a backline littered with Tahs, was totally unpredictable. I don't get it! AS you say, the national coach has comparatively little time to put together a team from different provinces, but McKenzie selected 13 Tahs then Hooper as captain. Seen any of the Hooper plays from the Tahs? Seen him try Beale in the way he played with Phipps and Foley? Imagine if the Hansen had refused to follow any Crusaders game plays?
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Hear hear mike. When you look at the players available, to have remained a top 4 team in the last decade is quite an achievement. Cheika's time at international level will probably come one day, here or elsewhere. I think he needs an extra year with the Tahs. If he wins another title for us or keep improving as a group thdn ig will be time for Pulver to have a serious chat with him.
RoccoBali
Guest
'He is the only coach to have won the major rugby club competition in each hemisphere, winning the Heineken Cup with Leinster in 2009 and the Super Rugby competition with the Waratahs in 2014" I'd say he knows how to make a team win
Hello
Roar Rookie
Very true mike
Mike
Guest
The real issue coming out now is that so many Australian fans have had unrealistic expectations of both Deans and McKenzie.
Mike
Guest
Firstly, I doubt Cheika would be interested. His goal is clearly to establish Randwick-style flat passing game at NSW, and he wants more than 2 seasons in which to do it. Secondly, Cheika spent a whole season at Tahs just pulling the teams technique and game plans apart and rebuilding. He went through the forward passing epidemic (which a lot of people now seem to forget) because he knew his overall plan, and he was prepared to accept the initial pain. He doesn't get that that luxury as a national coach. National coach gets a far wider pool to choose from - effectively he can have any player in Australia he wants. But he gets comparatively little time with them. He can't remake them. However, I do think he would be an improvement in one area - no-one in the team or support staff would be in doubt about what his game plan was and how he intended to achieve it. But he's not the only coach that does that.
John
Guest
"Most importantly, Cheika knows how to win." What? Because he won one Super Rugby Title... Wake up.. McKenzie won a SR title in 2011 with the Reds.... Deans won SR titles all over the shop.. In all honesty though, even a lot of Kiwi fans knew the Tahs would be right up there. They had the best team on paper coming into SR 2014. I was personally not surprised they won.
niwdEyaJ
Roar Guru
knee-jerk reaction... things are nowhere near as bad as people are making out. the players have shown solidarity sticking up for Beale, the issue appears to be resentment toward Patston which could be promptly resolved by her swift removal by the ARU. IF, and it's a big if, there was some kind of scadalous relationship between Link and Patston then we could be stuffed as this will have certainly caused the players to lose respect for Ewen. Otherwise, i think the situation is totally recoverable, particularly with world class players like Pocock, Moore, Genia, Cooper, Polota Nau and JOC on the comeback trail not to mention a long list of bolters that could easily prove themselves to be world class in the next 12 months, think Speight, Sio, Hunt, Godwin, etc.