Ewen McKenzie doesn’t believe he’s bitten off more than he can chew as his Wallabies face another defining clash with the stewing All Blacks to complete their 2014 domestic Test program.
McKenzie’s Wallabies gained a dubious place in the record books on Saturday night as the Pumas claimed their first-ever Rugby Championship scalp with a stirring 21-17 comeback win in Mendoza.
The defeat, which followed a 28-10 collapse to the Springboks, left Australia’s winning strike rate under McKenzie at just 52 per cent from his first 21 Tests in charge.
More disconcertingly, the Wallabies are only one-from-nine against New Zealand and South Africa and have yet to triumph over the All Blacks in five encounters since McKenzie succeeded Robbie Deans last year.
But it doesn’t get any easier for the Wallabies, or McKenzie, with the All Blacks certain to be smarting from their epic 27-25 loss to the Springboks on Saturday when they arrive in Brisbane for the final Bledisloe Cup Test of the year in two weeks.
Their defeat in Johannesburg ended the world champions’ record 22-match unbeaten streak.
“But I’ve said a thousand times, you love playing the All Blacks and I know how difficult that is and they won’t be any happier for their loss,” McKenzie said.
“But I look forward to the game.”
McKenzie refused to blame Australia’s troubled build-up, chiefly the Kurtley Beale in-flight drama en route to South America last Sunday, for slipping up against the fast-improving Argentines.
“The game is played in the 80 minutes,” he said.
“I can tell you that we arrived 15 minutes late because we were stuck in a traffic jam or whatever. Do you want me to blame that?
“The game’s played on the field and you prepare.
“We had tactics, we had a game plan and we got through all the stuff we needed to get through.
“You’ve got to give some credit to the opposition. You don’t look for excuses.
“There’s things on the field that we can do better.”
Including closing out Tests.
After heading the Springboks into the last 10 minutes in Cape Town, before leaking three late tries, the Wallabies blew an early 14-0 lead against the Pumas at Estadio Malvinos Argentinos.
“We’ve got to find a way to wrestle ourselves back into the game, get momentum turned back into our favour and close a game out like that,” said five-eighth Bernard Foley.
McKenzie, though, will inevitably come under increasing pressure to deliver with the 2015 World Cup fast approaching.
He missed Australia’s training session on Tuesday, the squad’s first of the week, while driving the Wallabies’ business manager Di Patston to the airport.
Patston was distressed after her verbal stoush with Beale and opted to go home.
McKenzie admitted micro-managing a touring party of 42 wasn’t easy – but on Saturday night said he had no plans to cut back his heavy workload.
“That’s life,” he said.
“You’re here with these people 24/7 so you’re managing the whole lot. That’s what you do.
“This is a different competition. People don’t seem to appreciate the complexity of travelling around the world in two weeks – the wrong way around; the long away – and all the time zones and things like that.
“We used to make a song and dance about going to South Africa in Super Rugby 15 years ago. Now we’re doing way beyond that.
“But I’m not using it as an excuse at all. That’s the reality of it.”
Hoges5
Roar Rookie
Not sure about "present day remedies" needed, but I agree about restlessness and definitely need more leadership from our Captain. I am sure I will be attacked for not being one of the Tah-fanboys, but it is fairly obvious they think they know better than the rest of the team. Attitudes show. The team looked tired and unfocussed really, except for Folau (always trying), Horwill and Higgers (both with something to prove) btw -review of the Tahs... Folau is having the traditional 2nd year blues as other teams have started to figure him out. He will recover if he gets inside backs that can put the ball into the gaps he finds.... Foley is making a good fist of it all, but isn't the same dynamic 10 Australians are used to. Phipps still doesn't manage to get most of his passes in front of the ball carrier. AAC still doesn't pass - but does break tackles and finishes well Skelton was about as invisible as a 140kg bloke can be when he came on. But still managed to do his "roll all over the ruck and give away a penalty" trick. Kepu/Robinson - both tried valiantly but were dished up by a bloody good scrum and then Kepu started giving penalties away. Hooper was a flurry of activity....but not sure what he achieved. Not that the rest really looked spectacular. Little support play, no-one runs onto a ball, and the Pumas just hit rucks with exceptional accuracy and physicality. Simply put, the Wallabies looked lost out there So - it is obvious that we should blame the coach.....(I still don't buy this theory)
Squirrel
Guest
The tah support and momentum has evaporated . The wallabies has lost the aura.
PiratesRugby
Guest
You're right but to criticise Muchael Hooper in any way is seen as heresy at the Roar or at least Tah-bashing. He's a great player but an aweful captain.
Jameswm
Guest
What Tah players? There weren't many in the pack. 2 I think.
All Bent Out of Shape
Guest
Aus doesnt have the depth of NZ, Eng or SA. These calls for Cheika are remarkably similar to the calls for McKenzie after his team won the Super title. Ironic that they are now part of the call for Ewens sacking. Whats that saying about being "...doomed to repeat it"?
stu
Guest
Thanks that Keith miller quote is gold.
PiratesRugby
Guest
And the Tah players suddenly forgot how to do this? On the weekend the Tah players were the worst offenders. Especially our captain.
PiratesRugby
Guest
His preferred players keep getting injured. He's stuck with Slipper, Kepu, Hooper, Fardy, Simmons, Toomua and Folau. He lost Genia, QC, Pocock, Moore, TPN and Palu. He always finds a place for AAC and now that Kuridrani is fit and in form he will be a starter. That's almost a whole side right there and better than the one on the park at the moment.
All Bent Out of Shape
Guest
Top 20 candidates. AAC Moore Hooper Folau (not) unless Brown, Halfpenny, Dagg, Kearney, B.Smith all get abducted by aliens. I do agree that its not the coach. Its just expectations are rediculously high for the players Aus has. I do think that Aus is its own worst enemy by trying to force rugby it isnt capable of. The idea that Aus should be playing highlight reel rugby every game is flawed.
Crystal Ball
Guest
I don't believe there is a lack of player depth in Australia and the NRC is telegraphing that fact loud and clear! EM the great hope is limited in his ability to run a group of men, turn them into a wining combination, an inability to recognize and identify the correct candidates for certain positions, has a lack of faith in the talent that has and is presenting itself, I believe that the playing group is begining to lose faith in their coaches inability to select the correct players to fill the positions that will lead to results and inturn create a harmonious culture, his methods are out of date and his charges are not responding well to him. We have just won a Super Rugby Title and yet EM has not harnessed this energy and translated it into results instead there are cracks appearing a year out from RWC and a month or so from the spring tour. EM perhaps is better suited to admin and perhaps a role as CEO in place of Pulver may be his best position, take the honorable way out EM and hand the reigns over to Cheika, he appears to be able to turn boys into men faster than you.....
Rollaway7
Roar Guru
I don't believe the AB's take their foot off the gas for any bok game, no matter the time/place/circumstances.
Common Sense
Guest
Legacy? You guys are getting way ahead of yourselves, aren't you?
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Interestng Peter.... "Who in this Wallaby team would you pick in a world top 20 (only Folau imo)".... Folau ..... in which position would you pick him Fullback? ...do you really, really believe he is one of the top fullbacks the world at the moment?
Mike
Guest
Probably. One could equally observe that each of Deans' victories against All Blacks was in a "dead rubber" in terms of the Bledisloe. But they are still wins. He also lost a couple of other games against the ABs by only one point, but they are still losses. I was just correcting a point about Deans having best recent record vs All Blacks - whatever may be thought of him as coach, the fact is that De Villiers has the best record of any coach of the recent era (last ten years) against the All Blacks. Make of it what you will.
niwdEyaJ
Roar Guru
De Villiers also had the benefit of playing the All Blacks AFTER the Wallabies where they were often in a position of having sewn up the Rugby Championship before facing the Boks at home - All Blacks have historically taken the foot off the gas in such dead rubbers...
Mike
Guest
I think he was referring to the fact that Tahs clearly understood what their game plan was this year and stuck to it.
niwdEyaJ
Roar Guru
tah "legacy"? if by that you mean perennial underperformance with an occasional purple patch then you're spot on!
Mike
Guest
Wag, you make some good points, but the coach in recent years with most success against ABs was Peter de Villiers of South Africa - 5 wins out of 11. Robbie Deans was second with 3 wins and a draw from 18. You are correct that Deans had good win stats against South Africa and England - 9 from 14 and 4 from 6.
Hello
Roar Rookie
Fairly. Honest answer I thought
Rollaway7
Roar Guru
Very true James, Ewen should get over the adjustment quickly as you say Cheika is waiting and seems a far more solid bet. He will wait till post RWC and not stab everyone in the back. Remember Ewen saying publicly if he does not get the Wallaby job he is leaving and quit the reds job way before it was public knowledge that Deans was going to get fired.