Pulver may regret going to ARU: Farr-Jones

This latest story of Mr Pulver and Cheiks not coming to an agreement on staffing - if Bill pulverises the coaching issue over this it'll be HIS head on the chopping block and Mr Hawker will be missing in action at running interference for him

The headline should read "The ARU Regrets Pulver Becoming CEO." Seriously though the ARU is a complete mess. No one performs their job, The Board don't do their job to actively oversite the CEO , the CEO doesn't do his job to actively oversight the WB's and Rugby generally in this country, the WBs coaches don't do their job to win more matches than they lose and make the WBs No. 1 internationally, the players don't do their job o score more points than the other team in any match ...... There is no discipline at any level - Rugby has a lot further to slide in the country unless performances at all levels improve dramatically.

If you disclose Farr-Jones position his opinion can not so easily be interpreted as an outside opinion on someone taking on a role. Knowing the role leads you to naturally ask if there is an ulterior motive. By focusing on the actions taken by the ARU it moves the focus on KBs offence. Farr-Jones suggests that this entire episode could have been handled off shore, this would mean that KBs texts would not have been brought up and his position in the Wallabies and NSW would not be at risk.

You are right, of course. I'd also like posters to declare their allegiance. But how do you think it affects the way the piece is interpreted? Please explain.

and winning matches

Probably a more apt quote for how they're going at the moment would be: "Nous sommes dans un pot de chambre, et nous y serons emmerdés." (We are in a chamber pot, and we're going to be crapped on) French General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot 1870 on seeing the surrounding campfires of a third of a million Prussians.

to not mention that Farr-Jones is the chairman of NSW rugby union is a blight on this article. Context and disclosure are everything.

That's brilliant Mick, Obviously Gottingben were the early pioneers of rugby?! ;-)

Still LOLing at "Lichtenberg, Göttingen University First XV 1769".

If I remember correctly, AJ did bugger all coaching whilst Alec Evans did the technical/heavy lifting. I guess AJ defines coaching as having to shout at his players, getting offside with everyone in the world rugby community and taking on the media at every opportunity. Top bloke!

If I remember correctly, AJ did bugger all coaching whilst Alec Evans did the technical/heavy lifting. I guess AJ defines coaching as having to shout at his players, getting offside with everyone in the world rugby community and taking on the media at every opportunity. Top bloke!

... rugby community somehow unites behind the cause ... throws their support behind an autonomous coach and cheers as one for every ruck, tackle, pass, kick and try

“The playing group have constructed for themselves a little wooden chapel, which they also call the Temple of Coaching Faves, in which they put up and take down portraits all day long and make such a hammering you can't hear yourself speak.”

Hmmm. NFJ’s comments this morning were revelatory. You could be well be right about Pulver being shoved. Especially in light of a ready-made replacement in Rob Clarke being immediately available.

NFJ is speculating and isnt helping really. Surely Pulver was aware of the condition Aus rugby was in when he took the job. I dont agree with Alan Jones but I dont agree with Pulver blaming the press either. There was far more going on that the texts and a mid-air confrontation. McKenzie felt that he had lost the teams respect and I wouldnt be surprised if it was due to pressure from above causing him to do things he and his team wete unhappy with. Cost cuts, cutting corners and giving Di Patston a role that some players found invaisive. I think, and Im guessing, that Ewen felt he was backed into a corner by the ARU and then hung out to dry when they backed off and didnt back him up. Those that blame the media are following Pulvers misdirection and those that are trying to shout down anyone who suspects there is more to the story than misbehaiving media and some offensive texts are being naive and overly aggressive. Playing the "anyone who doesnt swallow Pulvers line are disgusting" card is pathetic imo, trying to say anyone who questions things are this and that, pffft WHATEVER. I think Ewen was right to quit, I think he was wrong to take the job under the circumstances but that is hindsight.

If its fair to mention that we only lost to the ABs by a point, then I think its also fair to mention that we only won against the Boks by a point. Also that its only last year that Bokke became second best team in the world - before that it was us. And I suppose to keep spirits up, best not to mention the loss to Argentina. And by all means go back to the EOYT last year, but take care not to mention the 2013 rugby championship just before it. But yes, we can do it. Just as we can beat the financial issues. Anything is possible but it may mean some people or organisations letting go things that they don't want to. If they aren't prepared to, then things might turn out differently. "that best describes the purity and clarity that being cornered gives you" Yeah, sometimes it does. Sometimes it just leads to more blame-shifting.

Plus one

blah, blah, blah...........Kurtley is an angel..........blah, blah, blah,.........the media were only doing their job........blah, blah, blah......the players are not responsible......blah, bllah, blah...............Michael Cheika is the messiah.........blah, blah, blah...........one waratahs title tells us that we need a waratahs coach, playing leadership, and squad..........blah, blah, blah.................if this happens the Aussies will win the world cup and the never lose the all blacks again. There I just saved the roar the trouble of doing the same article over and over!

“Nothing fires the warrior’s heart more with courage than to find himself and his comrades at the point of annihilation, at the brink of being routed and overrun, and then to dredge not merely from one’s own bowels or guts but from one’s discipline and training the presence of mind not to panic, not to yield to the possession of despair, but instead to complete those homely acts of order which Dienekes had ever declared the supreme accomplishment of the warrior: to perform the commonplace under far-from-commonplace conditions.” - Pressfield Gates of Fire. I read this book on former AB coach Wayne Smith's recommendation. Current AB Captain comes to mind.

Is Nick Farr-Jones telling us something here? Will the ARU announce a new Wallaby coach and the departure of Bill Pulver as ARU CEO either at the same time? Or within a short time thereafter? I would think ARU Board Chairman Michael Hawker would listen to his former Sydney University, New South Wales and Wallaby team mate in Farr-Jones and also one of his former Wallaby coaches in Alan Jones. Farr-Jones is usually quite a diplomatic type but he has not minced his words on this occasion. Why is that? For what purpose? Just to be heard? Reckon there is more to this statement myself.

It's time to crash or crash through. Whoever takes over will have a team who in three tests against the world champions (described by Henry as being more complete now than in 2011) drew one and lost another by a point. Won one and lost one against against the second best team in the world. Beat France 3-0. Won seven in an row and came within a touch judge's call of going undefeated on the last spring tour, including great games against Ireland and Wales. Sure this team hasn't peaked a year out from the world cup, but it is not unreasonable ground to cover in the next year to improve our draw against the ABs into a 5 point win, or our one point loss into a one point win. Thank god this next RWC isn't being played at Eden park. If the rugby community somehow unites behind the cause through the raising of private equity, throws their support behind an autonomous coach and cheers as one for every ruck, tackle, pass, kick and try, then momentum and penetration can be realised very rapidly. Come November 2015 we are either bankrupt, disillusioned and defeated, or we are reflecting on one of our greatest collective achievemnents as a rugby community in the lifetime of every U15 schoolboy rugby player alive in Australia today. This is the very definition of crash or crash through. There is a great quote that adorns the office walls of many a Sergeant Major that best describes the purity and clarity that being cornered gives you - "Mon centre cède, ma droite recule, situation excellente, j'attaque. My centre is giving way, my right is retreating, situation excellent, I am attacking." Governor General is probably the second most important thing Cosgrove could be doing with his time at the moment, maybe a petition to the PM and the Queen could get him seconded to lead Australian rugby into our own D day over the next 12 months. You would never hear Farr-Jones speculating on his regret at taking on a seamingly impossible challenge.