Let’s wind the clock back three months. The Waratahs had just won the Super Rugby title, beating the Crusaders in an epic match in front of over 61,000 fans, ending an era of under achievement and years of disappointment for supporters of the Sydney franchise.
A new national competition was due to begin, heralded as the launching pad for the supremely talented unknown names of Australian rugby.
Its fundamental role was to act as the third tier of rugby in the country, and bridge the gap between provincial and Test match rugby, like the Currie Cup and NPC have done so successfully for South Africa and New Zealand.
The ARU announced a groundbreaking change in the flexibility of central contracts, allowing players who sign long-term with the union the option of an overseas sojourn.
Effective from 2016, its main aim was to keep high-profile personalities like Israel Folau in the code, ensuring increased youth participation at grassroots level, as well as keeping the game afloat financially in the competitive Australian sporting market.
The Wallabies entered into the Rugby Championship in arguably a better place than they had been for quite some time.
Australian rugby was on high. Disgruntled fans had returned with new-found optimism, believing in a return to the golden days of Australian rugby, when our trophy cabinet was full, and the majority of the population, even those who weren’t rugby fans, could name at least half the Wallabies.
We were riding on the crest of a wave not seen since John Eales was captain, and I was belting out the words to ‘Run Wallaby Run’ in the car on the way to my Under 10s Beecroft versus Hillview grand final at TG Milner.
Finally, as we kicked off in the first Bledisloe Cup in Sydney, Ewen McKenzie was head coach, and Kurtley Beale our starting 10.
How quickly things change.
Even after that first drawn Test match with the Kiwis, a match we should have won, the intent by the Wallabies to play an attacking style of rugby was on show. It was wet and windy, but we took quick lineouts, quick taps, refused kicks at goal, and played a style of rugby that supporters had been yearning for.
We travelled to Eden Park the following week with the strong belief that we could end our drought there. Alan Jones was interviewed about 50 times in the week leading up to the match, as the last coach to win at the ground, and rugby took up more than just one page in the Friday newspaper.
If ever there was a time for rugby in Australia to put itself back on the map, now was it.
Unfortunately, it didn’t go to script. We were battered by an All Blacks team who sought to put an end to a barrage of criticism from their own media about their performance the previous week.
It all went downhill from there. Although scrappy home wins followed over Argentina and South Africa, we were beaten away by the same teams, and then continued our dry run against New Zealand, stretching their unbeaten run against us to 10 matches.
As the Wallabies departed on their annual spring tour, without both McKenzie and Beale, the game in Australia is in a worse position than ever.
While there is scintillating rugby on show, and the success of the new rules is clear to see, the NRC has failed to draw crowds, and television audiences for the one live Thursday night fixture are nowhere near the height of other rival codes.
It was no wonder the Wallabies exited the country swiftly and with little noise, eager to get away from the media circus surrounding ARU headquarters and concentrate on finishing the season with some sort of form going into a World Cup year under new coach Michael Cheika.
While results over the next month in Europe are important, and will go a long way in softening the response they receive from the media and public when they return home, it’s the progress made off the field, laying a solid foundation both in management structure as well as team culture, that the Wallabies need to get out of this tour.
Cheika, by the sounds of those who have played under him, and the impressive record that he has at provincial level both at home and abroad, is the right man for the job. Apart from his success on the field, it’s his ability to galvanise a team – in a no frills approach, demanding respect and responsibility from each individual – that the Wallabies so desperately needs.
He took the Waratahs, perennial under-achievers, to the Super Rugby title this year with a coaching framework built on trust, honesty, and hard work – traits that are fundamental to any professional outfit. It’s why he is the perfect man for the job at this point in time.
Those that have gone before him, Robbie Deans and Ewen McKenzie, are by no means bad coaches, their records speak for themselves, but it’s Cheika’s man management that sets him apart.
In an era where senior players and individuals do a lot of the coaching themselves, both on the training and playing field, it’s the way they are managed off it, creating a positive and challenging environment, that breeds success.
His experience in coaching in Europe with Leinster and Stade Francais will also help the Wallabies on the tour, as it’s the last time they will come face to face with their Northern Hemisphere counterparts before next year’s World Cup.
Every rugby side is awash with differing personalities, a mix of youth and experience. Getting them on the same page off the field goes a long way to how they perform on it. I see that as Cheika’s main goal, and it starts this week against the Barbarians.
anopinion
Guest
Adam D'Arcy, Your glowing words about Cheika are nice to hear. I do however think that these glowing words should also be attributed to MacKenzie and Deans. The Reds seemed galvanised with his man management techniques and the Crusaders certainly seemed galvanised and professional under Deans. I wish Cheika the best but find it hard to believe he is somehow going to work miracles with this lot of players. Prediction: Wallabies find some success, have a few narrow defeats, a few losses in games we hoped to win (scrum problems/penalties). Are consistenly beaten by the All Blacks and stayed ranked between 2nd and 4th. In other words same as always.
William Tell
Guest
Well, what else do you call "yelling and screaming" except a clueless approach to man management? Leinster won? With Cheikka. Wow. First time ever then? Well, no. You want history; I'll give you history: Leinster have four times been PRO12 champions and three times champions of Europe. Hard to believe - but only one each of those was with Cheikka. Aw, well done. The rest of those championshiops were with other coaches. Yep, fair dinkum. How could that be? On 19 May 2012 Leinster won a record Third European Cup in four years with a 42–14 win over Ulster Rugby. Without Cheikka. And Joe Schmidt, a Kiwi, had a win-loss percentage of 77.8 - 19.2 and picked up four championships. And coached fewer games than Cheikka. How did Cheika go? Well, you look it up. But on the data - and on the current logic - I'd say we need to give Schmitty a ring.
sdep0-[=
Guest
Obama was given a hospital pass. Cheika at least has something to work with. Bad analogy
In Brief
Guest
The Reds were a very talented young team who had been brought together under the previous coaching regime.
In Brief
Guest
So Cheika is 'clueless' . Better give the guys at Leinster a call and ask them to rewrite their history books. Seriously.
Fitzthree
Guest
does any one know if it will be shown on free to air
Chivas
Guest
The good thing is sometimes like children; you wear them out, they have less energy to get up to mischief or worry about off field dramas... re-focussing this team is kind of important in light of recent events.
William Tell
Guest
I'm going on about the constant refrain of "thank god we've got Cheika." because he won a Super Rugby championship with the Tahs don't you know. And the "just play the Tah's back line/forward pack - after all they won the Super Rugby". And the admiration of Cheika as a man manager. The same Cheika quoted in today's SMH: "I thought I would be sitting on a couch, not yelling and screaming at guys." Man management? That's it? Screaming and yellilng? That's how you make men out of boys? Clueless. There is little acknowledgement to the pool of talent developed across the conference over several years in teams that made it to the finals and even won one or two. Just the Tahs. Just 2014. The sense of entitlement and self-justification that radiates from Sydney must surely show on inter-galactic radio telescopes as some kind of Earthly Flare. As for Dean's losses - the whole nation was calling out for a change. The last thing anyone expected when that final whistle blew in the last game against the Blacks was the coach to resign - most thought it was an entirely creditable performance that signalled that the Wallabies had found their missing mojo and were on their way again. And before you cry Foley was tired and should have been subbed - image the cries of outrage had that happened (Cooper was the option) and Foley been denied the satisfaction of being on the paddock and we had finished in front. On the other hand, imagine had Foley executed properly - imagine the coach saying (or screaming, depending on your theory of man management): "well done son. You did it. Knew you had it in you." Either way, Foley will be the better man for it - thanks to McKenzie's very different approach to man management. In case you missed the irony - I think a win against the Barbarians (a second order team) will be to McKenzie's credit. A loss will be down to the yelling, screaming latest hope of Sydney rugby. And of course to Genia and Cooper. (Nope - that last bit wasn't irony, that was sarcasm.)
mark
Guest
As the great man Richie McCaw said, get the basics right and the rest will flow. I think this is what Cheika will bring to the table.
Mike
Guest
"one Tah’s win in the Super Rugby and it is as if the Reds’ and Brumbies’ achievements in that comp meant nothing at all." What on earth are you going on about?! "A win will be down to Cheika, a loss down to McKenzie" Well look on the bright side - you can always blame McKenzie's losses in 2013 on Deans...
Mike
Guest
This quote from Matt Toomua yesterday was hopeful: "Cheik has spoken about improving our physicality, it's been a physical week. I'm looking forward to going upstairs and lying down, to be honest," Toomua said after training.
SandBox
Roar Guru
yeah Obama got elected, and a Nobel prize, all on hope. Hope is an intangible, fleeting commodity
bennalong
Guest
Dear Mr Caxton, On that subject I find you entirely credible.
bennalong
Guest
B.O.H.I.C.A!!!!!
dirtyrottenscoundrel
Guest
Be nice if the parochialism could be set aside to where it belongs. Aside from the click-bait I can see no other value for it!
Mike
Guest
"and they played a great brand of rugby with a squad that was nowhere near as strong as the Tahs – The Reds were a basket case." Rubbish. The Tahs squad was not as strong as it had been in previous years, nor were the Reds "a basket case" when Ewen took over. There were some good players there and Phil Mooney had already done some good work. Which is not to take anything away from the achievements of either McKenzie or Cheika at provincial level. The unreal delusionists are becoming rather annoying.
hulkinator
Guest
Looking in from the outside, its starting to look like the hype surrounding Barrack Obama before he because president. Yes he can! But how?!? McKenzie and Deans had more impressive records in super rugby. Thats not to say Cheika won't go on and win more with the Tahs but as things stand you can't say Cheika is a better coach than McKenzie and Deans. I have a theory about the trouble in the Wallaby camp under both Deans and McKenzie. IMO its the media who are to blame for the toxic enviornment. The Australian media have unrealistic expectations put on the coaches and the constant attacks and negativity undermines the coaches. Man management looks to be the area that sets Cheika apart and to be fair it is accurate to say he is a good man manager. However the question has to be asked... will it make that much of a difference? Were the players not giving 100% before? To me it looked like they were. And what about tactics and the technical side of things? Might there be a danger that he is not as good as the previous 2 coaches in that regard? I wish Cheika well but not at all confident he can be the messiah some people think.
tinman
Guest
Ohh man what a sight.. lmao
Stray Gator
Roar Rookie
Of course Ms Patston was not to blame for the onfield errors and late game fade outs. But the buck has to stop somewhere. If not McKenzie, where? There WERE some very unusual selections and tactical decisions. If not by McKenzie, by whom? If over the next five games we witness a step change in onfield performance, there can only be one possible cause.
Realist
Guest
Cheika hasn't even coached one game of test rugby. I'm hopeful he'll do well but he has proved squat at international level. McKensie also coached the Reds to a Super Rugby title and they played a great brand of rugby with a squad that was nowhere near as strong as the Tahs - The Reds were a basket case. Cheika was gifted Folau. The Cheika sycophants are becoming rather annoying.