The Wallabies’ Rugby World Cup selection race remains wide open after they slumped to their worst European tour performance in almost a decade.
Saturday’s 26-17 loss to England at Twickenham left Australia with just six wins and one draw from 14 matches in 2014, with the Wallabies losing three spring tour Tests for the first time since 2005.
Michael Cheika, thrust into the coaching role only three days before the spring tour, insists positive steps have been made over the past month but concedes Australia face a huge challenge to be ready for next year’s tournament.
While many nations are beginning to settle on their teams and combinations 10 months out from the World Cup, the Wallabies look far from stable.
Only a handful of the current side could be considered locks for World Cup selection and, with only four Tests remaining before the tournament – none before July – the Super Rugby season will prove pivotal in shaping the final squad of 31.
Cheika said the outside backs and backrow remained the most hotly-contested areas while he’s also set to consider his options in the front row after scrum frailties were exposed badly by England.
The coach has laid out clear markers of what’s expected of incumbent players next year and the Waratahs mentor plans to keep in close contact with them.
Cheika will also keep a keen eye on progress of those returning from injury or overseas including leading hookers Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau, backrowers David Pocock and Wycliff Palu, former problem child James O’Connor and code jumper Karmichael Hunt.
“I’m making the list all the time of players that I’ve got to be looking at over the next seven, eight months, really in detail, so I can make the right decision and not just guess when the time comes,” Cheika said.
“We’ve been really clear about what we’re looking for with each individual player.
“I think some guys are relatively stable in their performances but I don’t think everyone’s got to be picked yet.
“There’s some positions that are going to be hotly-disputed because of the number of players that are going in those areas.”
Among those who most impressed Cheika on tour were No.8 Ben McCalman, centre Tevita Kuridrani, prop James Slipper and halfbacks Nick Phipps and Will Genia.
Bernard Foley remains the front-runner at five-eighth but Quade Cooper’s strong contribution off the bench puts him in position to pressure for a starting spot.
Cheika is confident the players involved so far are embracing his push for a new playing style and team culture.
“I think the changes have started already around the intensity of preparation that’s required for consistency,” Cheika said.
“We want to have a really clear picture around what the team is, the team’s playing style and a clear identity of how you have to be when you come into this environment.
“If we can get that right, the results will follow.”
Pjm
Guest
Didn't you see his genius signal to have fat cat come back inside him and then throw him a rubbish ball?
Handles
Roar Guru
No, probably it was his superb Wallabies form. When he last started consistently, which was the end of 2013, and then in the opportunities he got against France, Ireland and England. Probably that would be important to consider, don't you think?
Pjm
Guest
JP isn't taking up a place, he's there because there was no one there in the first place.
Handles
Roar Guru
You obviously never saw the Reds in 2006 - 09. That is "the old Reds", and nothing in your description even remotely looks like the rabble that ran around then. Post the Force debacle, and during the Jones disaster. 2012 was absolute light years in front of "the old Reds". So your comment is nonsense.
Common Sense
Guest
When they won the much maligned Australian conference, ranked third but scored fewer points than the team that finished fourth. When they finished the season with a loss - at home. When they beat a rubbish NSW team. When they beat an average Brumbies team that had finished 2011 as rubbish. When they beat a rubbish blues side. When the Wallabies injury toll blew out to something ridiculous and every player and their grans got a jersey. They made a profit... Woohoo. Yes, that 2012. Their only achievement of note that year was hammering the Chiefs, albeit at home.
Handles
Roar Guru
When they won the Australian conference? When they finished the season with a six game winning streak, including a bonus point victory over NSW in front of a record crowd for Australian Super Rugby? When they won the Rod McQueen cup sweeping the Brumbies home and away, and the Templeton Cup for doing the same to the Waratahs? When they made a $1.6 million profit, won at Eden Park for the first time in Super Rugby, and had 5 Wallaby debutants? That 2012, or is there another one?
Magic Sponge
Guest
What exactly has QC done to warrant his inclusion. Ive yet to see it.. Maybe it was his superb S15 form that saw the reds taste the spoon or the fact that he never sparked the wallabies on tour and win us all those matches with his sublime skills.
Westie
Guest
Nailed it :)
Westie
Guest
Well we agree there's probably not much they can afford to pay. However tight head is a problem position for depth for some time. I hope they are prioritising their tight head prospects and treating them accordingly because when kepu leaves the field at the moment we are generally stuffed.
MJB
Guest
Is there a reason your fact-free rant is attached to my comment?
Armchair sportsfan
Guest
Genuine question....how many coaches have actually coached in the Heineken cup and super rugby? Not taking away that it's a genuinely fantastic acheivement to win both, but by focussing on the fact that he's the first to do it, it makes it sound like many have tried...but it surely can only be a handful at most....
What's it got to do with rugby?
Guest
But he did get them starting 10m behind the kicker. The 1%ers, I suppose. Pity he's ignired the other 99%.
Common Sense
Guest
They were back to the old reds in 2012.
Louie
Guest
And your choice for coach is?????
Louie
Guest
Yeah time to sack the coach. Cheika has clearly been training them to drop ball, pass to players knees, kick poorly and to meerkat at scrum time. Bring in the guy currently coaching the Valley Colts, or better still Graham after the Reds stellar S15 season. Or for that matter any Qld'er with the guts to do what's right and pick most of the Reds plodders as Wallabies, duds at super rugby but genius Wallabies....apparently.
Train Without A Station
Guest
Play for the Waratahs
Train Without A Station
Guest
Based on the fact that he is unable to cement a starting position for the Rebels, a team with a middling scrum at best, on what basis is Alo-Emile a "half decent tighthead" in the context of international rugby? You don't need to reply. He's not. The fact is that no organization lacking money like the ARU, or no organization that has money and wishes to stay that way can afford to throw money at players who are only currently fringe professionals. And that's what Alo-Emile is. A fringe professional, unable to crack a 1st XV position in the worst ranked team in Australia. I consider him a great prospect, but the fact is that the French team has offered money that cannot be matched for a player who is at best the 6th best THP in Australia (That's based on each starting player at each franchise being superior. Potentially flawed but realistically close to being true - otherwise they would have offered PAE enough money to leave Melbourne).
Ckeeky halfback
Guest
Returned services and rooky performers could present a formidable possible/probable senario. My team would be Sio, Moore/TPN/Charles, Faulkner, Coleman, Kimlin, Pocock, Higgenbotham, Palu, Genia, Cooper, Cumins, Godwin, Debreczini, O'Connor, Hunt. I haven't seen enough of Debreczini but he has skills and his gate is slightly reminiscent of Joe Roff
Silver Sovereign
Roar Rookie
absolutely right there. Certainly not the achievement of turning around the perennial losing Reds like Link did. In the space of 2 years, Link turned the at times terrible Reds into a champion team. Since he left the new coach has taken them back to the old Reds
Westie
Guest
Well since the aru are broke not much but I would've thought any half decent tight head would be a priority to them.