Having watched the machinations of Wallaby rugby over the last year or so, I’ve been moved to write to put my thoughts out there for others to criticise or agree with.
The last three coaches of the Wallabies have drawn some attention for me. I did not really think from a year or two into his tenure that Robbie Deans was the right man for the job.
His selection process was flawed and I fail to see how he got his message across to the players – especially if listening to him bumble through giving a press conference with cryptic short answers was anything to go on.
I struggled to understand him and I’m sure a fair percentage of the players had a problem also. I also had the impression that he had lost the confidence of the players in the last part of his tenure.
Ewen McKenzie was the best choice even when he declined to accept the position way back, but even taking into account his success with the Reds I started to doubt his ability towards the end of his tenure – particularly when he became the coaching director.
I have watched him since he was at the Tahs and while I accept that he had ability he seemed to lack that vital ingredient that coaches need to be great.
The fact that his Tah team was nearly there but didn’t get there remains an example of this.
The planets aligned with the Reds and it all came together for a season. However, like Deans with the Wallabies, Link’s decisions on selections and his allowing Scott Higginbothom to go and the Will Genia saga showed some cracks in my belief in his strength of character.
I started to form the opinion that he liked his favourites and that was influencing and interfering with his decision making as a coach.
His handling of the Kurt Beale situating prior to the EOYT was fairly diabolical to say the least.
I have no opinion on what was right or wrong in this matter I’ll leave that for others to discuss, but Mackenzie’s handling of the situation was not what I wanted as a coach of our national side.
The Beale situation should have been handled on the plane and whatever punishment was necessary to be meted out should have been handled in house. If that warranted Beale being sent home, so be it, but certainly not the saga and silliness that followed from all parties involved.
Now we have Michael Cheika as the last-minute substitute coach, thrown in the deep end at the start of the EOYT.
I admire his turnaround of the Tahs from nearly there for years to Super champs.
I think he has done a fine job coaching a provincial side, and I take in his good record while coaching overseas prior to coming back to Australia.
However one EOYT does not make a good Wallaby coach, as seen by the record of one out of four.
The argument that Cheika had to deal with what he had as a side has some weight, but I see some of the same flaws emerging. There is a tendency to blind eye certain players from selection.
I cite Matt Hodgson as an example, he has the best stats as a 7 but he played only minimal time. Then there is Kyle Godwin who went on tour and didn’t play a single minute.
Michael Hooper is not the best choice as a captain. The guy is a great player, certainly not in a traditional 7 type mode, but he does not seem to have that aura that comes naturally for a captain of the national side.
Referees don’t seem to take note when he speaks and I wonder about some of his decision making.
But Cheika heaps adulation on him like he is the adorned one. This may be the culmination of the last two years with having him as the leader at the Tahs.
They have probably formed a bond, but this type of thinking is not what I require as a Wallaby coach.
I want the Wallaby coach to look past provincial team loyalties and pick the best man for the job, regardless of where he comes from.
Cheika may succeed. He portrays supreme self confidence and a sense of entitlement that usually is associated with men that are successful in their lives.
The fact that he played for Randwick and is generally agreed to have the ear of the ARU and NSW rugby is an asset for him, however I’m more inclined to look at his tactics and his coaching strategy to see if he will succeed.
The dual role of coaching both the Tahs and the Wallabies will impede him in the run up to the WC. He will not have the time to devote solely to the Wallabies and no matter what he does in selections, there will be others that perceived bias and that he will favour the Tahs instead of looking further afield.
I hope that he is a success, and he turns out to be a great Wallaby coach and does us proud at the WC, but as for now I have my doubts.
I see flaws in his coaching philosophy for the team as it is has been widely discussed by Scott Allen, I would like to see him surround himself with a very good set piece exponent.
Andrew Blades is not cutting it for me. One asset I see is Nathan Grey as his assistant and the addition of Stephen Larkham would be a further asset prior to the WC.
Our chances of getting past the pool stages seemed to be IMO rather slim on current form and to say that all the injured players are coming back to bolster our fortunes is really clutching at straws.
Injuries have an alarming effect on player’s form coming back into the fray. Not all of them will come back into the form they had prior to their injury, so with that in mind I doubt that the side he takes to the World Cup would be that far in front of the one that he presides over at present.
I see an advantage to having James O’Connor back in the side if he has retained his form. I do not see Karmichael Hunt as a viable option simply because he has not played for some time.
I truly want to barrack madly for the Wallabies again but I’m left with a sour taste in my mouth as to the latest dalliances off the field and some of the insipid performances on it.
I yearn for the hard, tough forward that we used to produce, men of steel and grit that could give as good as they received.
My perception of the side is that we go through the motions without fervour. Some players show the desperation that is needed to play at the international level.
Matt Toomua is one, but others just seem to be off the pace. I believe that this is a great coach’s forte, being able to get the best from his players.
I hope that Michael Cheika is that person. To date, I’m unconvinced.
Michael
Guest
The problem with Cheika I believe is his reliance on playing the game to entertain like Rugby league , this will be his undoing because RU is not to entertain its about over weight forwards barging one meter and falling in a heap, over and over and if you don't have the forwards tough enough to do this throughout the game you will lose. It's obvious the Wallabies forwards don't have the ticker for this type of play. Cheika will fall just as Eddy Jones did, believing he can make RU just as entertaining as R L , Cheika, RU is structured as a negative game if you want to win forget about entertaining the crowds.
bennalong
Guest
You're making totally unsupported statements. Call yourself 'Realist'? The international rugby season is over if you haven't noticed. What coach would sack his captain six months before he'll need one? You can't think because of your prejudices.
bennalong
Guest
You and your like are the stinking carcass Cheika must deal with, ZG. What do you gain by your relentless, carping criticism? Next you'll be whining.....'but it's not fair!'
bennalong
Guest
Why? You love childish ridicule?
bennalong
Guest
If he did step down just what will he achieve with the squad back at their provinces WB?
bennalong
Guest
You can't use stats over vastly different time periods and hugely different numbers of games played.
bennalong
Guest
IMHO? Mate, humble is what your opinion ain't, you arrogant twerp. Drop your guts somewhere else.
bennalong
Guest
Cheika has to keep all the cards he drew as a result of McKenzie's unpredictable suicide. He would never have taken on this awful burden without doing everything possible to castrate the ARU board. He backed Beale out of his personal belief in him and his perception he needed him for 2015. Therefore he had to reinstate him this year and his delay in doing it was a masterful way of stepping out of the Sky blue until the last moment. But he has snookered Pulver and is now untouchable in 2015......................except by the meaness and nastiness of social media.
bennalong
Guest
Hi Sheek and stillmissit, Both you blokes are a bit on the negative side. I never thought we'd (the Tahs) win this season, or that the boys would meld so impressively, so I know miracles can happen. I was perplexed by McKenzie's refusal to use combinations after he'd selected so many, and as you say Gary R-S, his man management had me wondering what might be happening in his personal life. Indeed I wrote about it on the Roar! I find losing painful but I saw the games on the tour as encouraging. Cheika was never going to try too hard to fix the scrum on his first tour and if you can put aside this weakness, we looked like something was indeed coming together. So why are you blokes and most on the Roar so pessimistic? First, who thought McKenzie was heading to a World Cup win? Most honest people would admit it appeared unlikely. I don't rate the World Cup as a way of rating teams, The All Blacks have so frequently failed, after all! So I know we could win it even if I can't tell you how. But I cannot see why you wouldn't hope and predict a big improvement from Cheika's Wallabies, and I don't think he has to do something totally against all that he stands for, (viz. dump the Tahs) to do it. He is a straight talker and a man of principle. While it doesn't mean he's got enough time before the WC I trust he'll give it a shake I am praying he'll sort out the Tahs scrum contemporaneously with doing the same for the Wallabies. I don't know what happened to the scrum under McKenzie, whatever it was it also culminated with the Beale affair. Cheika hasn't proven he can do this but he does know aggression and he does know how to instil a common purpose. The AB's are drawn from a nation that plays the same game, as are the Poms. Our greatest weakness is the lack of a national way of playing rugby, but the ARU has pinned its hopes on the running game and McKenzie agreed. The 2011 Reds played galloping rugby and Cheika's appointment is the next logical extension. Most other rugby nations are wary of our ability to play a fancy game, at speed It's been a great ride at the Tahs so I'd recommend you suspend disbelief and constant criticism and hop on for an entertaining ride. If we don't win we'll still give it a great shake!
bennalong
Guest
I'm sure there has been a worst pack! Not sure this one is it but it sure scrums poorly!
Force fan
Guest
There are a couple of thingsi agree with. 1) Hooper is not the answer at captain as good a player as he is. You justhave to go back to the French test where after giving away too many penalties the ref tells him to have a word to his players. Hooper's response - I've spoken to them and they are not listening 2)players like Matt Hodgson and Tetera Faulkner should have gotten more playing time. Not because they're Force players but because the former was incredibly effective in the time he was on the field and the latter could be a long term solution for the Wallabies. I mean throw him in the deep end against the poms and see what happens... it couldn't get any worse, could it?
Zero Gain
Guest
You said Hooper was 'growing and incumbency has advantages'. What did you mean?
Wallabok
Guest
Wallabies continue to labour under the burden of the outrageous state-funded support given to AFL and "League" with all the taxpayer dollars being pumped into stadiums for those codes in QLD where one generation ago AFL was basically just Roger Merrett and the "Bad News Bears". Free to air TV naturally has no interest in even mentioning Rugby results in its newscasts as they cannot televise it. Rupert and Fox care only for the Northern hemisphere where the bulk of the TV rights money resides. Digby Ioane, Drew Mitchell, Ben Mowen (c), Matt Giteau and a few more are all first string Wallabies forever lost to the future powerhouse of rugby - the five nations. Within 5 years Wallabies will have to be selected from abroad (Springboks already are though many have simply decided instead to play for France or Ireland or whoever). New Zealand will last a little longer but 4 million population equals insufficient TV dollars at the end of the day. Money talks.
Kane
Guest
Since Deans the Wallabies coaches that play the "Australian Way" (Run at all costs) more also lose more. Deans the most conservative ended with 58% Link focuses on attack not defence an finished with 50% And finally Cheika run at all costs currently on 25%
AndyS
Guest
Absolutely agree Sheek, the only influence the national coach really has over skills is not to pick people without the necessary. IMO there is far too much selection of development projects that lack fundamental skills into the Wallabies...probably a consequence of not having a Australia A program. Like Garth, I think that was ultimately what defeated Deans. The players lacked fundamental skills, so the gameplan was reduced to a low skill, low risk, limited reward strategy that was adequate to beat teams ranked below about 4 and occasionally manage a W against the others. But it was pretty negative and not great to watch. Without fundamental changes to the development structures though, I doubt he'll be the last coach to go that way.
Ball'n'all
Guest
Character assessment based on socks down and long hair. How shallow are you?
Richard Holmes
Guest
Hooper is not the issue. there are four other captains in the wings who will all have a chance during the Super games to displace Hooper despite what is said now. The whole team is the big issue.
Realist
Guest
Gary, what about Jake White? Would you have considered him over Cheika when Link resigned? I think Cheika's unwavering support of Hooper as captain, given there is a lot of experienced players to come back to the Wallaby fold in 2015, is ridiculous. Moore has stated he wants the Wallaby captaincy back but Cheika seems to be determined to scuttle this. Poor coaching IMO. We have whole season to run before the WC and if all goes well Pocock will get back to full playing ability and Hooper will not be guaranteed selection at that point.
Zero Gain
Guest
The dual role is the killer blow that will knock out his chances of success. It's like a stinking carcass around his neck, in every decision he makes, in every discussion he has with players there is that underlying issue of perceived or potential bias. If Cheika had stepped down from the Tah's role there would have been a chorus of agreement and his biggest fans would have been the loudest proclaiming his selflessness, dedication and sense. It would have been a 'masterstroke' no doubt. As it is he is hamstrung by this issue and it will fester away in the background and undermine every decision he makes.
Zero Gain
Guest
OK, but how has Hooper grown as captain? I thought he has regressed more than grown in that role.