This is a heartfelt article from a long-suffering fan who has also been a critic of the underperforming Wallabies.
It’s been about a dozen years at least when we could say the Wallabies approached anything near ‘great’. That’s too long in anyone’s book.
The one significant word that describes the 2015 Wallabies compared to previous recent years, is ‘attitude’. Yet there have been individual Wallabies who have always possessed the requisite attitude.
The first current player that springs to mind is David Pocock. Yet head coach Michael Cheika’s great gift has been in permeating the rest of the team with the same attitude that those like Pocock possess.
How has he managed to do what Ewen McKenzie, Robbie Deans, John Connolly and Eddie Jones before him have been unable to do?
Before returning to the discussion of these coaches, I would like to digress briefly.
I’ve been wondering how best to begin this post so I will use as my opening analogy a long ago episode from the TV Western Bonanza.
The family patriarch Ben Cartwright is standing with his sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe in their living room as they discuss one of the many moral dilemmas of life.
Ben hands each son a single chopstick and asks them in turn to snap it in two, which they easily do.
He then hands each son in turn a whole bunch of chopsticks tightly bound together and asks them to snap the bundle in two. But they are unable to do so.
Ben quickly arrives at the poignant punch-line: “Individually, each of us can be easily broken. But together, united, we remain unbroken”.
I’m sure Cheika found his own analogy to motivate this Wallabies team, but whatever it was, it has worked a treat.
It is often said that attitude is the single most important characteristic an individual can possess. Have the right attitude, and you can achieve almost anything.
I have a favourites folder tucked away in my computer full of motivational sayings, which I rarely look at but now will have to give closer attention to.
Many of these Wallabies players are the same who have been underperforming in the gold jersey under Mckenzie, or Deans, or Connolly, or Jones.
But it seems they are willing to give everything for Cheika. How did he achieve this?
I profess I don’t really know, but I certainly have a new found respect for the power of attitude.
Cheika’s two immediate predecessors McKenzie and Deans possessed outstanding coaching credentials as well as rugby pedigree.
McKenzie is not only an-ex Wallaby, but is regarded as the finest tight-head prop produced by this country. He won a Super Rugby title with the Queensland Reds.
Deans is also an ex-international with the All Blacks, and his ancestral rugby pedigree traces all the way back to the 1905-06 Originals that toured the UK, Ireland and France.
Deans won five Super Rugby titles with the Canterbury Crusaders. At the time of his selection as Wallaby coach in 2008, Deans was considered the best qualified provincial coach in the business.
Unlike McKenzie and Deans, the closest Cheika got to experiencing international rugby was as a member of the Randwick district club against the All Blacks back in 1988.
Cheika forged a reputation as one of the hardest, and according to some, dirtiest players of his time in Sydney Shute Shield.
But none of this would bother Cheika. In order to win, you do what you need to do.
Yet neither McKenzie nor Deans, nor Connolly nor Jones before them, for all their impressive personal records and reputation as decent men, have been able to achieve what Cheika has achieved.
By his own account Cheika set out to provide the Wallabies with their own identity and culture, which borrowed from the All Blacks but at the same time, sought to be unique to themselves.
He has quickly given his players a self-belief, and provided an environment whereby the players now are willing to give everything to the team, to each other and to their coaches.
Cheika has surrounded himself with a coaching staff in which each man has contributed significantly. In a short time, four different personalities have gelled into an incredibly effective coaching force.
Head coach Michael Cheika has provided the clear direction, operating blueprint and delegation of responsibility that has been enthusiastically accepted by everyone in the squad.
Backs coach Steve Larkham has been instrumental in nurturing Bernard Foley’s attacking instincts and giving a polish to a previous rough diamond. Clever tries were executed against England.
Defensive coach Nathan Grey’s hand was seen in the defensive screen applied against Wales when the Wallabies were two men down. Every man covered for each other and trusted implicitly the man next to him.
The defence moved up quickly to cut down the thinking time of the attackers. Tackling technique is text-book and effectively strong.
Scrum coach Mario Ledesma has been able to teach old dogs new tricks. He has imparted knowledge to the forwards that there is more to scrummaging than just good technique.
Against England we saw how the Wallabies were wise to what England was trying to do and negated their effectiveness with counter-tactics of their own. The scrum is ‘hip’ again.
However, I’m not yet sold that the Wallabies are the ‘real deal’. There have been too many false dawns for me to get ahead of myself.
The Wallabies’ rate of improvement is astonishing. But is the winning post approaching too quickly?
As a patriot I hope Australia can go all the way.
But as a citizen of the world, and a lover of rugby, if the All Blacks and Wallabies meet in the final, I would like to see the All Blacks triumph, assuming each plays to their best.
The ABs have a clutch of the greatest players to play the game, including arguably the greatest rugby player of all-time in Richie McCaw.
They also deserve to be rewarded for their standard of high consistency year-in, year-out. No country exemplifies rugby better than New Zealand.
If there’s any justice in the world, the All Blacks will be deserving word champions and the Wallabies will be honourable runners-up.
But of course, as we well know, fate tends not to operate on checks and balances. To the winner go the spoils.
Nevertheless, the Wallabies journey of 2015 has been truly remarkable to witness.
tsuru
Guest
It's a couple of days late, Sheek, and it's probably seen by others as trivial/pedantic, but I've been bothered since you told that Bonanza story. I knew I hadn't heard it on Bonanza, but I knew I'd heard it before. I've tracked it down to Aesop's Fables. "The Father and his Sons." Who knew that the Bonanza writers used Aesop's Fables as a model.
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
15 yellows and not concede points and score yourselves. That's the challenge for you if we meet in the final, Daws. ;)
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I agree. For example a huge difference between the Reds and Waratahs in this regard is poor management of it at the Reds. But many of those players not available in 2013 and 2014 were not due to injuries sustained for the Wallabies. They were injured during Super Rugby. TPN has still missed a number of games. The Tahs had a very good year injury wise in 2014. In 2015 this was more difficult to replicate though. When players are playing a full season of super rugby followed by a full wallaby season this absolutely increases their injury risk. If Cheika maintains a low injury rate for a number of seasons, he certainly deserves the credit.
Ads
Guest
No doubt there is that as a factor TWAS, but I think you need to give (partial) credit to the reduced injury toll to the fitness and conditioning work, and rotation Cheik has done. If you go back to the Tah's as the longer-term example, TPN was always injured, Rob Horne too. Less so post Cheika. Palu is still injured, granted.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No, Giteau under performed because he wanted to play 10 and he was too individual. He wasn't interested in being a role player at the time.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Strangely? His last Shute Shield season was 2001 at 21. Nothing strange about, he just spent his entire career in England.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
i think you're missing the point. PeterK noted the players, especially the forwards have a hard edge they previously lacked. It's easier to have a harder edge in the pack when half your pack really add to that, and weren't there when it was lacking. Injuries should be considered in sone capacity. Dean's was coach for 6 years, if he had high injuries for all those years maybe him and the rest of the wallaby coaches were partly to blame. Cheika hasn't been coach for 12 months. If in 4 years time he maintains very low injury levels, then i doubt it's luck and he deserves a lot of credit for minimising it. But you can have a lucky year with injuries. You don't get lucky 4 years. Professional team sport is about squads but if you actually want to compare quality of coaches you need to consider what they have to work with.
Really
Guest
Deans was garbage . Giteau underperformed because he was being coached by a goose ! Blind Freddy could see Giteau is world class !
Double Agent
Guest
There's no doubt that Cheika is a master at motivating men. The Wallabies have been soft for a decade. He's hardened them up.
Double Agent
Guest
I think the best thing Deans ever did was to give Giteau the BOOT!! He was underperforming at the time almost to the point of embarrassment. A stint in Europe to self evaluate. Cheika throws him a lifeline and he returns a different player. He's finally realised his potential. Our best back in this tournament by far.
Really
Guest
You are all missing the main point ! Professional team sport is about squads and replacements, you can't harp on about injuries , squads have to be egalitarian and inter changeable in nature. You can't use injuries as an excuse, look at Wales and how they are playing - motivated and empowered to wear the shirt ! These rugby players are professionals who get paid a lot of coin, each and everyone of them should be able to seamlessly fit into a position without recourse . Indeed, this has been Cheika's main plan and strategy, to have ready replacements and not be co dependent on stars !
Really
Guest
Cheek, you could of coined Cheika as Confucius ! Confucius say........ bend over......I think the wallabies would even do that for Cheika . On a serious note, I share all your sentiments. I grossly underestimated Cheika and judged him to early due to his indifferent and aloof nature. Cheika is a very clever man who thinks outside the box and warrants respect from the players due to his nature, disposition and intelligence. I have never misjudged a coach as much as him , whole hearted fool I am ! Obviously I am a wallabies supporter however, like you I am a All Blacks fan . As I noted previously, they are the only rugby team in the world which is an institution , based on a deep faith and commitment to excellence . No sports team deserves to be back to back champions more than the All Blacks, it would be a travesty if they did not win it. Richie McCaw is the greatest player of all time and he warrants a gallant exit.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Tsuru yes and no. Pocock was injured playing for the brumbies the last 2 years. Moore tore his ACL 2 minutes into a test match. Players like Genia and Simmons were still injured this year. A big problem under McKenzie and Dean's was players being injured before they got to the wallabies.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
deans had injury woes and under McKenzie at one point Moore, Pocock, Fardy and Sio were all injured. Not hard to look like a different forward back with 50% different players.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Largely the same cattle? Only if you ignore that this is the lowest wallaby injury toll in recent history. The following players were not available for multiple games in these seasons: 2013 - Pocock, Moore, TPN, Horwill, Giteau, Mitchell, Toomua, Lealiifano, Beale, Barnes, Palu, Higginbotham, McCalman, Mumm, McCabe, Kuridrani, Fardy 2014 - Moore, TPN, Charles, Latu, Mumm, Carter, Giteau, Mitchell, Palu, Higginbotham, pocock, Kuridrani, Speight, McCabe, Sio, Holmes, Fardy 2015 - Palu, Skelton, Simmons (fit for RWC), Genia (fit for RWC), Douglas (fit for RWC), Carter (fit for RWC).
mitchwally
Guest
Chris Malone- another highly regarded Club player turned coach who strangly never got a chance at the higher level.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Nice piece Sheek agree with all of it except for the " I'd like to see the AB's winning " it part !!! One other member of the coaching team that deserves a mention is kicking coach, Chris Malone. Foley has again found his radar, let's hope it continues.
Taylorman
Guest
He means they should have gone to pasture back then, a little bit like how Giteau and Mitchell joined the gravy train...oh wait.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Common Sense... what I meant was that had sheek not mentioned this about the almighty ABs then it wouldn't have deflected from the main thrust of his article. In essence that being that the Wallaby is (finally) showing signs of a good attitude. And like effin amen to that brother. Now, while that might seem anti-almighty AB, it's the furtherest thing from the truth. I am on record (many times infact) in saying that, like sheek, this RWC should be won by the impenetrable darkness. For they have been the dominant Rugby side for a decade. And that's like ten years. Count'em... 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, and 10. Infact they're arguable, and probably, the greatest ABs of all time. But I am a Wallaby... and life for us has been pretty shyte for a decade. And that's like ten years... etc. etc. So, as the RWC is still in go mo... to the winner go the spoils.
sheek
Roar Guru
HarryT, Smarter people than me stress the importance of attitude. You can have all the skills in the world, but if you're not motivated, you won't perform. I don't know, it's like we're arguing over split hairs.