In coaching, no one wants to follow the headline act. Given the choice, you’d replace the guy sacked for poor results, so the only way is up. You want to be the saviour, not the maintenance man for high expectations.
We’ve seen the struggles of Manchester United post-Alex Ferguson.
In the case of Daryl Gibson at the Waratahs, there should have been no such problem.
With the ascension of demigod Michael Cheika to full-time national duty, the Waratahs appear to have reverted to type – that of fatally flawed potential. Their maiden Super Rugby title in 2014 was built on a dynamic blend of tenacity, physicality, and flair – none of which have been evident this season.
The succession plan was set. Gibson served as attack coach under Cheika, playing a central role in developing a style which made the Tahs one of the most compelling teams to watch. It should have been a seamless transition, with core principles already ingrained. Same blueprint, new foreman.
Unfortunately, rather a catalyst for sustained dominance, 2014 is looking more and more like a glitch in a prevailing pattern of underachievement.
Forget the Waratahs’ set-piece woes for a moment – their first 40 minutes against the Rebels on Sunday was the worst half of rugby served up by any side this year.
The Rebels are improving, but still not worthy of second billing in the Australian conference. That weighs on the Reds and Force as well, but extra shame is reserved for the well-resourced, recently successful Waratahs.
The 21 handling errors only tell half the story, with countless other misplaced passes behind or at the feet of runners disrupting any semblance of momentum.
When possession and penalties are conceded at the set-piece, it’s crucial that the Tahs string together productive phase play if they want to gain a foothold in matches, let alone win any.
To be outmuscled up front is one thing, to fail at the basics of catch and pass is unacceptable. No amount of sympathetic commentary about ‘greasy conditions’ can obscure the need to improve. The Waratahs are now two from five, with both wins coming against the rotten Reds.
Underwhelming is the most generous assessment one can make of Angus Ta’avao’s contributions so far. He and Paddy Ryan have not offered enough around the park to offset their scrum weakness.
Meanwhile, Israel Folau turned in his worst performance in memory; he must show more intent on kick return. Broken play is where the best fullbacks thrive, but the more time he has to think, the more passive he becomes. His sin-binning was the predictable cost for poor decision-making.
(Sidenote: if he’s carrying an injury, he needs to recover properly. As brilliant as Folau can be, the World Cup showed he’s not much use on one leg.)
Granted, injuries to Bernard Foley and now Kurtley Beale have been telling, as neither can fully shoulder the playmaking burden alone. Similarly, the double blow of Tatafu Polota-Nau and Tolu Latu is stretching front-row depth.
On the flipside, Jed Holloway has been a bright spark. Jack Dempsey, too, is proving useful in easing the burden on Michael Hooper. There is enough verve in the backline – even the replacements – to pose a threat. For that threat to become anything more than theoretical however, the Tahs need to manufacture belief from somewhere.
Benn Robinson’s recent criticism of poor training intensity was a damning indictment of the new regime. It’s clear this isn’t just random player malaise. The team is rudderless – which brings us back to Gibson.
If this is a rebuilding year, it seems we’re not yet done with the demolition process. It might be too early in the season to write them off, but there’s a sense of inevitability about current results. And it might yet get worse.
Pundits have identified the need for Gibson to put his stamp on the squad – and quickly. While Gibson himself concedes he is a far more understated presence than his predecessor, he might want to invest in a megaphone.
Right now the Tahs are becoming distinctly Gibsonian for all the wrong reasons.
Andy
Guest
The best teams in all sports are successful when their senior players stand up and show the way. The tahs don't have that. No real leaders other than Hooper: Mumm, Dennis, Phipps and Folau have all been really poor this year. They have really let the team and fans down
RobC
Roar Guru
Gday Charlie. Thanks for your first article on the ROAR. From Berlin. Yes, Gibbo stuffed it up. The key now is what he does next. btw, How's the Rugby in Germany nowadays?
Daveyboy
Guest
Likely to be a long cold winter for the Tahs. We haven't been to South Africa yet and we've only played one NZ team - I shudder to think of what the end of this season will look like. Given what we've seen so far, Tahs fans should be thankful if we can finish anywhere in the top 12.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Mid level talent. Funnily enough on points they are about mid level in the table. On 11 points they are 11th of 18. Somewhere around - mid level.
BBA
Guest
Well I think it is a little bit of both, but I do side more on teh player changes being the difference. I think Gibson is most likely a fine attack coach, it was what he was originally hired for and he did do well in the Warratah environment. However as was pointed out he has no head coaching experience and the role is very different.Now he is doing less of what he probably liked doing and was good at, and more administration, media work and leading the brand, which a head coach/CEO does. However he has probably been promoted too early (or should have denied the opportunity like Tony Brown did at the Highlanders) and built up more experience. He may even find, like Wayne Smith did, that being a head coach was not what he wanted to be. Dave Rennie from the Chiefs was quick to praise his coaching team on the work they have done for the team, which highlights that it is a coaching team that makes the difference. Therefore changing the head coach may not make much of a difference unless the rest of the coaching team lifts or is replaced with better people. Certainly whether it is at the AB's or at Superugby levels the NZ teams with the better coaching teams tend to do better, and is probably the reason why the Blues have struggled, although I have hope that Umaga will develop and grow into the role.
Lara
Guest
Don't blame Gibo ,blame Eddie.
Daveski
Guest
Ah but TWAS we aren't saying these guys should be competition front runners and have the players to win the whole shebang. What we are saying is that a team with overall mid-level talent and experience should be: Not serving up the dross they have two weeks running against Qld and Rebels. Not making so many poor errors and be so ordinary at set piece. Showing an all round better attitude. That coupled with the fact some of the Tahs most ordinary players thus far were very much Gibson picks means the coach is rightly in the spotlight.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
Gidday SMI - I believe you've been around a fair bit, played at a good level and that included playing Rugby overseas as well. As you're obviously alluding to the cultural difference between Kiwi Rugby players and our guys, I'd like to ask you what you may have seen that highlights or demonstrates this divide, in your experience. Is there anything that you can share? What I'm seeing now though, with the top NZ teams, is a Grand Canyon of difference between how they're actually playing and what we're attempting to produce. They have technique, belief, fitness, discipline and a willingness to play with the three P's of Power, Pace and Precision. By comparison we seem a bumbling bunch of unskilled, unmotivated amateurs. I don't mean to put you on the spot, and I'll probably regret asking..........but there you go I've asked.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Nah. Just shows how much better Kepu was than Ta'avo, Potgeiter than Mumm, Douglas than Dennis, AAC than Carrarro, Hoiles than Dempsey, TPN than Roach. It's amazing how much weaker a team can be when you take out 50% of some of their best performers...
RubberLegs
Guest
The Tahs have focussed mainly on brute force rather than skills and finesse for years - "Physicality". They recruit League players who know little about rugby: Tuquiri, Sailor, Folau etc. Gibson cannot teach that group the skills of the Smiths, Ngatai or McKenzie. Tahs don't like fancy! Beale and Hooper are their only x- factor players.
CUW
Guest
so u mean i shud rephrase - if u talk the tak , u shud run the run or simply "run the talk" ??? :P cheers
Squirrel
Guest
Just shows how great Cheika is as a coach.
pjm
Roar Rookie
This is Gibsons first HC position, crazy.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What do you mean CUW? I think walking is about all that Robinson does...
CUW
Guest
what i found funny was that two players who screwed up in the last match were talking about .... Robinson and Folau. Folau after his card went to a distant planet - at the time i thought it was just me , but a few people had seen the same (going by their comments here). Robinson is ok at scrums but not sure what else he does. for all the talk , he does very little walking .... am not sure what the coach can do about the amount of dropped balls , other than sending them to the park and make them catch balls for 2 hours :) and its not just them , Highlanders had like 18 handling errors in the weekend - only difference was they won !!!
Peter Mc
Guest
That is where Cheika succeeded - had no tolerance for under performance but at the same time was an excellent motivator of young men.
Peter Mc
Guest
They aren't! Melbourne has McGahan and Canberra has Larkham:)
puff
Guest
If we just view the facts, the Tah’s have been the biggest underachievers since the competition commenced. They have only won one super title and to be fair were extremely lucky winning that. At this juncture the Rebels are worthy second billing, with a team of journeyman they out performed a dysfunctional ill discipline opposition. We need to deliver credit when it’s due. It is interesting to note that NZ rugby coaches are the cream of their profession all around the world but in Australia. Why is that, are we so arrogant or so knowledgeable that folk like Gibson don’t cut it. Deans coached the most successful team ever in supper rugby the Crusaders, yet struggled badly with the Wallabies. Gibson is a very good coach and needs to play hard ball with some of the pretenders, as everything from commitment to team self-respect is missing. Unfortunately this is difficult to achieve without support.
Denby
Roar Rookie
The Waratahs team has more problems than just Gibson. I am unsure if he is the main problem or not but right now he does not appear to be the solution and I think the Waratahs can not afford to look so terrible even in a rebuilding year. The only building being done is with Jed Holloway which is great but when they have lost over 10+ first or second choice players, 1 shining light is not enough.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Charlie... congrats on your published article. And although the subject matter is a constant irritation for me I found your piece an excellent read. Accurate. On the money. I think it would be fair to say that with Cheika's departure... as well as several significant players, it was always gonna be a bit of a struggle for the new Coach and team to be a front runners this season. Competitive yes, but not leading the Comp. But the dross served up by the Tahs, in the first half against the Rebels last w'end, has now rightly got alarm bells ringing. And it wasn't so much that they lost to the Rebels... but more so how it happened. Rubbish. Clueless. Lacking basic skills. And no pride in the jersey. So where to from here? If someone can answer that for me I'd being very grateful indeed. 'Gibsonian for all the wrong reasons'... wow how scary is that, but well worked into your piece :)