I write a rugby column for The Sydney Morning Herald which is published in the paper on Saturday and online some time on Friday.
On Friday afternoon, in preparation for my Monday column on The Roar, I was reading an article about the coming Super Rugby final and the comments attached to it, which were instructive, as they invariably are.
One of the comments mentioned that three senior Wallabies, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper had tweeted about me and the article.
Now I need to say right away that being criticised is no big deal. Journalists bowl bouncers and they should expect to receive them back. There is, in fact, a certain thrill in knowing that players find what you write so challenging to them that they feel impelled to embark on some response.
So I am not criticising the three players in the Wallabies for taking me on.
What I am critical of, and this is the crucial point, is the reason why they have taken me on. They clearly resent being told that they are a significant obstacle to the long-term development of a powerful, new Wallabies squad.
This lack of respect for the Wallabies culture is what I find distasteful about their tweets.
The article in the SMH that Giteau, Mitchell and Ashley-Cooper found so objectionable made a very clear and necessary case for regime change in the Wallabies. I insisted that Michael Cheika’s “back to the future” plan for reviving the Wallabies would end in tears.
The article stated that if the Giteau Law players (the three mentioned and Will Genia) were preferred over younger players then players who are the future of Australian rugby would miss out on gaining the experience that comes from playing Test rugby.
Nick Frisby, for instance, has been dropped from the Wallabies squad for The Rugby Championship. Will Genia, who has been injured, and Nick Phipps are the potential starters. Neither of these players has very much to offer the Wallabies right now, and certainly nothing looking forward to Rugby World Cup 2019.
Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper (who admitted after the Rugby World Cup 2015 tournament that he didn’t expect to play for the Wallabies again) are blocking the chances of players like Luke Morahan, dropped from the train-on squad for the The Rugby Championship tournament, and Dane Haylett-Petty who was one of the few Wallabies to play well against England in the series loss.
The case against Matt Giteau, I suggested, is even more open and shut. His successors are already available for Cheika, if he has the smarts to select them. Reece Hodge, Semu Kerevi (my pick) and even Quade Cooper, with fingers crossed on his defence are available for Cheika to select.
But it is odds on that Giteau will be in the starting side against the All Blacks. Why else would the ARU, Cheika and Giteau go through the trouble of getting his temporary release from Toulon?
Nick Bishop wrote a terrific article on The Roar recently extolling the virtues and possibilities of Kyle Godwin as a long-time inside centre for the Wallabies.
I picked up on this and wrote that the “worst aspect of the Giteau selection, (is that) Kyle Godwin, a player with the potential to be a great Wallaby centre, has not even made the squad.”
My point is this. For these three Wallabies to find that this argument is so outrageous tells us that they have a sense of entitlement to the Wallabies jersey, even to the detriment of the team’s development after the disappointment of the Rugby World Cup 2015 final (where Giteau unfortunately had to leave the field with concussion).
Those of us with long enough memories remember the way Rod Macqueen’s great Wallabies side of 1999 to 2003 collapsed by Rugby World Cup 2007, because senior players drove out the great coach and captured the side, feeling entitled to do so, and set in train a collapse of the Wallabies culture.
We go back to Dane Coles and his sense that the victory of his side was a win for the Hurricanes’ inclusive culture.
What the three Wallabies’ tweets have shown me is that this notion of the team before individuals no longer seems to apply at a national level, at least as far as the three veterans are concerned.
As I say, it is going to end in tears.
Andre
Guest
Something has to change now. Wallabies are just being punished. That half-time interview about controlling the tempo - well, that's not going to be enough unless they get some shoes with wings.
marc
Guest
Fair article, common sense. I'm shocked these guys would take offense to it. PS where is my boy Digby Ioane? how in earth did no aussie team sign him for next year omg He was the Wallabies best player a few years ago. I'd choose him over any of the current wallaby wingers
Buk
Guest
Bit of a catch 22 for Cheika and for those players. Ideally I would like to see a whole lot of new players & combinations tried, with a view to the future, and who cares if we lose a few in the interim, provided we learn from losses, a la NZ rugby and 2007. But then my teams don't need to take the field, & my head is not on the chopping block after such losses; Cheika sees the need for experience & nous that got them through to the RWC final, and trying to repair the damage from losing a series 3-0. He is under pressure to produce sort term results, like it or not. While some of the tweets are a bit precious, not sure what those players are meant to do - turn down the chance to play for Australia, &/ or turn down passing on their knowledge to those new to test rugby?
soapit
Guest
really the main thing is remembering his mum came out punching in the press on his behalf. you should be able to bring that up with someone for decades.
soapit
Guest
i think he's had a couple of occasions where he's been on the wrong side of big messes and throw in the odd comment from him and/or his mum and people have joined the dots rightly or wrongly. add to that i personally dont rate him too highly at all. reliable winger who got stuck at 13 because we had no other options at a time where everyone seemed to think defending at 13 was some kind of mystical proposition that non proven performers should never attempt and so he stayed (wel that and lack of options). in the end i just feel like he's bombed almost as many tries as he's scored over the years and has made enough comments (cue proof that he never made any comments) for me to feel like he considers his opinion on team culture over that of the coach. thats where im coming from but i only say this in the knwoledge that my opinion doesnt matter as its not too strong and not founded well.. i agree he's been relatively consistent but really improvement was hoped for.
Bill Chapman
Guest
I always enjoy Spiro's articles, whether or not I agree with him and I think it is healthy to have a forum which tests orthodoxy. As has been observed elsewhere there is no doubt the Wallabies over achieved in RWC 2015. The result however is that Cheika has achieved (in certain eyes, mainly the ARU hierarchy) God like status. It is a fact that Cheika went to Europe prior to the series against England. Given that he has complete control over the Wallabies granted by the extraordinarily inept Bill Pulver (currently swanning around Rio), it is hard to imagine he did not give the 4 amigos a nod and a wink. In itself that may be unobjectionable but I do not understand his overall strategy. Surely he must be building for the 2019 RWC - having been appointed to take the Wallabies to the 2019 World Cup. For my part I fail to understand why he wouldn't take the opportunity to develop the Godwin's, Frisby's, Holloway's (yes I know he is injured) et al as soon as possible. As much as I find his decision to bring back the good old boys puzzling I find his persistence with Dean Mumm (for example)equally puzzling. The tight five will be crucial for 2019. As I understand it those positions require the blooding of props and locks. So why send messages to the Arnolds, Colemans that they are in the same category as a Dean Mumm. Sure Tom Robertson is being blooded along with Aalotoa but why not go with ready over Taf (a personal favourite of mine but a chronically poor line out thrower). As a long time and passionate supporter of the Wallabies I would much rather endure another Bledisloe loss for the sake of a well blooded group moving as a group towards 2019. On a (sort of) related matter I understand Kurtley Beale's rehab is not going at all well and he may not even make his first UK season at all. Not sure what that means for his contract.
John R
Roar Guru
Ironically. The announcement of that squad for the June Series was the most united this disparate group of commenters has been in some time. Shows how much we know. Lol.
Ralph
Roar Guru
You would think they should be able to do that, all panic and doomsayers aside.
Akari
Roar Rookie
A wins a win, Chooks, and I agree. They have their work cut out for them but, if 12th man Mark Richmond's inside information is correct, I can't begrudge Cheika for recalling the 3 Amigos and Genia. I must say that his selections for the 3 England tests were not the best. He may well be in a better position now that he will have had a month to prepare the WBs for the 1st Bledisloe test on Saturday week.
CUW
Guest
actually taylorman , it is about the future of Cheika. after the hammering from england at home, he knows his future is misty unless a few wins are bought. rugger may not have come to football level on the longevity of coaches / managers BUT a few are on shaky ground, especially if wins dont come in a bunch ! "There's two kinds of coaches, them that's fired and them that's gonna be fired." Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips - American Football coach
CUW
Guest
donot disagree re: card - it shud have been yellow. Rynol was doing i think his first big final - maybe becoz Poyet was officiating in south africa (?). for all the concerns and complaints regarding jackson , i think he did a neat job compared to Reynol (top 14 final) and Owens (euro final).
Timbo (L)
Guest
If this is true (and I think it will be) Australia will get Pantsed and there will be a drop in viewer ratings. I have no problem watching Australia's best team lose, but there is no way I will watch Cheika's 2nd string Tah's lose. The only reason Australia did so well in the world cup is because some Tah's players got injured and they were replaced by much more suitable guys. Bring back a panel of selectors! The 5 coaches from the SR sides would be logical. I bet there would be a well balanced team after that.
Jeremy Williams
Guest
Amazing that simple common sense gets attacked. Clearly the cult of the individual is alive and well in the Wallabies, right to the coaching box. I wonder want Rod MacQueen would say to Stephen Larkham over his disrespectful attitude towards referees and especially to Angus Gardiner who is clearly one of the best. Where is the Stephen Larkham I remember, with the cool head, great tactics and the calm demeanour. When he was playing I can not remember him uttering a negative word to a referee. It seems acceptable in this current Wallaby setup to be complete pork chops on and off the field e.g. , Cheika, Larkham, Moore, Phipps, Pocock, Palu, Polota-Nau etc evidence this in just about every game. Please Wallabies, start respecting yourselves and this great game. As an AB supporter we need you Wallabies back where you belong, scoring stunning tries, finding space and executing awesome backline moves that made you just say wow! Please?
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
I'm inclined to agree with Spiro in this instance. Why would you include in the current Wallaby side three blokes that are rather old by rugby standards for backs, when you have ample replacements already here in Australia. I've always thought that AAC, Giteau and Mitchell had past their prime when they left for France. I also had thought that they held places in the Aus side that could have been awarded to younger better players before they left. So I'm comfortable with Spiros opinion on this matter. I do not like the sense of entitlement that Giteau AAC and Mitchell have shown in the last few years. It seems its all about the brand and me, me, me with these three. I also have doubts about Genia coming back into the side, IMO he is not the player he was in 2011, there are three SH better than Genia in Aus at the moment, Strizaker Powell Frisby. thats without even going to Phipps who I do not rate. Australia has not had a great SH since NFJ in my opinion. Plenty of good ones but none great.
Richard
Guest
But these old blokes aren't anygood John R ...That is why we are flummoxed by Chieka wanting them
Richard
Guest
Cheika doesn't care what the fans can see or want... He loves those 3 blokes plus Foley Horne Folau and Hooper ( out of position ) We all know what team he will pick if those 3 from overseas are fit. He doesn`t particurlary want Genia, but because Phipps is so Horrendous he can`t pick him to start. .He still keeps him and drops Frisby though.... .haha. . Cheika is losing his mind..
Richard
Guest
Checka will pick as many TAHS or former TAHS as he can possibly select.. Former TAHS Douglas AAC and Kepu are certainties for Bledisloe one in eleven days...Hooper Folau Foley Phipps Robertson Horne TPN and Mumm will be there as well..
Terry
Guest
Well he shouldn't have made drastic changes for the two 2015 Bledisloe matches . .That was his problem after he won in Sydney he made wholesale changes for NEW ZEALAND ..WRONG !!
Terry
Guest
Gitaeu was the reason why we struggled in 2015 RWC..In the Final he gets knocked out trying to tackle somebody incorrectly..It`s time to move on form these nobodies and never wasses..
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Very unimpressive from these three players, and abusive in Mitchell's case. They're all exhibiting the traits of senior players: arrogance, and the refusal to allow any criticism, instead of recognising the obvious in that they're careers should be finished. Maybe that's what years of ego-massaging as elite sportsmen does. Ashley-Cooper is the suprise of the three as he never seemed to give off the pettiness and entitled air of the others, but then again he was always selected when they were dropped, which makes it easier to keep a peaceful profile. They're all also completely wrong in thinking they deserve to be selected now. What backline player in their thirties at the beginning of a new world cup cycle should think they really demand to be selected? In Ashley-Cooper's case this is simply greedy after 114 caps. Does he really think he's the future and that he should be playing in the outside backs in the next RWC at 36? A shame to see him like this.