By all measures, Australian rugby has had a rather disappointing year. This has been book-ended by a series whitewash at the start and twin losses at the end.
In the minds of all serious fans there is a large and very unwelcome symmetry to these games. Indeed deja vu is possibly too mild a word to describe my personal feelings.
When I turn to the newspapers and columnists to get further insight, the match results have been almost a casual afterthought, with the main event belonging to the Michael Cheika post game interview. Forget form, forget defence – it’s all about the character, the passion, the future vision and the refs.
The best articles I’ve read all year have been courtesy of Irish and English sites, where structures and plays have broken apart to educate the reader. Here in Australia, the media has settled for sound bites and motherhood statements.
Not once have I seen a respectable (non-Roar) commentator discuss selection in detail. Everywhere we see that we are building to 2019, but Dean Mumm at 32 years old keeps getting fielded. No one has seriously looked at our attacking structure, or weighed the contributions of the five-eights.
No, Cheika has brilliantly set and anchored the conversation around two remarkable turns of phrase: ‘The Australian Way’ and ‘the Iceman’.
Both of these phrases come with deep symbolic meaning attached. You want a different attacking structure? Maybe you want to kick the ball more strategically? What are you? Un-Australian?
Is there someone else you would like running the game? Really? The Iceman is who you want, he will get you the result.
It’s brilliant and it’s working. The players have been protected from the media blow-torch all year, as has Cheika.
To return to the start, four times now I have watched the same game, England versus Australia. The last game occurred after the Wallabies had 20 weeks cohesive build-up, against an England team missing a number of front line players due to club duties. And not one hard question was asked.
What!
Guest
The win % since 2000 is just 57%. Deans averaged 58%. Deans win % is higher than 3 of the last 4 coaches. But he was bad? He wasnt.
RobC
Roar Guru
What! People are sick of screaming at Check about QC or Mummy or whatever. His contract is not up till 2019, so what's the use. It's not just Rugby fans interest is waning. General media continues to give Aussie Rugby a big 'meh'. I Agree Check has done a lot of good things via improvements , but that's only in the context of the stupidity demonstrated since the beginning of this year through to RWC
What!
Guest
Adsa reckons the losses were Foleys fault because he was at the helm. Pffft. 23 men on a team buddy. Not just the one you pathetically want to blame.
What!
Guest
Yeah Foley finished the year pretty well. He did miss a kick though. But Im not surprised that the usual suspects who are extreme pop their heads up. Who gives a flying F what extreme and obviously biased people think? Nobody,
Gavin
Guest
What exactly meant when referring to "The Australian Way"?
nigel brown
Roar Rookie
Cheika is giving real Clowns a bad image
Crash Ball2
Guest
Your comments can reasonably be described as many things. Objective is not one of them.
Bob
Guest
Poisoned chalice is right, until more people play rugby and the structure changes then it's down to luck that great players turn up. Not a good set up for sustained dominance.
In Brief
Guest
Given he does neither it is clear that he is not a clown, but people who refer to him as a clown are therefore themselves clowns, clown.
In Brief
Guest
Ewen Mackenzie was also a New South Welshman, and a dud coach to boot. He could only wish to have a year like this. Seriously, people have to stop fixating on results only. The difference is under Deans and Macca the Wallabies were losing and playing crap rugby (a bit like the Qld Red over the past couple of years). The great thing about Cheika is he has introduced new talent from non rugby states and the Wallabies are playing awesome rugby that will lead to greatness in years to come. Don't forget this is year 1 of the 4 year World Cup cycle. ON top of the that Pulver's the best CEO we've had and is doing a great, objectively speaking.
In Brief
Guest
I take this offensive heading came from The Roar editors? Will these guys ever give it a rest?
Adsa
Guest
Yep, Foley finishing the year pretty well, being at the helm of two defeats, missing easy goal kicks at crucial moments in a game and failing to find touch after hard earned penalties, all the while by masterminding a listless one direction attack. Great year Foles!
Andy
Guest
'Not once have I seen a respectable (non-Roar) commentator discuss selection in detail.' you are seriously saying that only people who comment on here have discussed it in detail? thats just weird. also i think you are giving Cheika way too much credit for being savvy with the media but at the same time creating a team that, your article admits, does the same thing badly every game and hasnt progressed all year.
Stu. B.
Guest
The Wallabies fit?they are to precious for that nonsense,hard work?bug off we will revolt just like we did for Deans and the twit also demanded we learn to catch and pass,we are the best in Australia and that is all we are going to be for the next 10 years.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
"but Foley finished the year pretty well" What he had a good flight home and is looking forward to Christmas, that's nice.
Kiwi in US
Guest
Your right about Pulver praising Chieka. Trying to turn the WC final into bums on seats etc for England series. Quite rightly so with coach of the year etc. I remember back to just before the June series when Chieka excercised his option to stay coach, until 2019. In my opinion, I thought it ominous, as I knew the English were not going to be push overs, as they were very wounded, and the reports from oz super rugby franchises, was that there was a lack of fitness. The fitness thing bugs me beyond description, as that is something that could of beeen controlled from a head coach perspective. If only oz could of won one of those first two games it would be a very different story now. So I hope the Summer is a time to get the fitness thing right. By that I mean 80 minute players. I can't see how Chieka can expect to play the "Australian Way", without having the fitest team in rugby. Anyway, have a great off season, I'm going skiing.
Harry Rugby
Guest
If he carries on like a clown and selects like a clown - he is a bloody clown.
Doubles
Guest
Cheika is a New South Welsman, that`s why he can get away with it... Pulver is also one of is best mates and another New South Welsh Man...You think Ewen Mackenzie would have still been coach after a year like this??... No way !!!!
puff
Guest
The clown is a genius maybe tongue & cheek but the fact still remains different elements of the Australian rugby world, give Cheika too much credence. For what can only be described as an inexcusable season. No Wallaby team has ever lost to the pommes 4 nil, with three test played on Australian soil, yet the ARU never held his feet to the fire. No Wallaby coach has ever lost 8 tests in a calendar year and remained employed. To be rational the AB’s are the world champions but we appear to have gained little knowledge from the RWC loss as we still insist on one dimensional rugby. The inconsistencies regarding selection are wide and varied and are constantly debated at all levels. The Giteau law proved to be another ill conceived experiment that delivered little. Yet the CEO Bill Pulver, has just endorsed Cheika as coach to 2019. He candy coated the years indefensible results by saying the Wallabies are still in the building phase. Perhaps they are but this could be said of all the other major international teams. We still have Cheika because there are no clear options. For most international coaches the Wallabies are a poison chelas, Deans discovered that. We, the rugby public have what we deserve, we exercise our right to criticize in all the formats but it falls on deaf ears. Perhaps 2017 will be another lego year.
2Beers
Guest
The Nicholas Bishop Article yesterday is actually the prime example of how insidious this is; he had to take the time to research Wallabies teams through the years, detail their key players and tactics before he could ask serious questions about the current approach.