I was moved to write this piece after reading Paul Cully’s article in the Sun Herald on Michael Cheika.
One of the characteristics of the Wallabies all this season has been their poor discipline – more yellow cards than any other top team – and their often reckless approach and style.
Of course one can say we always got the wrong outcomes from every referee and that we were unfairly targeted for scrum penalties, but the fact remains that penalties have had a major impact on the outcome of matches.
The senseless spear tackle by Dean Mumm in the Ireland game is a glaring example of poor discipline and senseless and mindless behaviour. He was right in front of the referee and exposed to every camera in the stadium and he is a serial offender.
On the reckless front think of the play in the England match when poor old Nick Phipps threw a bad pass to Kepu who, instead of doing what every schoolboy rugby player is told – namely kill the ball on the deck – bats it on , with his back to the on coming English – to no-one in particular. The result, a try against the run of play.
These traits in our team now seem endemic and potentially fatal.
I suggest that they reflect the reckless and I’ll disciplined style and personal behaviour of the coach.
His suicidal approach to referees, his childish outbursts (think Auckland melt down) and manic coaching style cannot but be infused into the culture and behaviour of the team.
‘The world is against us, we are hard done by, we are always on the wrong side of the refs, but you know what? They can all get stuffed.’
When you think back to great Australian coaches in contact sports, Rod McQueen and (perhaps not lately) Wayne Bennett, you think of calm, measured, thoughtful, smart individuals. Ranting and playing the victim simply does not cut it.
Which leads to my last point. The current Wallaby team chronically lacks on the paddock leadership and rugby smarts. Think of Michael Lynagh devising a winning play in the 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter final versus Ireland.
With a few minutes to go, Australia must score. He calmly comes up with a clever (but simple) play which is superbly executed. Sadly Stephen Moore could no more come up with such an approach than Will Skelton.
Again I suggest that the Cheika style discourages individual thinking and does not result in players exercising on field capability to execute a plan B or C.
dcnz
Guest
i just cannot fathom how after leading 10-0 vs England they let that match go and were well beaten in the end.
Brian
Guest
I've read most of the comments below and what sticks out for me is that, we have a new generation of players that need good coaching from great coaches to lead the wallabies into the next World Cup. Sure you will loose games along the way and that's expected and if it's not expected as seen on tv, the wallabies coaching staff need a good kick in the arse. If they believe to win every game and they don't ,you will then expect ill discipline on and off the field. The players the wallabies have at present are pretty bloody good and could be better if shown the right attitude and mindset to conquer any team it faces The way the wallabies are to improve is to sit each Ozzie conference super rugby coach in a room and discuss , ways on how to improve, skill, toughness,mindset,fitness, new young talent and potential Captains for the future. Young talent bought into the fold of super rugby is a must. The environment it has will lead to future success even if they don't play a part , learn and experiance is the key.
Bfc
Guest
Beat Scotland, Wales, Italy...all three are poor Test sides. Lost 3-0 at home to ENG and 4-0 over the season...and the fact that our team failed to finish off both IRE and ENG in the spring Tour Tests is damning. The Rugby Championship was little better...with one win against a woeful BOKs (hard to be a Wallas fan...must be painful being a BOKs fan...) and wins against Los Pumas the highlights. Being beaten by the ABs is no disgrace...but we never looked in contention against the Darkness. Our Wallas used to be known for being a clever rugby side...but we are now the antithesis of 'clever'...Which coach is responsible for the game plan (or lack of game plan...)? eg. what/where was the 'exit strategy'...? 6 from 15...an (with apologies to HRH...) "annus horriblis".
RubberLegs
Guest
Yes... none of these articles talk about the poor performance of Larkham, assuming he has some input into backline selections.
Red Kev
Guest
Skelton was made captain!
Morsie
Guest
A shallow predictable piece that seems like a cut and paste job of endless similar rants from the usual suspects. How about you come up with something new, something constructive, something that moves the discussion forward.
stumur
Guest
Peter Hughes, I agree entirely. No World XV players from the Wallabies, so why expect greatness? Even the code itself here has never really expected greatness, the fact it happened twice in the RWC was a bonus of two over-achieving sides. But check the averages historically of each nation and it's similar. Whatever systems and back end have historically been in place have bred whatever test results the country has achieved. Without a major historical overhaul of your country's rugby system, how do you rewrite your historical average? Nz's no. 1, we're always 2-4, rarely pushing for no.1. One hundred years of history, and I doubt Cheikaball will do a single thing to change that average.
Wardad
Guest
I would say that especially against the saintly Irish the Wallabies have been a bit hard one by .But like Mumms penalty and Kepu suddenly last year deciding on a bit of head-hunting there has been an element of poorly directed aggression since Cheikas tenure began. Poor judgement and a lack of a well drilled exit strategy from their own 22 combined with a neglected kicking game for /regaining possession and or territory is costing them big time.
Peter Hughes
Guest
Bill I agree except that I don’t think coaching is the problem – it’s just the players are simply not good enough. The issues you raise have been pretty much the same the past 15 yrs with different coaches & different players.. Mostly unforced errors gifting tries, gifting games, bombing tries, missing goals, sin bins, too many penalties conceded etc etc. Bottom line is the players are just not capable of doing better and there’s still only 1 Aust player who could maybe make a world best 20. When Aust won RWCs and Bledisloe Cups they had 8-9 who’d make a world best 15.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Cheika should have been at the roar xmas party, I'm sure he would have received all the advice he needs there.
Dontcallmeshirley
Guest
The Wallabies were well beaten by both Ireland and England. They did quite well to keep the Ireland game close on the scoreboard.
Gray-Hand
Guest
He was successful at lower levels because when he had a hole in his squad, he was able to just convince his bosses to buy a superstar like Elsom, Folau or Pottinger. He can't do that at the national level (although he tried with the Giteau Rule), and so he is stuck with the cattle he has. A better coach would adapt and design game plans to work around weaknesses in certain positions. But I think we are coming to see that Cheika isn't a smart coach.
Akari
Guest
Losing 9 tests out of 15 in 2016 is not a good look, Phil. The shoulda been situations didn't happen and the Cheika "bashing" will only stop if and when he starts to pay attention to expert advice from Roarers and the sooner the better.
Phil
Guest
With all of this bashing of Cheika and the Wallabies,on the spring tour we beat 3 NH teams and could have(should have?)beaten Ireland and could have(should have?)beaten England.I still believe it's not all doom and gloom as some would like us to believe.
Fairgame
Guest
I agree. Just like I was a fan or Turnbull as I am of Cheika - I believe its sadly true both these men have lost the plot, When a leader stops listening to advice and reflect on it then the only journey available is called insanity. Doing exactly more of the same hoping to have a different result. Its sad because we do have the talent. Can we bounce back - that answer s Yes - England did it with dull footy so can we.
PeterK
Roar Guru
He was dropped to the bench
Terry
Guest
PeterK Why was Dean Mumm not dropped out of the 23 after the Irish game ?? Did John Mumm forbid it?
Hello
Roar Rookie
I agree Peter, Chieka has been much more more restrained in the coaches box and press conference. It has been good to see. I expected more repercussions for Skelton and even though it was 2 weeks later I was still amazed that he was given the captaincy. Was that Chieka though, I though other coaches were appointed for that entire game and setup?
PeterK
Roar Guru
That would largely be due to the sanitation of the sport with post match reviews and suspensions brought in in 1999 and even more when the TMO was brought in.
PeterK
Roar Guru
It seems you have preconceived notions based on non facts. Skelton was ill discipled and he was DROPPED. He offended against Scotland not France and should have been dropped and he was. Perhaps he did think about his behaviour after being dropped. After the France game he was made mid week captain against the Barbarians i.e almost 2 weeks later after the scottish game. Also on the ranting and raving in the coach's box when was the last time you actually saw it? The tv producers would be focused on showing him if he did. He was quite restrained in the spring tour but you probably didn't notice since you were looking for confirmation bias.