There’s no argument Michael Hooper is a quality footballer, but he’s not a captain’s bootlace.
He proves every week in post-game interviews that he simply doesn’t get it.
After comprehensively losing in total points by 92 to 50 to the Lions and Sharks on the South Africa leg, Hooper proudly said the tour was a success on the training paddock.
And how many competition points were accumulated at training?
After the 38-28 defeat by the Hurricanes last Friday night in Wellington, Hooper said it was so frustrating winning the second half, but giving up early points.
“Winning” the second half, there’s the mindset.
If David Warner and Aaron Finch scored 21 runs off the first 11 deliveries in a ODI, that would be a cracking start.
But it’s catastrophic to kick off a Super Rugby game by being behind 21-zero in the first 11 minutes as the Waratahs were in Wellington.
According to Hooper the fact that the Waratahs outscored the Hurricanes 28-17 in the next 68 minutes was meaningful.
That showed character, determination, and guts to fight back, but it’s an 80-minute game skipper and the Waratahs had another big L against their name, and not a long overdue big W.
And that’s why the Waratahs have won two games in seven.
The reason?
Purely a lack of basics of pass, catch, support, and tackle. You would think, at Super Rugby level, those basics would be automatic.
Not so.
Against the Hurricanes the Waratahs boasted nine Wallabies in the starting lineup with 221 caps in the forwards, and 94 in the backs.
Add Nick Phipps’ 57 Wallaby caps off the bench, and there were 372 caps on duty.
Yet that star-studded side missed 37 tackles, and made 17 handling errors – totally unacceptable.
To be fair, the Waratahs aren’t the only Australian franchise playing rubbish rugby.
So far the five franchises have played their Kiwi counterparts 12 times for 12 losses.
In the process the Kiwis have amassed 438 points to 194, and crossed for 65 tries to just 23.
One-way traffic, bordering on humiliation.
That’s one of the reasons why the Australian franchises have won only seven of their 23 games this season.
And what’s being done about it, where is the whip cracking coming from?
Nowhere.
The silence from ARU boss Bill Pulver is deafening when he should be calling in all five Australian franchises and reading them the riot act.
The follow-up is crystal clear.
Subject the entire five rosters to the Wallaby legends of coaches Rod Macqueen, and Bobby Dwyer, with the two most successful Wallaby captains of the modern era – Nick Farr-Jones, and John Eales.
In the meantime, the Waratahs have a bye this week to lick their self-inflicted wounds.
They should be forced to watch repeated replays of those first 11 minutes in Wellington until they plead for mercy.
Then they will realise what their long-suffering supporters have to go through week after week.
That would be poetic justice.
AndyS
Guest
David, on point, why would they get angry? They are secure in the knowledge that there are no consequences, regardless of how they perform.
Rouaan
Guest
The Springboks and SA Super teams (except for the Lions) were woeful last year and not much better for the last 3 years, but some common sense emerged and whalah! some improvement! That thing called common sense.... 1) They had two national indaba's ('conferences") or meetings at the end of last year with all stakeholders, one to discuss overall performance and one to discuss CONDITIONING ( call it fiteness or whatever you like). 2) So far this year they had two three-day training camps (note...not meetings, but training on the field)...one on set-pieces and one on DEFENCE. Both camps with the top 40-50 players in the country. THAT IS WHAT AUTRALIAN RUGBY NEED DESPERATELY...Just to stop the hemorrhage and embarrassment at the moment. That thing called common sense....CONDITIONING AND DEFENSE...the two embarrassing aspects of Aussie sides this year.
William Tell
Guest
Don't leave Higginbotham out - did you see his face as he was pulled in the last game. He does seem to have a problem with controlling his emotions - just need another ten or so in the Reds with the same problem.
William Tell
Guest
Absolutely - finally. Everyone's best mate is not the skipper. If you can't call your "mates" out, if you can't eyeball them, pulll them up, tell them the facts of life, you can't wear the captain's cap. I'll never forget that moment between Border and Craig McDermott - say that again and you're on the next plane. It's the team that counts. It's results that count. It's not your "mates". He confused respect with mateship. And we don't need a captain with his head in the front row, either.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
More fun when he is underneath a NZ pack :)
Ryan
Roar Rookie
Australia has an inferiority complex towards NZ due to their inadequacy. This mindset has been supported by Rod Kater and other ex wallabies in the past week. NZ > australlia
Tahman
Guest
David you are 100% correct. I've been saying for the last three years he's not a captain. Great player, great leader by example, but not a Captain.
Boonzie
Guest
Hoops problem is he doesn't understand how to motivate players as he doesn't need to be motivated. Great player, not a great captain
Don
Roar Rookie
G'day Nick. Ready was strong in a well beaten side where the forwards didn't get any ascendancy at all. Sunnybank just played faster wider footy and the Tigers had a really off day. I agree the ARU has much to answer for in it's management of our game. However, David's ongoing notions across most sports that bringing in old men with good records from decades ago is somehow a viable solution just does my head in.
mania
Guest
Hello Everybody - its already folded.
mania
Guest
agree with Rob McCourt. hooper threw his support behind beale with the whole texting saga that saw link quit the team.
ClarkeG
Guest
He said the game of AFL was not for him and I have heard many a rugby league and soccer follower say it is the simplicity of their respective games that they enjoy. The other stuff you made up all by yourself.
ClarkeG
Guest
That's a tired old point. Have you applied that test to any other sport. How long was the ball in play in this morning's Stormers Chiefs match - who knows - probably average. Did any one feel short changed. I doubt it.
ClarkeG
Guest
That would need to be two Australian rugby derbies.
ClarkeG
Guest
Have done the first bit twice - Sydney and Melbourne. Not enough to hook me. Don't get the second bit.
Boomeranga
Guest
You could be right. He seemed quite good early on but neither of his sides have been consistently good for a while now.
JonD
Guest
How sweet of you! Other sports are too unsophisticated for those of superior intelligence raised (presumably in GPS schools?) to understand and love rugby ....... keep up the good work in maintaining the image of rugby supporters as a tribe of snobs and would-be toffs .....
Rob McCourt
Guest
I am afraid that he did back Beale and did attack the coach. He publicly called for Beale to remain in the team. That firstly cut across what was always management's decision. It was not for Hooper to be an apologist for Beale. And that indirectly attacks the coach by taking a position clearly in conflict with the coach.
Rob McCourt
Guest
Well said Trence Whatever Hooper may have thought of or about McKenzie should always have been said behind closed doors. The incident with Beale was a serious discipline infringement. The stance of the captain in such circumstances is to back the coach and or management. What is said privately is another matter. Hooper should never have been allowed to stay on as captain. And quite frankly for all his energy and heart he is well short of the skill set required for an international number 7.
double agent
Guest
He played well. Cam Clarke shows promise. Faster than I thought and tough too. Can tackle.