Nathan Grey wants defensive love after signing Wallabies extension

Called it: http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/rugby/former-wallaby-rod-kafer-responds-to-rugby-crisis-by-taking-up-aru-senior-role-to-help-fix-mess/news-story/e23bf8693ae8b742fe03f2ce4a8ff13d

We can see how bad he is - how come Cheika cant?

Many thanks, Sirs! Gratefully received. I think I understand now about the "moving parts" issue - don't keep swapping players around in different positions during the game i.e. chaos theory or picking different players each week (so it's hard forming defensive combinations). Apologies in advance if I have read this wrong though. And of course, the issue of defence is a holistic one. A poor kicking game means the other team is closer to one's line more often than necessary, a poor attack (dropping the ball etc) means you need to defend more which leads to exhaustion. A Ad infinitum.

So given Larkham attack and Greys defence, the wallabies must just stand around in training , check mate.

RWC 2015 defence. Matt Giteau at 12. Small guy but good tackler, ton of experience, very good cover D and second efforts. He knows a lot more about 12 than say Reece Hodge. No disrespect to Hodge it is just that Giteau was a very good 12 in his day. The Wales game. How good was Ben McCalman at the end? I don't reckon Higgers or Hardwick or even Timani could have held the line like that. I did not think McCalman could but I do have faith is in his ability to hold the advantage line in D. Just thought we were buggered at the end of that game. Glad I was wrong. Hunt will be able to learn 12 and whilst he lacks Giteaus experience surely he has comparable experience to Kerevi and Hodge at 12 - in my view better coz of he longer history playing footy (all footies) and working out how to defend. Catching those quick buggers in AFL aint easy. Playing league is not easy and nor would it have been easy stopping teams scoring tries against Qld the last couple of years. If it wasn't for Hunt at 12 then maybe we needed a Meakes or Godwin. Someone who doesn't excite some of you guys but I do like the idea of plugging the hole and letting say Kerevi attack from 13. So like they say less moving parts. Hunt to 12. Leave foley at 10 but get him some support. Folau at FB and DHP on the wing still both learning their roles and running lines. so both of them learning at once with a green winger on the other side like Nabuli or Korobeiti can help the team work of the back 3.

We all remember the good or bad games more vividly. The world cup defense was immense but the defense over the last three games was poor. A better measure would be to look at the points conceded per game year on year of teams he has coached vs the previous coaches of that team or other equivalent teams. Even then context is required as the Aussies playing the All Blacks would be expected to concede more points than Scotland playing England (for example.) It is very hard to make an Apples for Apples comparison, but you can get a fair idea of the defensive efficacy and whether it is improving or declining year on year.

*initiative

I know we've said it ad nauseum but if he doesn't have experience in the position, he doesn't have the knowledge base built up that would allow him to use his own ingenuity. Of course he's going to cleave to the instructions he was given pregame.

The issue is not so much a few bad tests, but the fact that he hasn't been able to maintain or replicate successful defence at either the Waratahs or the Wallabies after getting it right for one season. It makes me think that it wasn't just due to his coaching.

In the RWC the Wallaby defence was very good. I hope he can design another good system to counter what teams are doing in 2017. It's is so easy to jump on the bandwagon. I wish the guy well and will judge him by his results in the role.

He was a very limited player in his playing days.His idea of defence was a nice elbow to the chin or throat.In the 2001 BIL`S first test at the gabba, Rob Henderson was his name i think, was on the receiving end of one of Grey defensive specialities. " You can`t defend like that these days Grey you Neanderthal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

That's because the guy Cheika has playing 15 doesn't u derstand that his most important duty is the last line of defence and is why Folau should be playing in a primarily attacking position centre or wing. If the big cross kick to Izzy is now a permanent part of the plan it just doesn't make sense to play him at fullback.

That sounds like an interesting watch, I will have to find it. Regarding the fullback comment, I recall seeing something similar in the Scotland game when the Scots made a break through the middle straight out of a ruck. I think it was the break that Hooper ran down. Watching the replay I remember noting that Folau was off to the side of the break and just kept jogging towards our now broken defensive line without even attempting to turn and chase. I put it down to lazy defense at the time (still do), but it could also be a desire to stick to rigid defense patterns despite the attack not matching expectations.

^^^^ whatRt said!

CJ he played a video of the (first?) Italian try where the centre burst through the middle and outpaced the defence. Basically he said the Wallabies were spaced too wide and the fullback had come up on the wing way too quickly. He didn't say it in as many words but he seemed to be saying they were holding to their pattern without reading what was happening in front of them. Ie- the Italians were bunched in close for a narrow attack, but the Wallabies were spread across the field, apparently expecting a wide ball that never came. Folau didn't read the break until too late and was actually still moving forward as they were running in the other direction, and so had no chance to catch him. Kafe was talking about how that must be frustrating as a coach - Cheika was like .. ........ yep

especially if it worked which it clearly doesn't.

especially if it worked which it clearly doesn't.

I get the feeling that Kafe is getting so frustrated with the Wallabies, that he'll lift his self imposed ban on coaching, and offer his services to the Wallabies.

Guys I have been out of Australia for a long time, but surely at lower levels in Queensland and/or NSW (or ACT or WA or somewhere !) we have coaches, who may not be ex-Wallabies, but have shown good coaching records? Is there really such a lack of coaching talent?

Great element of humour in the first line. Sad part is that is true.