They know the problems but the NSW Waratahs are no closer to finding the answers, as they approach the end of a Super Rugby season their captain and coach concede has been poor.
Saturday’s 40-27 loss to the Jaguares was the Waratahs 10th defeat in 14 games and their fifth in seven home fixtures.
Where the Tahs stand in the Sydney sporting pecking order was painfully underlined by the attendances for the two sporting fixtures in the Moore Park precinct on Saturday.
Their game attracted a crowd of just under 11,000, only marginally better than their lowest ever Super Rugby home attendance.
The AFL game next door at the SCG, which finished half an hour before the Tahs game started, drew almost 33,000 fans even though the surging Sydney Swans didn’t have a particularly alluring opponent in a battling Gold Coast side that lacked star player Gary Ablett.
The die-hard Waratahs fans witnessed an all too familiar story.
The now customary awful start, the abundance of missed tackles, yet another yellow card and the brief but ultimately futile burst of points.
“That game sums up our season, is completely reflective on our season, good in bits, bad in most,” captain and flanker Michael Hooper said.
For the first time in a Super season, NSW have failed to win any matches against overseas teams.
But as Gibson pointed out, the Tahs have had problems beating teams from anywhere.
The fact that we’ve only won four games, that’s a poor season,” Gibson said.
“It’s getting back to that resolve and not wanting to concede points and thats a huge area for us for next season.”
NSW have leaked 482 points, an average of 34.4 per game.
Even the indefatigable Hooper, a standout player in a sorry season, couldn’t explain why Gibson’s messages haven’t permeated through to the players.
“We’ve been trying to put our finger on it all year and we haven’t found the answer,” Hooper said.
“There’s probably a lack of belief there in what we’re trying to do.
“We get to a certain point where our backs are against the wall and it looks like we’re too far out of it, and we just play amazing rugby.
“We’ve done that against the best teams this year, that’s a real positive of the season.
“The issue has been the starting and having that belief from word go.”
Paul D
Guest
Yes it's ridiculous that a TH prop makes a break and nobody is in a position to support. Kepu's great, but he's not Usain f#?&$ing Bolt!!!!
Crazy Horse
Guest
^^^ Jock's comment illustrates exactly what's wrong with Australian elite rugby. Trying to buy success instead of developing the kids.
Jock Cornet
Guest
Just buy the Newcastle knights. We don't have the cattle
Crazy Horse
Guest
Some Aussie club sides would give some of our provincal teams a serious contest.
FrancisF
Roar Pro
Agreed fully. Need new ideas from a whole bunch of different set of coaches, perhaps import from NZ.
Jock Cornet
Guest
Any NZ club side could beat our provincial sides
FrancisF
Roar Pro
The Waratah's hopeless performance against the Jaguares and the loss of Aussie Super Rugby top team, ie the BRUMBIES,to the lowly Queensland Reds are an indictment of the poor state of Australian rugby. At present, any of the Super Rugby provincial teams in NZ will either beat Wallabies or give the Wallabies a run of its money. Chejka's and Larkham's tactical game plan now looks more out of place if not obsolete. Other teams have move on to olay off-load rugby and tactical kicking rugby, while Aussie rugby is still stuck obstinately to its one dimensional game of " get the ball, rush forward, fall to the ground with the ball when tackled, and recycle it to start it all over again." That's it... and for some reason the Aussie players seem to lose the plot and get indecisve when fronted with open-field play and when caught in an unstructured situation, they resort to "rush-forward-fall to the ground " style of play. And Chejka can't see beyond that.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I know it is the players who make the mistakes on the field but we have had the same mistakes for the last two seasons. Last night it was Kepu's turn to make a break and find himself without support. We had our mandatory try scored against us because we play tight forwards in the backline. For a change most of the stats were about even except for territory. The Tahs made the same silly errors with loose passing, poor handling, not turning up to rucks and poor options. Missed tackles (32) was less than the Jags, 36 so we still have some terrible defensive issues. The coach has to take responsibility here. Thankfully (but not for the Wallabies) Grey has gone but Gibson needs to go. If players don't do as they are supposed to they should be dropped but Gibson tends to change players mainly through injury not form.
Tatah
Guest
Honestly Gibson is terrible and Grey worse. Grey goes to the Wallabies and Gibson stays for another season of mediocrity. Who are making these decisions?
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
When the coach says: “It’s getting back to that resolve and not wanting to concede points and that's a huge area for us for next season.” Then you must accept that the players aren't putting in and have given up and that the coaching staff are bereft of ideas. Now is the time to cut the senior players and the coaching staff loose. If they won't put in and don't want to play there, then they have made the decision of their own accord. Sack them and replace them with the free agents about to come onto the market with the cutting of three Super Rugby franchises.