The news of Mario Ledesma’s impending departure from the Wallabies coaching set-up has sent the Australian scrum enthusiast community (all ten of you) in to mourning.
While no-one could begrudge the beautiful brute from Buenos Aires returning to his home country, for whom he passionately represented 84 times, it still doesn’t mean we can’t lament the loss of the big fella.
Cast your minds back to the pre-Mario Australian scrum and nothing but grim, grim memories come flooding back. It’s no coincidence that most of these memories involve the White Orc’s of England, with the dark November day at Twickenham in 2005 being the nadir.
Both the Wallabies starting props (Al Baxter and Matt Dunning) were bullied off the field by Andrew Sheridan and the England pack, resulting in the humiliating scene of uncontested scrums in a full international Test match involving grown, professionally paid men.
The disastrous quarter final in Marseille two years later was no better, with Sheridan once again Australia’s tormentor-in-chief, and on it went every year up until the 2014 Spring Tour, the Wallabies scrum folding like origami and putting up all the resistance of a soggy tissue in a tsunami.
Enter Ledesma, a man who looks like he eats, lives and breathes scrums, a man whose wife probably castigates him for sneaking off to watch black-market videos of underground and illegal scrummaging techniques, a man who wears the face of someone who has seen things, things that us mere mortals can’t even imagine (probably scrum-related things), and whose ears give him life-long rugby respect.
If someone told you Mario Ledesma had killed someone with his bare hands, you wouldn’t even think twice about checking the veracity of the statement.
The fact that three of the best Wallaby wins of the past decade happened after his appointment (New Zealand in Sydney 2015, England and Wales Rugby World Cup 2015) is no coincidence, as the previously powderpuff Aussie scrum was the bedrock of those victories.
Such has been the impact of Mario’s methods I no longer have to watch scrums in Wallabies games from behind the couch or through my pint glass.
The esteem which Mario is held in by the players and coaching staff is evident by the fact that Will Genia and Ledesma himself have admitted there were tears aplenty in the Mendoza dressing room where he announced his exit. Michael Cheika has stated he was “devastated” when Ledesma notified him, breaking up a working partnership that took them from Stade Francais to the Waratahs through to the international arena.
The man with the fantastic Argie-Aussie accent (look up Mario speaking at press conferences, it is a treat for the ears) will hopefully go down in lore as the man who allowed us to finally embrace the scrum, who allowed us to mature in the way we approach specialist coaching in this country and who injected ardour and rigour in to our forward pack.
The fear and trepidation has been removed, and Andrew Sheridan is no longer in our nightmares. Buena suerte Mario, te amamos.
Nobrain
Roar Guru
I just hope that Mario brings more than a much needed scrum to Jaguares.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
Ahhh, Dunning and Baxter. Just the sound of those names gives this old pom a warm feeling inside.
In Brief
Guest
In my case against the constant claims on the Roar that the current Wallaby team represents the nadir of Australian rugby, I present the following evidence your honour...Al Baxter and Matt Dunning. Case closed.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Ledesma has been the one coach worth his money and that's why he has gone . No such offers for Chekko , Larko , Natho , Micko or Kaffo . There has been no miracle just a steady improvement involving more players . Kepu is still the only world class prop being used by Chekko and the only one who looks like one . The biggest Influence on the performance of a front row is the referee and his interpretations ; many of them don't reward dominance and in some cases they even penalise it .
mzilikazi
Guest
Indeed, and IMO he was clearly the top tighthead in the world in his day, Carlos. Really thought he was a good coach when here with the Wallabies. Do you know where he is now....is he retired from coaching ?
Carlos the Argie
Guest
I mentioned Noriega above.
mzilikazi
Guest
Andrew, a lot of what you write is true. Australia have gone through some dreadful scrum debacles. But I would wonder if Ledesma leaves fully satisfied with the scrum he has produced thus far. Scott Allen was interesting last week in commenting "Ledesma has had a positive impact on the Australian scrum and it is a blow for the Wallabies." I agree . But he then later in his article writes "Please don’t tell me Cheika thinks our scrum is the finished product". " Looking at the Wallabies’ set piece performance against the Pumas last weekend, there is lots of room for improvement. Our scrum was just hanging in there at best...." IMO, the Wallabies scrum is still far too inconsistent. One scrum can be great. For example the great work against the Boks to set up the try Folau scored off the much disputed pass from Foley. But later in the same game, the scrum is in trouble again. A big worry is the inability of the scrum to "lock out" solidly on the put in, and of the hooker to strike the ball at all. We have seen the ball put in a sit mid tunnel for several seconds, with Stephen Moore unable to strike ...and this is with the modern laxity of refereeing which allows very dubious feeds. You mention Andrew Sheridan. "Both the Wallabies starting props (Al Baxter and Matt Dunning) were bullied off the field by Andrew Sheridan and the England pack". This is correct. But later in time in 2008 the same Andrew Sheridan faced an Australian front row with Ben Robinson and Ben Alexander propping. That day it was the other way round, as the Wallaby scrum dominated, and this time it was Sheridan who did not finish the match. Coached by Patricio Noriega, Australia for a time had a very good scrum, able to compete with, and sometimes dominate, all comers.
bluffboy
Guest
bluffboy
Guest
Neither can I Bob. All the best international team scrum doctors have pretty much been front rowers and mainly props. I'm not sure how Brad will go, he will have the respect and will absolutely get the locks tight, straight and moving forward, but front row techniques wouldn't be his area. As for a Number 11, I would pay to see that training season..........
Harry
Guest
Was just scrolling down the comments having a quick read before writing something very similar. IF we had had even a serviceable scrum we would have won that game (Dunedin this year) So I'll just say x2. And once again register my dismay that the hugely promising Tyrell Lomax has left Australian rugby for the NZ system. Slipper looked good on his return to rugby last week - big, strong, mobile. Hoping his best days as a loosehead prop are ahead of him. Some good prospects for tighthead in in the west - Ainsley and Vui.
Bob Wire
Guest
Are all the top notch scrum coaches of the world ex top notch tight five guys? Is it imperitive to have played in those dark spaces to be able to develop a scrum that is a weapon or even one that achieves parity? Could an ex number 11 for example do the deed? I can't see it myself...
bluffboy
Guest
Yes the Dark Arts. The scrum is still and hopefully always be the Weapon of Mass Destruction. We have 7's for anyone that thinks otherwise. Being the lords of darkness are some of the lowest paid, they are absolutely in it for the passion. The Wallaby pack did have marked improvement against the Aggies, but lets face it, that at present is a very low bar. We will see this weekend where they are at, as last outing with set piece was poor against the Kiwi's. As some of your will know, scrum is like a engine, if it's not maintained, it will surely break down. If they preform well this weekend, and I hope they do for the contest sake, I bet within 12 months with the current cattle they will have slipped back to St Cheika Finishing School for Ladies level as seen earlier this season. Australia can always hope for moooooore non competitive rule/law changes to help front rows with limited technique. Or sympathetic ref's ear to bail them out. You have love it when dominate scrums can possibly be penalised because some or all of the opposite tight five aren't up to It (that was not just directed at the Wallabies mind you).
rebel
Guest
It appears Dan Palmer got the gig for the EOY tour. The bloke dreams about scrums. Should do a god job.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
He put together a better 8 than anyone else could but he's not had the numbers to build depth. Where are plethora of second rows being lauded 2 years ago? No impact front row subs to avoid 2nd half exhaustion. NRC throwing up names but need another decent coach to get them up to par. God forbid Cheika chooses something similar to a loose or tight Ned prop. ;-)
Die hard
Roar Rookie
I have always thought the Aussie scrum full of clever tricks more than power and focus. Nothing has changed these last ten years or more. It is good that we don't get embarrassed and mostly generate decent ball but it will never be a weapon. I doubt there will ever be a clear focus on winning based on set piece here.
Marto
Guest
It frustrates me when I see a 5 foot 7 100 kilo flabby tiny boned midget pull on the wallabies jersey ..Robertson
wardad1
Roar Rookie
Scrums are dark scary places that sea-gulling backs wouldnt go near for all the chips in the known universe...
Bob Wire
Guest
Yep, I don't know a lot about scrums, but I agree it would seem we have a way to go in this department. Still some work to do for the next expert to sign on as scrum guru.
PiratesRugby
Guest
I love scrummaging and I am pleased that Ledesma had a prominent role in Australian rugby. But the fact is, he got us only to the level of mere competence. And if you look at the disastrous scrummaging in the second Bled, you'd think mere competence was beyond us. Poor second row and back row selections must have made Ledesma's job difficult. Kepu has been an absolute rock in the front row. Slipper was overused and is now chronically injured. Sio and AAA have come on. Weekes and Smith filled gaps. Ali-Emile was allowed to drift away. Don't know what the point of a Robertson is.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
True that!