Utter the name Ned Hanigan in the company of Australian rugby fans and instantly the mood shifts, with music screeching to a halt, birds fleeing their nests and otherwise well-adjusted people whipping themselves in to an irascible rage.
Just what is it about this 23-year-old, seemingly good bloke from Coonamble that creates such irrational discourse around his every selection, action and movement on the pitch? The ire rained down on him was previously the reserve of former scapegoat-in-chief Dean Mumm, a man widely respected and revered at Exeter, but who often faced ridicule and derision back home.
Is it the wavy blonde hair? It’s not a sensible, set-your-watch-to-it Richie McCaw do, but some of the shocking barnets seen in Wallaby teams of the past decade indicate the hair isn’t to blame.
Is it the name Ned? While legends of bygone eras had solidly boring names like John, David, Glenn and Ken, chances are the name Ned instantly transports the image of Flanders in to your brain, thus negating the fear factor which he has the potential to gain in the next few years.
Still, having the same name as a fictional religious do-gooder is not a strong enough case to dislike him.
Is it the pathway? Ned did attend certified blue-blood rugby nursery Joey’s in Sydney (the list of Wallabies produced being mightily impressive), and plies his club trade for the famous Randwick, but many have trod a similar path without the associated vitriol.
The fact he is from the country should count for something, as despite the ever-real struggle of country rugby (and sport in general) in the modern age, it is still heartening to know that country kids can still hold on to the dream of attaining a Wallaby jersey.
Ned Hanigan of the Wallabies. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Seemingly, Ned just so happened to be a guy with plenty of potential thrown in to the deep end of Test rugby at the exact moment Australian rugby was suffering a collective nervous breakdown, with the incessant negativity (much of it justified) distorting and warping everything seen and discussed in the annus horribilis that was 2017.
The creeping paranoia which abounds unchecked in Australian rugby (thanks in no part to the anti-midas touch with which Rugby Australia applies to all their PR) has meant accusations regarding NSW favouritism and factions consistently crop up, and Ned’s youth and inexperience has resulted in him being caught in the crosshairs of these emotive arguments.
Hanigan’s Test match shortcomings were there for all to see in the June Tests and the Sydney massacre, which prompted the initial social media pitchforks, but by Bledisloe 3 and the end of year tour, much improved showings increased his stock, with begrudging praise forthcoming (“He had a pretty good game….by his standards” being the general refrain).
Not everyone can be Maro Itoje, bursting on to the Test scene at 21, putting in dominant displays against men much older, wiser and experienced than him while racking up European Cups, Six Nations Grand Slams and British anda Irish Lions caps along the way. Standing at 194cm and 110kg, Hanigan has all the basic tools necessary to become a dominant force and forward pack main staple for the next six or seven years, much like Itoje presently is for England.
The initial dye has been cast though, and his selection this week in the Wallabies squad despite currently being injured caused bewilderment among many, but if he comes back from injury stronger and hungrier to prove the many naysayers wrong, the 2019 World Cup could well be the platform to prove he is the man.
horseflesh
Guest
Fully agree, Waxhead. Hanigan is just not athletic enough. He lopes around the field never quite featuring in the play. I remember one test where Hooper had the ball and broke the line and was looking to off load to Hanigan but Hanigan just fell further and further behind. Zero speed. He was a sluggard. No explosiveness. No use. His specialty is standing 5metres off the side of the ruck and having a good look. I can't understand why so many apologise for him and say he'll be right in a year or two.. Does he have a golden ticket? I'm sorry but to be a Wallaby you really should be a shining light from school boy to club to state level. As a loose forward you should have that rare understanding of the game so you know where play will move next...I'd say Keiran Read and George Smith are two great examples. Hanigan appears completely befuddled all the time. And please don't tell me about Hanigan's value in the line out. There are typically 15 line outs on your own throw in a game...and you control the length of those line outs. There are about 130 rucks and mauls in a game ...and they are all up for grabs. So picking someone just for line outs is the action of a simpleton.
waxhead
Guest
Toughness, hardness, aggression and mongrel cannot be learnt Andrew. Especially not at soft Aussie private schools like Joeys. People either have these attributes or do not. Far too later for Hanigan now. He's a nice boy competing with hard as nails warriors. And yes..... "fanboy" is a newish word for people who have superficial adulation for something that is not based on objective reality :)
Andrew
Roar Guru
Also if you'd read the Itoje section properly, I said not everyone can be like him at a young age, and that he has the potential (key word) to be like him.
Andrew
Roar Guru
How old are you? What on earth is with the childish term "fanboy"? I think he'll be good in the next couple of years - hardly the rantings of what you call "fanboys".
waxhead
Guest
It amazes me the level of mediocrity you, and others, are prepared to accept for Test standard forwards. When will the penny drop that to compete with the best you must have the best playing cattle. In a No 6 that is - the most skilled, the hardest, toughest, fastest never say die warriors the human race can produce In a no 6 flanker that means players of the calibre of Itoje, Liam Squire, Jerome Kaino, Matt Todd, Keiran Read, David Pocock etc etc. Hanigan is not even remotely in their league on any criteria and never will be.
waxhead
Guest
ok so we have a fanboy for Ned. But Andrew's article completely misses the point on Mr Hanigan. I've not seen any negative comment direct at Ned personally. Seems like a decent guy doing his best and working hard. The negative comment is directed straight at his rugby playing ability and continued selection in Wallaby squads. Put simply he just doesn't deserve it - never did and still doesn't. Comparisons to Itoje are just silly imo. Hanigan has been a total dud in the Wallabies from his 1st test and has not improved at all imo. He is not test standard now and probably never will be. His running game is nowhere near good enough. His tackling is passive and nowhere near aggressive enough. His breakdown and clean out work are inaccurate and nowhere near good enough. His support and link play is nowhere near good enough. His strength, aggression and mongrel are nowhere near good enough. He is routinely pushed around by opposing teams, treated as a big girl and intimidates no one. The only part of his game that is Test standard is his lineout work. For reasons unknown he's been lucky enough to be the subject of clear stupid favouritism. To the absurd extent he's been selected injured after (so far) his worst season for the Tahs. He's a Test dud, big weakness in a Test forward pack and does not deserve selection past or present. Aust. has other better locks and flankers missing out who are deserving. The whole Hanigan episode is a joke and a farce imo and Aust Rugby has been subjected to the same damaging favouritism with other players like Phipps and Palu over the past 5 years - all Waratah players. And Hanigan's fanboys should drop the silly side issues and look objectively at Hanigan's Test performances. He is simply not good enough, not hard enough, not skilled enough and probably never will be.
Mzilikazi
Guest
What about loss of ball in contact....I don't have the stats to really argue the point, but do feel Simmons is well below Whitelock in this area that is a indicator of physical hardness.
Andrew
Roar Guru
Yeah I think what I was trying to get at was he has the fundamental tools to kick-on to the next level, and I'm hoping it happens this calendar year so he can start peaking next year.
Harry Jones
Expert
Ned ran over our big strong wing to score in the corner and defeat my Stormers. #respect He looks like a SR level forward who works hard at his game, and might end up as a Test-level guy, too, but not yet.
Andrew
Roar Guru
To be clear the bits about his hair and his name were meant to be light-hearted and not taken seriously - more a mickey-take of people who nitpick at every single aspect of some players.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
Possibly the best summary PeterK I have ever seem on this vexing issue. It is like Cheika is looking at a different match replay to all of us as Ned gets bounced out of ruck after ruck. It is essentially an example of a boy playing men.
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
and JP it just comes down to bad judgement... simple as that. Hannigan is the easy choice. Higginbotham too hard and gives away penalties. So... for team (and coach) harmony... heeeeeeeloo Ned!
Diamond Jackie
Roar Rookie
To be honest I was waiting for the defence of Ned in the article... stats, analysis , insight ....but they never came. Ned is the poster child of misjudgement, favouritism and the inward looking NSW based decision making that is holding rugby back (and yes, I'm from Sydney and love my rugby). He's a hard working, NSW country kid that gives his all and will never question the coach's decisions. We won't create waves. He won't piss anyone off. He is the easy choice. No work needed to get Ned running straight and hard. We all know he is not up to it. You can't blame anyone but the coach and selector. For the good of himself (he will be better later) and the team he is nursing an injury. Be thankful for ironic, small mercies.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Simmons is as hard as AB lock Whitelock
Faith
Guest
Mumm and Hanigan and Simmons make for the powder puff forward play of the WBs that has led to their recent demise. Think of the loose forwards these three have to play against at Tier 1 level. Squire. Shaw. Mahonay. Tiupiric. Hell, these guys can't even make an impact at SR level. And yet they have to go against such hard men. Lol.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
How Cheika got rid of Fardy to bring in Hanigan is still beyond me.
PeterK
Roar Guru
I answered that, better attitude at training and getting on well with Cheika
JP
Guest
So why does Michael Cheika keep selecting Hanigan Peter ?.( and Mumm before him ) We keep saying the same things about Hanigan Mumm being preferred over a much better flankers in Fardy and Higginbotham. Why does he keep doing it. Why??
jeznez
Roar Guru
And if he can develop that mongrel then his nickname will surely evolve to the first name that comes to mind when you hear Ned - Mr stand and deliver himself - Ned Kelly. I did find the "Is it the name Ned? While legends of bygone eras...." section pretty odd as if we are talking legends of bygone eras then his name certainly isn't the issue.
PeterK
Roar Guru
The issue is Hanigan like Mumm was preferred over a much better flankers in Fardy and Higginbotham. Cheika needed a genuine lineout option since he insisted on using Pooper. Fine all 4 players tick that box. Then because he is using the 1 3 3 1 attacking pod wanted a mobile flanker in the 1 position out wide. Mumm and Higgs were the most mobile behind them were Hanigan and Fardy about the same. Then he also wants a high work rate and fats reload times. Hanigan and Fardy are the best in these areas behind them were Mumm and Higginbotham about the same. There it ends with hard skills required and the tie breaker seemed to be attitude at training and getting on with Cheika. The trouble is some very important skills of blindside flankers were ignored. Higginbothams superior ball carrying and cleaning out rucks and dominant tackles. Fardy's superior ruck work pilfering and slowing ball down and cleaning out rucks. There is the nub. Hanigan (and Mumm) very poor at cleaning out rucks, don't make dominant tackles, don't pilfer or slow rucks , and don't make ball many meters in ball carrying (Mumm did and he was superior to hanigan). Hanigan HAS improved this season. However he still falls off trying to clean rucks and doesn't make many metres on carries and doesn't pilfer much at rucks but he does slow the ball down a bit now.