The thing about calling for a coach’s head is that regardless of whether it’s bang on the money or a massive over-reaction, once that call has been made, it’s out there for all and sundry to chew on.
When former ESPN Scrum colleague Greg Growden called on Wallabies coach Michael Cheika – and all his coaching staff – to be replaced after the Bledisloe Cup loss in Sydney last week, the article was widely read and even widely reported on.
Plenty of you referred to it on the day and in the days afterward.
Whether it was bang on the money or a massive over-reaction doesn’t matter; it clearly struck a chord and is already shaping opinions. Those opinions may have been pre-existing and were confirmed by Growden’s article; they may be brand new opinions as a direct result of the article. Again, this doesn’t matter.
Michael Cheika has come under serious fire (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
And nor does it matter that I still haven’t read the article. The intent and the message within Greg’s piece were as clear and uncompromising as it always has been. Whether you agree with him or not, he’s not one of Australia’s leading rugby columnists by fluke. I didn’t need to read the article to know what was said.
So going into the return leg on Saturday night, the last thing Cheika will have wanted was a performance that would ensure those calls only gain traction. The last thing he needed as the Wallabies coach with a stated ambition of taking them to a Rugby World Cup and riding off into the sunset after a strong tournament was an Auckland Bledisloe performance that ignored the obvious lessons from Sydney.
I’ve been involved in enough post-match interviews and press conferences to know you’re more likely to get a truer picture of the real feelings out on the field straight after full time has been blown. That’s before thoughts can be gathered, before emotions can be dampened, and before media managers can establish ‘the message’.
Rod Kafer, on the ground during Fox Sports’ post-match show on Saturday night at Eden Park: “Michael, the team was in the game at half-time; again, just that second half. They just let it slip…”
Cheika: “Yeah, turnovers again, you know.”
“You know they’re going to bring it, when it happens, and we’ve got to react more urgently to come up and shut that down.
“When you go back and dissect that game, it’s the same as last week exactly.
“They’re very good at it, and we’ve got to get better at stopping that – and also limiting turnovers. In the first half, we didn’t give away many, but in the second half we gave away far too many, and that cost us.”
As far as immediate commentary goes, it doesn’t get much more damning for a playing group and a coaching team than an admission that the same mistakes were repeated a week later.
And that now needs to force some serious – and quite possibly uncomfortable – questions for the coach. You can’t leave a post-RWC legacy if you don’t actually make the RWC.
He pointed to his assistants being more focussed on the Wallabies only recently, that Nathan Grey and Stephen Larkham “not having to coach Super Rugby sides” was bringing huge benefits to the national cause.
Yet, under a full-time defence coach, the Wallabies missed 39 tackles on Saturday, coming on the back of 41, 17, 34, and 18 missed tackles working our way back to the First Test against Ireland this year.
In that same time, the Wallabies’ attack has managed just 12, 13, 16, 21, and 18 points across the five Tests, averaging less than two tries per game, and conceding 12.8 turnovers. In 2017, the Wallabies averaged 4.2 tries per game, crossing the stripe 59 times in 14 games.
Will Genia of the Wallabies (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
From one to fifteen, Cheika needs to consider his options and who he sees as his first, second and third choice in each position. Any position that comes with any hesitation around the names needs urgent attention.
Among his props, who are the clear first choice loose- and tight-heads? Does consideration need to be given to Taniela Tupou’s impact at the start of games? Is Sekope Kepu still in the top half-dozen props in Australia? What is the best way of getting experience and time at Test level into Jermaine Ainsley?
If Tatafu Polota-Nau remains the starting hooker, what is the pecking order among Folau Fainga’a, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, and Tolu Latu? And where will Jordan Uelese factor when fit again?
Adam Coleman has had eight different lock partners in two years, though it does feel like Izack Rodda is emerging as the first-choice no.4. But where does Rory Arnold fit now? He was in Auckland, but only in a training capacity.
Damien McKenzie ghosting past Rob Simmons with ease in the 68th minute on Saturday night in the lead-up to Beauden Barrett’s fourth try wasn’t overly surprising, but he’d only been on the park for 15 minutes. And he missed three of the seven tackles he attempted in 28 minutes on the field. Is he still in the top three locks in the country?
Is Lukhan Tui being groomed for the hard-working no.6 role that Scott Fardy perfected, to compliment the double-team of David Pocock and Michael Hooper? And should consideration be given to Hooper playing as the primary ball-carrying no.8 of the two, and Pocock left to his own devices on the open side?
How will Joe Powell and Jake Gordon get up to Test standard over the next year if only one of them gets eight minutes off the bench? Should Will Genia skip the Spring Tour for the greater good of Australian scrumhalves?
Should Bernard Foley sit out Tests between now and the start of the RWC? Not because I believe he deserves to be dropped, but because I genuinely have no idea what the flyhalf options are behind him. We need to know this.
Bernard Foley of the Wallabies (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Does Matt Toomua need to start at 12 now and shore up the midfield defence? Could we get more out of Kurtley Beale by playing him at fullback? Where does Jack Maddocks fit into the grand scheme if everyone is fit? Is the Adam Ashley-Cooper news an overreaction to losing Samu Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani in the same season?
And are we going to continue to overlook the immediate attacking gains – both aesthetic and actual – the Waratahs made playing Israel Folau on the right wing for a month this year?
The time for a rethink about the Wallabies’ RWC approach isn’t next January, and it sure as hell isn’t next year’s Rugby Championship.
If Michael Cheika has his eye on other players, or different combinations, then we need to see them now. To do the same thing and expect different results is only going to increase the volume of discontent.
Cheika can bristle at the tough questions all he likes, but surely he knows how momentum works. And regardless, surely he’s seeing the same issues on the field that we’re all seeing?
Richard Islip
Roar Rookie
The problem of Cheika and his staff should no doubt persist after the home game against the Springboks. That is because the Wallabies will win, and Cheika and Hooper will be able to say..."told you so. All it took was patience. Things are rosy again". Just remember that the Springboks are abysmal on tour, not too flash at home, produce only one good game every now and then.......and are just a poor side getting poorer. They no longer rank as consistently worthy opponents, and certainly the All blacks look at them as definite points on the ladder, every time.
Olgazza
Guest
For all the so called experts contributing to Roar it appears most overlook the obvious......it doesn’t matter how hard you train a donkey it will never beat a thoroughbred racehorse in a race. The same can be said about the current Wallabies, they may have the commitment, determination and courage but they are not in the race against the current All Blacks. They individually let alone collectively do not have the ability, skill level or prowess of the New Zealanders. Accept it, Cheikas playing the best available, he can’t turn the donkey into a racehorse.
Hofman
Roar Rookie
Just throwing this in the mix. If Hooper is considered too small for 7, given his recent forays out on the wing, how about we move him to 13? He is zippy and he can tackle. That frees up the 7 jumper for Pocock. Bring back Higgers or Fardy for the mongrel that is missing in the forwards and to protect Pocock from being the only body on the line player. Simmons only has a green and gold jersey due to the sky blue one he wears under it. We didn’t miss Folau.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
They won’t sack him and we will continue to plummet. Leave him there to mess around and bring Alan Jones in in time to win the WC .
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Does that Question require an answer Shae D. Sole selectors do not work!
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
And Lano - all we are doing is - "Moving the Chairs on the Deck of the Titanic". Same old, same old - same result!
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Bakkies, it started a very, very long time ago. Even in the 1970's or before with the self interest ramblings of the QRU and NSWRU. It got worse under professionalism.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Growded is out out touch. The need for Cheika to step down is old news.....Cheika's legacy will be Australia falling outside the Worlds top 8. At 5 now with a besser block tied to their feet.
Joe Blow
Guest
Thats a lot of questions! Cheika should stay until the RWC and then step down no matter how far the Wallabies go there. There is no-one else worthy of consideration right now. His biggest drawback has been his reluctance to change his support staff. Grey has definitely not been a good choice as defensive coach and he should never have been given the gig full time after his record with the Tahs and at test level as a coach. Just because he can tackle does not transfer to him being a top notch defence coach. Kepu is invaluable to the Wallabies in the next 12 months being our most experienced TH. TT and AAA are both very good and have huge futures ahead of them but having Kepu on deck is very important. Sio also proved he is key in the front row. Oh....Greg Growden is out of touch, bitter and just searching for attention. You are giving him more than he deserves.
GC Red
Roar Rookie
What about Angus Cottrell? Reminds me of Rocky Elsom a bit.
GC Red
Roar Rookie
We let Gill go, who is seriously hammering it in Europe, and brought Pete Samu who's so, so from the crusaders. You have hit the nail on the head, so much of our talent is overseas, because they couldn't break into wallaby selection regardless of form.
GC Red
Roar Rookie
And allows them to use their brains, and talent.
GC Red
Roar Rookie
They're all good points, but I wonder if the team were playing a little more of what was in front of them, as they did in the 2015 world cup, we may see improvement. That seems to have been a time before Cheika tried all this "structure" nonsense. When he took the team over and before he started to hatch all his "trick's". I am not a Foley fan, but I feel for the bugger, because he has the skills to be better than he is playing due to the pre-meditated style of play. It's no wonder no other fly half can get a look in, as he wants robots not instinctual players. And so we get what we have got.
Lara
Guest
Just watched a replay of Kick n Chase featuring Marto , Gregan n Mitchell. Mitchell is 100% behind Cheika, because he knows the players, is passionate about Oz rugby n cares about the players n that he is the best man for the job. The panel all agree there are issues that need to be address n the results are not good. They go on about that players do not develop n have the skill level of their Kiwi counterparts n the system has failed. The current Wallabies are the best of the best in Oz . They agreed that the Wallabies lack preparation . Now listening to all this...how the hell did it get to this level of mediocrity. Take a step back, Cheika will take the Wallabies to the RWC, the RA trust his plan, Eales has given Cheika the thumbs up, Mitchell supports Cheika, all good from this end n Larkham will carry on this dynasty .....here's to the future.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Sack Chieka from selecting a side, and let the Roar crowd pick.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Cheika no, but Nathan Grey and Larkam need to go asap.
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Actually, I have to say it but we have all said it all before and nothing is changing. This is the problem. The contributors on the Roar and even Ben Smith see the problems of the whole issue of the poor state of Rugby in Australia and yet it would seem that Cheika and Castle have all the answers. So that is the problem, nothing is changing or likely to change. Rugby fans in this country are in for a long, tired and frustrating ride which started a long, long time ago.
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Piru, I think this is the major problem with many of the players, especially those that have been selected over and over again even when form does not warrant it. Again the same old, same old - gives you - same result. Some of the players do give the impression that "they cannot be replaced". A sad state of affairs.
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Brett, a little late on reading but the article is on the money. There are weaknesses in the coaching, the selections (in the correct position and in form - and there needs to be a selection panel), skills, decision making, defence coaching, and the players attitude. And to be honest I have no idea of the fixes needed, except a "sack & start again". But that is not possible as RA finances, contracts and who the hell comes in for each of the coaching positions.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Roar Rookie
We as a team are just marking time, when this happens in competition you just go backwards as is happening now. Cheika's resistance to selecting different players is telling on the team. The insistence of playing Beale at in centre when he doesn't tackle effectively is one example. And playing Folau at full back is another in my opinion. If Folau plays anywhere it should be on the wing. He is just as effective on the wing as fullback. The deficiencies in his game are shown up at fullback. Haylett Petty was OK in the last game because he is a tried and tested Fullback. Toomua is the answer at in centre, but giving him such limited time in the last two tests is plain silly. He should have started IMO, he is a great defender, he can bust the line and kicks with both feet far better than Foley. I'm also unconvinced that Foley is a test class flyhalf but because of non selection of anyone else in the past years we have no one else to compare. And I do not want to go the Cooper pathway. surely there is a class flyhalf in Super rugby that deserves a look or to be nurtured. Another player that I think is doubtful is Hooper, as the teams number 7 he is not within a bull's roar of any other 7 in the Rugby Championship, they are all much bigger and just as fast across the ground, he is also not what I would call the best captain I've seen, so I ask why is he the the first man selected. He tries hard and plays to the best of his ability and gives his all but sadly this is not enough for the position. Pocock should be the number 7 with a large mobile body at number 8 Tui is still learning and going on the last two tests I think he still has a long way to go, however he has shown some enterprise. And spare me on the selection of the props I'm dumbfounded how Robertson gets a gig and how Kepu has just gone past the top level and is going down the other side. Hooker position is another that astounds me why is Brandon Paenga-Amosa not thwe first choice that he was in the Ireland tests. Playing TPN as first choice run on is going backwards. I could go on about the rest of the side but that will do for now.