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I have been reading a lot of pieces saying Michael Cheika should not be shouldering so much of the blame for the team’s poor performances this year.
These articles seem to suggest that it’s the players who are not doing their jobs. But that’s like saying that the conductor of an orchestra should take little responsibility if the orchestra as a whole is out of sync.
Who is really to blame if the trumpets consistently enter late, if the timpani is too quiet, or if the cello players lose their place?
Like an orchestra conductor, the coach of a sports team is accountable for how the team performs as a unit, for ensuring that each player has the required level of skill and fitness needed to do their job. The coach has the ultimate responsibility for making sure that every player has the appropriate mindset and attitude.
If the players are not doing their job either because they won’t or can’t, it’s the job of the coach to identify it and replace them. This is something that the coach must do.
You can’t expect a player to say: “Listen boss, I’m just not up to it, give someone else a crack.”
Players don’t and can’t possibly see what a coach sees. Players won’t self-correct. If the lineout isn’t working, it’s up to the coaches to make sure that the players work at it until they get it right.
If players are handing the ball to their opponents, it’s up the coaches to enable players to fix that.
If too many passes are going astray, it’s up to the coaches to do whatever is necessary to rectify that.
If it’s not up to the coaches, why are they being paid big bucks? If the talent is there – and it probably is in most positions – it’s up to the coaches to enable them to translate that talent into on-field performance.
While this doesn’t mean that the All Blacks won’t win, the Wallabies might make a good contest of it for the full 80 minutes, instead of just the first 35.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.