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Michael Cheika hit the coaching wall last Saturday night when the Wallabies lost to the Pumas for the first time on Australian soil in 35 years. As a result, the Wallabies slipped to seventh on the world rankings – Australia’s worst ever rating.
Drastic times demand drastic action, and there’s no-one on the Rugby Australia board anywhere near capable of offering any meaningful advice.
They are only capable of giving Cheika the flick.
But the three most successful Wallaby coaches of all time – Rod Macqueen, Bob Dwyer and Alan Jones – would be only too willing to sit around the table with Cheika to add their vast, and highly successful, experience to the cause.
That chat would be priceless, but would need to take place behind closed doors.
Macqueen, the coach from 1997 to 2001, is the only one to beat the British and Irish Lions (2001), as well as winning a Rugby World Cup (1999), four Bledisloes (1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001), and two Tri-Nations in 2000, and 2001.
In 40 Tests he won 32 for a record winning percentage of 80.
Dwyer, the strategist in two stints from 1982 to 1983 and 1988 to 1995, was in charge for an Australian-record 73 internationals, edged out by Kiwi Robbie Deans’ 74. Dwyer won a Rugby World Cup in 1991 and two Bledisloes in 1992 and 1994, but the Tri-Nations was never thought of during his watch.
In those 73 Tests, Dwyer won 46 for 63 per cent.
Jones, the motivator from 1984 to 1987, is the only Wallaby coach with a Grand Slam to his credit in 1984, plus two Bledisloes in 1985 and 1987. Again the Tri-Nations wasn’t available, but he was in charge for the first Rugby World Cup in 1987 which clashed with his debut as the 2UE radio breakfast host that proved costly to the Wallabies, finishing fourth.
In 30 internationals, Jones was successful in 21 for 70 per cent.
So there’s no doubting the international rugby coaching credentials of Macqueen, Dwyer, and Jones compared to Cheika’s current 26 wins from 52 for just 50 per cent.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
But there are two major differences.
The trio had far better quality footballers in their squads than Cheika, and those squads had a tight grip on the rugby basics of passing, catching, supporting, tackling, and retaining possession.
Only David Pocock, Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale and Will Genia – the best of the current crop – might scrape into a bench berth among the teams coached by the big three.
As for rugby basics, it’s mind numbing that Cheika’s squad is so lacking in the obvious. Having said that, there’s no argument he should have done better with what he’s got.
There’s also no argument the big three will have positive collective thoughts on how to lift the performance bar.
I, for one, would kill to be a fly on the wall at such a meeting.
But I have no doubts that between the four of them Wallaby rugby will benefit in the short, and long term.
You’ve got nothing to lose ‘Cheik’ – just do it, but don’t tell anyone.