Wallabies captain Michael Hooper and Team USA Ryder Cup skipper Jim Furyk have a proven record to demand they never lead again.
Hooper has now led the Wallabies 33 times for just 13 wins – a ‘success’ rate of 39.39 per cent, by far the worst of any Aussie skipper who has chalked up a minimum of 20 Tests in charge.
Furyk led the USA to a 17.5 to 10.5 point defeat by Team Europe, even though he had the bulk of the world’s best golfers under his command.
Let’s kick off with Hooper, who has the aggravating habit of knocking back easy penalty goals when his side has problems scoring tries – and winning.
So far in this 2018 campaign, the Wallabies have lost six of their eight internationals, scoring 16 tries to 21, and 134 points to 197.
As a result, the Aussies are now ranked seventh in the world, their worst standing since rankings became official on 8 September 2003, a month before that year’s Rugby World Cup.
And the 23-19 defeat by the Pumas on the Gold Coast was the first to Argentina on Australian soil since 1983.
Obviously, the fans have had enough of parting with their hard-earned to watch the woeful Wallabies, with only 16,019 turning up at Cbus Super Stadium, which has a capacity of 27,400.
A mere 58 per cent full.
Michael Hooper (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
To be fair, selections have played a role in these problems.
David Pocock, Israel Folau and Kurtley Beale are the only world-class footballers on duty, and all three are playing out of their accepted best positions.
Openside flanker Pocock is at number eight, fullback Folau on the wing, and inside centre Beale at fly-half.
Tests are hard enough to win with the best in their rightful position – almost impossible when they are out of their comfort zone, playing a vastly different game.
But with coach Michael Cheika besotted by Hooper as captain, and the reasons escape me, changes are nowhere in sight.
Dumping fly-half Bernard Foley to the bench has cost the Wallabies a proven goal-kicker who has won many Tests with his boot – Matt Toomua will never ever be as reliable.
And Cheika constantly changing selections for the two, three, four, five, and six jerseys isn’t helping the cause either.
One thing for sure this weekend: Angus Cottrell must debut at six.
How he’s been denied selection to this point defies description. He was a powerhouse for the Rebels this season, playing blindside eight times this season in 14 games, the rest at openside.
And if the Wallabies are to win at Salta at the weekend – and avoid the Rugby Championship wooden spoon for the first time – Cheika must bench Hooper, make Pocock captain at seven, and return Folau and Beale to their rightful positions, where the can fully utilise their x-factor talents.
AP Photo/Rick Rycroft
As for Jim Furyk, he was a genuine bloke throughout his playing career as an individual, but he has had his problems coping with the Ryder Cup team atmosphere, with career stats of ten wins, 20 losses, and four draws.
Those losses have now only been beaten by Phil Mickelson with 18-22-7, and Tiger Woods with 13-21-3 – and both were Furyk’s captain’s picks.
The other two were Bryson DeChambeau, and Tony Filau, and between them in ten matches, they collectively managed only two points, both by rookie Finau as Woods, Mickelson, and DeChambeau went pointless.
By comparison, Team Europe’s captain, Thomas Bjorn, selected Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey, and Ian Poulter, and they accumulated 9.5 points between them – which was the difference in the end.
In the process, Garcia’s success took him to 25.5 career Ryder Cup points, overtaking Nick Faldo’s 25 as the greatest in the history of the tournament.
Yet Furyk had 11 of the world’s top 20 under his command. That has him marked ‘never to appear as captain again’.
The same should apply to Michael Hooper.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Hooper is not a great captain and I doubt he ever will be but I would still pick him at 7. Still, a new coach is definitely needed but that win will probably save Cheika but it shouldn't.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Reed is a tricky one. He was already the least popular guy in golf and then ranted after the fact about decisions made by Furyk re pairs. I don't think the decision Furyk made to break up Speith and Reed was wrong - look at the outcomes for Speith/Thomas. I watched the opening ceremony and noted that all teams announced smiled/hugged/fist-bumped each other when they stood up - except for Woods and Reed. Tiger was directly in front of Reed and never once looked back to acknowledge his partner. Amazing really. Not sure if that was Tiger being an arse or whether he and Reed really didn't like each other
Dcd
Guest
Yup, I remember all the cries for beale at 10 well. Interestingly the more cheikas squad gets closer to what roar pundits want (Argentina) the worse they get. The melt down over it all is a bit silly. The makings of a good team are there. It's not like they're getting smoked by anyone but nz. Just need to get used to winning again.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
FOLAU IS NOT A FULLBACK, This is a Fox Fake Sports Delusion. Just because he wore the 15 doesn't make him one 13/14 is probably closest to the truth, in attack anyway, he plays #24 in defense.
Richard
Guest
David, I appreciate your writing and articles. I don’t necessarily agree with everything but you take the time. However, drawing a comparison between Hooper and Furyk is not the smartest of comparisons. Cheika and Furyk I get if you involve strategy on top of team selection. I am giving you the benefit of the doubt here because picking various teams for a 3 day golf tournament - as magnificent an occasion as it is - an as Aussie who lives in London I watched every second of the Ryder Cup - is quite different to picking a rugby team - and Hooper doesn’t pick the team (to the best of my knowledge). Let’s get the golf out of the way - the Americans had a bust up on the plane over, tiger and Phil can’t play team events and are more interested in the $6.9mln at Vegas next month they are playing for, Spieth hates Reed, Johnston hates Koepka, incredible rough, no play on a tough course prior to the event (4practice rounds only), should I go on. So....Cheika versus Furyk...yes team selection is an issue, as is strategy and man management. So what do you do a year or limited tests ahead of the WC? Do you dump Cheika and hope for the best or do you write it off because that is what you are generally driving at. I think the answer is a simple one. The bigger one is Aus rugby as a whole. That is a much more complex situation (skills, grassroots, competition for talent, states versus states blah blah, dwindling crowds, awful beau boated etc etc) No, quit the whingeing, and just accept that apart from a miracle, if we make the quarters of the WC let alone the semis then that is a good result - who knows we may see the equivalent of a Miracle in Medina to use your golfing analogy. But keep writing David.... just don’t go the easy option and back your thoughts up with a bit more substance...as you used to do. Cheers from London.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
How did the tahs attack get on?
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Folau is much better in the 3/4 line than at Fullback. Especially when there’s an actual Fullback being forced to play out of position to accomodate him. He’s a brilliant attacking opportunist but the primary duty of the Fullback is the last line of defence for the team and Folau is nowhere near the best in that role.
Dally
Guest
Mowen was the right sort
Dally
Guest
2010 was eight years ago
Dally
Guest
When everyone is fit Hooper and Beale would be best off the bench for biggest impact and advantage. They’d be a great injection off the pine. But that will never happen.
Dally
Guest
Yep
Dally
Guest
Genia is also world class and steps up internationally often Toomua is a better player than foley if he isn’t given the 10 this week when Beale goes to 12 it will be very disappointing Pocock 7 Timu 8 Cotterel 6 Go traditional best players in their natural position Time to get back to basics Pocock to Captain
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Obviously Hooper has got offside with one of David’s old leather patch brigade mates.
Jock Rayner
Guest
Beale world class,give me a break I would have thought to b considered u would have to be able to tackle.
LifestyleSpecialist
Roar Rookie
Hooper is just executing the game plan as set down by the coaches. The only way I'd pin blame on the captain for 'not taking the points' is if they've been part of the decision with the coaches, actively pressing for an aggressive all out approach rather than conservative test match football.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Ba-boom!
That is a fair comment, most ranking systems have imperfect algorythms, bias etc. In rugby rankings don't really tell me squat. All Blacks are the best, Ireland want to be the best, yet they are fighting the same mudpool the 6-7 teams below them.
JSJ
Roar Rookie
Maybe the USA do not have the best golfers. The ranking system creates a false rankings. Most of the big ranking events other than the "Open" are played in the USA on American players home courses. Maybe the NSW do not have the best rugby players. Seldom does Australia look outside of NSW when selecting players or coaches.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Mate while I agree with you I’ve been thinking about Folau being lazy. I’ve thought this a lot in the past but I’m starting to think he’s actually just so ignorant about rugby that he doesn’t know where to go or when to go there rather than being lazy. Agree 100% on him not improving in the last 6 years. I think he’s been brought too far too early. SBW spent about 3 years learning the game before finally cracking it and even now he still gets caught out ocassionally. I really despair at the lack of improvement with Folau, still can’t pass, still can’t kick, still doesn’t know where to position himself, still can’t tackle and still doesn’t impose himself. No way in the world is he a world class player, that’s just David’s man love coming through.
Rat
Roar Rookie
The coaches cannot build resilience into a team.That starts with the depth of knowledge/skill set each 'experienced' player can rely on in their position. Cheikas pikabox selections mean that basic foundation is missing .He happily points out that players like Hannigan are learning new positions in TEST matches...np problem.While Genia identifies that the players arent doing their jobs,,,really.Hooper's ridiculous contract means the dysfunctional /unbalanced back-row will continue indefinately. By the way David,of those 3 players,Folau is only one playing his correct position(as is DHP).Hooper and Beale are bench players....finishers,not so sure.