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With Rugby Australia confirming Michael Cheika will coach the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup in 2019, the focus shifts to his assistants.
Stephen Larkham, Simon Raiwalui and Nathan Grey are not enjoying the same certainty about the future of their roles. It is understood that Rugby Australia and Michael Cheika will meet in the near future to review the 2018 season thus far and decide amongst other things the fate of his assistants.
And why wouldn’t they?
Under the attack strategies of Stephen Larkham and defensive structures of Nathan Grey, the Wallabies simply have not been good enough. Scraping into third in the Rugby Championship and falling to seventh on the World Rugby rankings are not places the Wallabies are familiar with – and nor should they be.
Attacking and defensive woes coupled with the regression in the Wallaby lineout under the tutelage of ex-Fijian international Simon Raiwalui begs the question, does the current Wallaby coaching structure emphasise the fundamentals of rugby as a path to success?
In his recent interview on Fox Sports Kick and Chase, Michael Cheika was essentially asked in relation to the recent Salta test, what technical advice was given to the players at half-time to change the game plan? I was somewhat astonished in the coaches reply, “There was no technical information. They know how to play… ”
Michael Cheika explains the half-time spray that turned things around
I interpret this response as evidence that the players and the coaching staff have two differing philosophies on how to play the game. Prior to the second half in Salta, the Wallabies in all their preceding Rugby Championship matches were far too lateral when in possession.
They failed in a very basic fundamental of the game that is to actually go forward before seeking to play expansively.
There clearly had been an attacking strategy to attack in the wide channels yet it simply was not producing the points the Wallabies required. It appears the players were all too aware of it coming off the park at halftime 31-7 down.
When given the reins in the second half, the Wallaby players moved the ball forward with a directness and purpose that resulted in creating momentum and genuine space on the edges.
Furthermore, the Wallabies supported the ball player and looked to offload creating further pressure on the defence. All basic fundamentals of the game that ensured at full time they were victorious 45-34. An amazing effort and if the Wallabies are to return to a consistent successful brand of rugby clearly the second half at Salta must be the reference point.
The Wallabies completed the biggest comeback in Rugby Championship history
Legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying, “Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their players and motivate.”
Clearly the Wallabies have a coach in Michael Cheika who has that ability to motivate but for the Wallabies to succeed in the near future there needs to be a greater emphasis on the fundamentals of the game and assistant coaches who embrace and drive such a philosophy.
In 1960 Vince Lombardi coached the Green Bay Packers to be runners up of the NFL championship after leading into the fourth quarter, yet somehow lost the game. Knowing the mental challenges this would cause his players in the off-season Lombardi devised a very simply plan for success by emphasising the basic fundamentals of the game of NFL as his cornerstone for success.
Upon return to pre-season training it is understood Lombardi addressed his players, some of the best in the land, holding a football in his hand on show and simply said, ‘Gentlemen, this is a football.’ Lombardi went on to forensically break down the basics of the game and the structures he wanted his team to play that season.
His team went on to defeat the New York Giants 37-0 to be win the 1961 NFL Championship. There is a lesson in this for Michael Cheika and his Wallabies.
Under Michael Cheika and his current assistants, the Wallabies have lost an appreciation for old rugby wisdom that you must play with field position and turn pressure into points, and furthermore take the points when they are on offer. In their loss against the Springboks in Port Elizabeth the Wallabies had sixty percent possession, with about a third of that in their opponents’ half.
The Wallabies gifted the home side an early avoidable try and additionally critically failed to kick a conversion and two penalties costing them eight points. This coupled with questionable captaincy of electing to kick for the corners when points were on offer is indicative of the Wallabies inability to convert pressure into points.
The Wallabies lost that match 23-12 and I suggest employing a greater appreciation for the fundamentals would have provided a winning result as opposed to a tormenting loss.
It’s not the Wallabies people mind, it’s the inconsistency. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
I foresee that the All Blacks will change little to their game plan when they take on the Wallabies in Japan later this month. They don’t need to.
However, it is the other matches on the northern tour where the Wallabies will be tested by the set piece and kicking game of the European sides.
While ten-man rugby is a thing of the past, running rugby has been embraced in Britain and Europe without forgoing the fundamentals rugby of having a strong set piece, playing with field position and taking points on offer as it is ageless wisdom and it works.
The 2017 northern tour was not a successful tour for the Wallabies who whittled mentally as the tour progressed.
In 2018 whilst under pressure Michael Cheika has admirably reminded the rugby public that tough times come and go but it is the tough who remain at the end of the day.
I would advise him of the wisdom of Indian businessman Naveen Tawiri who CEO and founder of InMobi who said, “In tough times, one has to see if the fundamentals of the business are good or not.”
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.