Donald Horne wrote The Lucky Country in 1964, and though the title has become an iconic phrase for Australians, it has been universally misinterpreted.
Horne’s ironic title was meant as derision. His book described a country rich in natural resources which survived because of its natural endowments despite having second-rate managers running the place. If it weren’t for our abundant natural wealth, Horne contended, we’d have bankrupted the place long ago. The lucky country indeed.
Horne may as well have been writing about the Waratahs. Vast natural resources, generations and depth of talent, history and wealth, yet never fulfilling their potential.
It brought me to consider one pre-season Super Rugby interview, which sheds some light on why some will succeed and thrive while others will merely survive – and survive because they are lucky and richly endowed despite second-rate leadership.
These cliche-ridden quotes, which aired in a short segment on Fox Sports’ Super Rugby Wrap, indicate abstract values and a lack of connection at a personal level. We have the same sort of leaders in the Wallabies too.
Michael Hooper had time to say something meaningful, but offered this instead:
“We’re a year further on with the main bulk of our squad. We’ve got some great experience and energy coming back; a couple of our older players bumping the average age up nicely. The core of the group that was around last year takes all that learning and that good feeling into the year. So you learn a lot. You know what works and can take it up another level from there and that’s what it is for us. Taking it up a level and living positively through the year – it’s a huge factor for us.”
Michael, that is utter nonsense.
Kurtley Beale, too, had the chance to add something meaningful.
“The squad we had last year has now got the experience of playing in big games, a lot of experience there that they can really use this year, and I think we have a lot of firepower in our roster this year so it’s up to us as a squad to take advantage of that.”
I beg your pardon?
Daryl Gibson added: “We want to play positively. We’ve always been a team that scores tries, but I think our challenge in 2019 is to be far tougher in defence – stop teams scoring. So while we’ve been known for nice attack, we want to be known in 2019 for defence.”
Then you have Dave Wessels, Dane Haylett-Petty, Quade Cooper and Will Genia. All of them exhibit a clear humanistic connection. They speak in words that show how deeply they relate interpersonally. They exhibit humility and vulnerability.
If anyone didn’t watch the Cooper-Genia piece, I urge you to view it on the Super Rugby Wrap on Kayo. I didn’t realise how strong their relationship truly is – they have a deep respect and genuine warmth for one another. This is why they will be successful. And why the Rebels will be successful this season.
Nothing in the past suggests the Waratahs will succeed with their cliche-ridden nonsense. But they will continue to be lucky – although, like Horne, I don’t mean that as a compliment.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
You need to read up on the “resource curse” to see just how bad things can really, get for resource rich but badly managed countries. As much as we whinge Australia has historically been very well governed, we have democracy, free speech, the rule of law, relatively little corruption and virtually no political violence. Probably the biggest threat to us nowadays is that so many Australians don’t know how lucky they are, and put selfish considerations before the well-being of their country.
QED
Roar Rookie
i believe if he was being consistently played at 7 and captain, he would not have taken the sabbatical. But as you say we will never know
Big Dave
Roar Rookie
Fair enough. Plenty here seem to have that attitude though.
Lano
Roar Guru
I didn't say or even suggest that is the case.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I'm late to this party, but I listened to the sound bites yesterday out of the Australian cricket team... They lost... "We're bowling great, we're fielding great... it'll click". I thought what a load of waffle. It's just an excuse isn't it? "I got out for not much, but it'll click and when it does... " The media training of players leaves a lot to be desired. It seems they are all now, VERY good at giving us sound bites that mean nothing, but are somehow meant to inspire faith? As you say Lano, they have the opportunity to say really meaningful things, and they waffle out regurgitated sound bites. It's gross really. If I see another Aus rugby player speak of learning from the past, but also looking forwards, because that is all in the past now... It appears all they have done for the last 5 years is actively avoid learning...
Hoy
Roar Guru
You know what, I would expect that as a professional though... early, doing extras... otherwise we end up with people who have been selected and never improve... and that seems to be where we are a bit lately...
Hoy
Roar Guru
This is all sadly pretty true... though I think in regards to the past players as coaches, that was some circumstance... but mostly really dumb administration... They sacked Knuckles, after solid years, because from memory someone up high desperately wanted favourite son Slack as coach. I think they were a year or two our, so McBain filled in while they waited for Slack... Slack came and went, deciding pretty quickly that coaching wasn't for him, so then Miller was the last man holding the biccies and went from the office to coach. Then they stupidly chase Eddie who was predictably disastrous, Phil Mooney was a rebuild, then Link. Again, post Link, that was REALLY PREDICTABLY disastrous. Boy that was the biggest head scratcher of them all... and I think the MOST damaging, poorly thought out decision from a shocking board. Stiles deserved a crack post Graham, because what's the point of the NRC if the winning coach isn't worth a crack, and now Thorn... Yeah, the admin has stymied the Reds for sure. I mean not one, but two world wide coach searches, only to hire the same poorly performing coach you already had? Who does that?
jeznez
Roar Guru
It's a great sliding doors question regarding what would have happened without his injuries and sabbaticals and what might have been if McKenzie hadn't felt he'd lost the dressing room.
Keo
Guest
Michael Hooper is Sargent Schultz " I know Nuzzink " to David Pococks Colonel Hogan.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
It is his brother. The agreement for ARC is to send the amateur team. The other countries do miss the professional players as the ARC is played outside of the WR window. So no team has the full list of potential players. In addition, the US misses a few that also play for the seven's. As the USA seven's is more successful, the prefer to play them there. Dany Barrett is a good examples great player. He broke his arm in Las Vegas this past weekend.
QED
Roar Rookie
The Waratahs are to Australian rugby what England are to the home countries. The favored oldest child showered with attention by their parents. Grudgingly despised by their younger siblings but unified as a family when threaten from without.
QED
Roar Rookie
The Waratahs are to Australian rugby what England are to the home countries. The favored oldest child showered with attention by their parents. Grudgingly despised by their younger siblings but unified as a family when threaten from without.
Don
Roar Rookie
I think I’ve interviewed you for a position!
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Speaking of players who have got paid a lot of money... getting on 10 years now Nick Phipps has been picking up $500k+ a year for mostly riding the pine and starting fights with opposition medical support staff. That is when he is not representing the yellow jersey urinating on bars, or being a top sportsman and removing a players shoe and throwing it into the crowd. Top bloke all around. I guess when you're mates with Kurtley one cannot expect much better though. Imagine looking at the crap Beale gets away with? Hardly going to rope anyone into line is it?
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
The Reds have shown good bits against other teams for as long as I've been a Rugby fan. That's individual brilliance shining through. Cream rising to the top. Talent that cannot be coached. Making it all work together and building a strategy and gameplan around it requires coaching. More than culture. More than just 'working hard'. It needs cohesion and some smarts. Reds haven't shown any of this since Link exited left. The only thing more incompetent than Reds coaching since then has been the Reds board.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
You don't need a salary cap when everyone is broke. The Wallabies now literally rely on old school tie bursaries and benefactors to keep Wallabies from going overseas.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
None of this makes him a bad person or a disgrace. Agree with others the comment was out of line.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Maybe it would have created a better outcome. Sure we might have missed the finals a couple of years but it would have woken us up a bit more to the easy ride players and admins are getting in Super Rugby and forced us to get better. Instead we get the defensive coach for the Waratahs promoted to the Wallabies... failing upwards in a system that encourages it.
QED
Roar Rookie
Bobby. "The more U think about it Hooper is the best 7 by far at the Tahs." And yet the the Tahs did not miss a beat when Hooper was injured and Miller replaced him.
QED
Roar Rookie
according to wikipedia : Hooper represented Australia under 20 at the 2011 IRB Junior World Championships .Where he captained the side at times and was named International Player of the Tournament. Not that it really matters but Pocock captained the under 20's in 2008. Junior World Championships