When Scott Johnson left Twickenham for the last time as Scotland’s director of rugby, he had witnessed one of the greatest fight-backs in Six Nations history.
Down 31-0 to England where they hadn’t won a game at the home of rugby in 36 years, Scotland dramatically led 38-31 into injury time.
But England’s bench fly-half George Ford crossed for a converted try in the 83rd minute to close on a spectacular 38-all draw.
That was one helluva result for Johnson to end his 2019 Six Nations commitment, just as the Waratahs turned in one helluva Super Rugby game a week later at the SCG to end the Crusaders’ impressive 19 successive wins.
And seeing Johnson was heading back Down Under to be Australia’s director of rugby, those two results were right off the top shelf for the 56-year-old who first made his name in rugby during the 1970s playing fly-half or centre for Parramatta and Eastwood to captaining the Waratahs.
Next up, a visit to Rugby Australia HQ, and a first-time media conference as the new boss.
Johnson made a lot of very aggressive quotes as you would expect from a man who continually looks you in the eye and boasts a square jaw. He means business.
One quote is worth repeating.
“We are proud of what is our coat of arms, we have two animals that don’t walk backwards. I quite like that, so with anything in a competitive sense, we won’t be walking backwards”.
Spot on, but the quote doesn’t take into account the 20 centimetres between each one of the Waratahs’ ears.
Those 20 centimetres are the critical area where the men in blue go backwards often, and at a rapid rate – like the 31-29 loss to the Sunwolves in Newcastle on Friday night, a week after dumping the very best team in the competition.
How is it possible for so many internationals in a provincial tournament to go from brilliant to bloody awful in fractions of a second?
(Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Let’s recall the first two minutes when the Waratahs produced three successive miracles for a cracker of a try.
First miracle: hooker Damian Fitzpatrick found his line-out target Michael Wells at the back, Michael Hooper peeled off Wells to provide the second miracle by actually passing the ball to Nick Phipps who held the pass without over-running his support, for the third miracle.
Waratahs 7-0.
Twelve minutes later, after brilliant lead-up work from Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau, Cam Clark crossed in the left-hand corner, and the Waratahs had 12 points on the board to please the new boss.
But the Waratahs trailed 17-15 at half-time, and lost 31-29 to a side that has never won before on Australian soil, had won just one game overseas, and thanks to pathetic SANZAAR, will be dumped from Super Rugby as from 2021.
Now Scott Johnson knows at first hand the problems he faces – it’s those damn 20 centimetres.
But Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson threw a blanket over the squad.
“Obviously everyone made mistakes,” Gibson said.
Very true, and the first mistake is another brain wave of rotating players in this World Cup year by benching Bernard Foley and substituting him with Mack Mason, who can count the number of minutes he’s been on the field over the last two seasons by taking off his boots.
Mason was thrown under the bus at a time when the Waratahs had to cement their position at the top of the Australian Conference.
Not only did Mason have a shocker, but he was hooked after 57 minutes, which sure wouldn’t have done his already shattered confidence any good.
On the other side of the coin, any time Gibson wants to rotate Phipps or Adam Ashley-Cooper, feel free.
Phipps started brightly by scoring that early try but slid drastically downhill after that, low-lighted by his pedestrian service and kicking out on the full with three seconds left before half-time, giving the Sunwolves another chance to increase their lead.
Dumb rugby.
Fortunately, the visitors knocked on to save Phipps from any further embarrassment.
As for Ashley-Cooper, Karmichael Hunt should have the 35-year-old’s outside centre spot locked away for the rest of the season.
Neither Phipps nor Ashley-Cooper have any plus features to be included in the Wallaby World Cup squad.
That leaves the big question of how will Scott Johnson and Michael O’Connor find those missing parts in the 20 centimetres?
CJ
Guest
We are just so weak now in outside backs.The depth Australian Rugby used to have there was phenomenal. What to give these days for a Geoff Richards, Mitchell Cox or a Rob Egerton? They would have played 100 tests + in this era.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
and a quick google search, most animals can. Only a handful can't
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
My dog can.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Yes, but ACC is a 13. He knows his position, Hunt still needs to learn 13. Both should not wear the 13 for the Wallabies.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Crusaders were not there mentally. I think most teams in the comp would have won that game against them.
Fionn. Wait till U see “my man “Bateman, playing for the Canberra Raiders then? You will really “Wet thee-sen” . From Bradford Production Line.
Beale has gone backwards ,since coming back from Wasps. I don’t know if it’s the Tah’s comfort zone again. Hunt looked “bloody hopeless on Friday.Slow, lacking pace woeful in defence. Just like most Rugby Union players in defence?
What against the Wallabies?
The Slow Eater
Roar Rookie
Wow! Imagine that. You defend in your own channel. Revolutionary!!!! It would be nice though wouldn’t it
terrykidd
Roar Pro
I agree with Drew Mitchell who asked on Fox Sports telecast why you cannot rest a player by giving him most of the week off training ..... 3 x training sessions at a minimum 2 hours each against 1 x 80 minute game. I reckon that is a better "resting" policy.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
Hunt at 13 was way too slow in defence and hardly sighted in attack. He did not have a good game at all.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Again Ken, slow down. I never said “a few players”. I said “if the players don’t like it, they are free to leave.” If you’re going to quote me, quote me, if not, put your quote marks away. The list of player credentials you note is impressive, which goes to stress my point further though, that it is a fine line that’s being walked if you’re are using the player credentials to push for change. That’s the exact definition of player power. If the list was, as you say a few random has-beens and never-was’s then this would be a nothing story. As it is, the story has weight due to the players involved.
GWSingapore
Guest
“We are proud of what is our coat of arms, we have two animals that don’t walk backwards...." I have heard the same said to me in Canberra. Apart from man, is there animal on Earth that walks backwards?
frank
Guest
No just a waratahs loss and mainly because the entire country (ex NSW) has to watch complete, blatant & unfoundered favoritism towards NSW by both Rugby Australia and the national coach. So if we want to chuck a few rocks at NSW on a fan site, because its all we can do, then dont deny us..
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Paulo, by the looks of things there is not much ‘fine’ about the conga ‘line’ dancing out the door at Ballymore. And the ‘few players’ you mention include our ‘daylight second’ 12, an exciting and now jaded prop, and a developing international prospect in Lukhan, not just a random ‘few’. This is national treasure we are talking about. Thorn took a massive gamble with the ‘culture war’ he instigated last pre-season with Quadegate. And it began another round of vicious unsubstantiated vilification of the Reds-devoted playmaker. And plenty came on here to support Thorn’s genius as a head coach, and Cooper’s demise as a player ‘well past it’, ‘bigger than his boots’, etc etc. And plenty of others came on here pleading for reason and common sense – such as ‘develop a playmaker before you sack one’. There is little evidence of ‘player power’ at the Reds, but there are signs of a clumsy, ideological over-use of ‘coach power’. I hope to be wrong but Thorn may turn out to be a tight five version of John Kirwan. Australia needs a strong Reds outfit. Start learning from your mistakes Brad. And learn fast.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Slow down Kenny, I never said there was player power at the Reds. I said it’s a fine line between player power and leveling criticism and demanding change from the coach because some players don’t like it. That was all. I never specifically said the Reds were there, because how on Earth would I know?
Faith
Roar Rookie
Hunt is good for your crowd pleasing hits and rush defence but he was treading mud as Masirewa run around him. Tahs play to the level of their opponents and that's why they beat an emotionally drained Saders B side and were then taken down by Moondogs who watching their games these seasons show that they can beat anyone on their day ...
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
Wow! Sad news for us Reds fans! Brad Thorn trying to build a great culture but maybe he actually dismantled the process by his stance to not buy into what they were already building. I don’t want to sound bitter, but I really think banishing greats of the game hurts the culture a lot more if done the wrong way. Quade was still way better than the next applicant and therefore other factors must have played apart. I love my AFL too, and in the 90’s an older AFL legend Ablett Snr and his newly appointed coach Garry Ayres ( Ex Hawkes player) were in a very similar situation to Cooper/Thorn. Both fierce competitors in their day, but Ayres becoming the Cats coach was never able to forgive the super star Ablett for pst misdemeanors. When Ayres drove Ablett out, the team slowly capitulated. Now, are we seeing a similar exodus? Sour grapes?? Maybe the reason why Thorn and Ayres were such good players was that they held grudges and that’s why they were so good. But as a coach, I don’t think that is acceptable.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Well in fairness it’s a bit unreasonable of him then. If he looks at Hooper and Folau and sees what they are on, maybe he should compare how many games he’s fit for compared to them. He’d probably see on a per game basis he’s paid similar.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Nah Reds management appointed Thorn...