Rugby Australia, through its director of rugby Scott Johnson and Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie, has asked Dan McKellar to become the Wallabies forward coach.
Georgina Robinson, writing in The Sydney Morning Herald, canvassed a number of former Test and provincial coaches and they told her that McKellar should take up the offer.
There were, she wrote, three main reasons the experts put forward why McKellar should accept the job.
1. McKellar would become a better coach under the learning environment that Rennie would create for him.
2. The plan to develop McKellar as Rennie’s successor could be fast-forwarded, along the same lines as the apprenticeship of the new All Blacks coach Ian Foster under the head coach Steve Hansen.
3. Coaching the Wallabies is the zenith for an Australian Super Rugby coach like McKellar. Robinson quotes a former coach as saying: “When your country calls. No choice.”
Just as all battle plans rarely survive the first assault, these three reasons all seem to me to be pie in the sky.
They take no account of what actually happened only a few years ago when a Brumbies coach (like McKellar) was offered a coaching role with the Wallabies, with the virtual promise that he would take over as head coach when the incumbent retired.
I am referring, of course, to the case of Stephen Larkham and Michael Cheika and how Rugby Australia dumped Larkham and retained Cheika when everything went wrong for the Wallabies.
In passing, I am amazed that with all the media coverage of the Rugby Australia offer to Dan McKellar there was no mention of the Larkham fiasco.
But it is central to understanding the nature of the offer to McKellar, and why he should reject it.
Stephen Larkham has moved on to Munster. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
What happens if McKellar joins the Wallabies coaching staff and the team has two years of very little success and there are calls from the rugby media and public for the New Zealander Rennie to be sacked?
Does anyone think that Rugby Australia will sack Rennie and further deplete its virtual non-existent funds to pay out Rennie?
We know what will happen. McKellar would be dumped from the Wallabies and Rennie and Johnson would be kept on, in just the same game plan that saw Larkham dumped and Cheika retained.
The best thing for Australian rugby and for the development of Dan McKellar into an outstanding coach of the Wallabies is for him to continue with the Brumbies.
In this scenario, McKellar will learn how to be a successful head coach from experience, hands-on, rather than through osmosis.
Also, Dan McKellar’s style and what works for him as a head coach may not be the same as that of Dave Rennie. This was the problem that Larkham had with Cheika.
The point, too, as Bret Harris notes in The Guardian is that McKellar needs more experience as a head coach, not as a side-kick: “He has not achieved anything yet, but if he has the potential to turn the Brumbies into Super Rugby title contenders he should be encouraged to do so rather than be poached as soon as the team enjoys a glimmer of success.”
(Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images)
Right now, after six rounds of the 2020 Super Rugby tournament, the Brumbies are well placed to be the top Australian side in the finals with four wins in five matches.
A highlight of this season was the defeat of the Chiefs in Hamilton in a performance that brought back memories of the glory days of the Brumbies.
A sign that the Brumbies are a well-coached side and the best Australian hope for some years of going deep into finals is that in virtually every position, including the reserves, the players are playing the best rugby of their lives.
An example of this was the performance of the reserve halfback Ryan Lonergan, who banged over kicks from everywhere, including the sidelines, to successfully convert five attempts from five into points against the hapless Sunwolves.
The Rebels have won three of their six matches but remain a side that disappoints more than they inspire any hopes of making the finals.
The Reds have a seemingly appalling record of winning only one of their six matches this season. But they look like a much better side than the Rebels and a more likely side to do well in the finals, if they can actually make them, which is extremely doubtful.
(Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)
Something is just not clicking with the Reds, a side that is full of exciting young players, some of whom could easily graduate to the Wallabies in their first season of Super Rugby.
The side needs some of the control in the halves that great Queensland teams in the past had to convert brilliant play, as the side demonstrated against the Crusaders on Friday night, into winning play.
A goal-kicker of Ryan Lonergan’s ability would be helpful, too, for the Reds.
We come now to the woeful Waratahs. Their record is actually slightly better than that of the Reds right now, with one win in five matches. But this side is an embarrassment for Australian rugby.
At the weekend, the Waratahs led the Chiefs 14-13 at half time at WIN Stadium. LOSE Stadium might have been a better description of the ground as the Waratahs conceded 38 points in the second half, and scored no points themselves.
When Rugby Australia cut their Super Rugby teams from five to four we were told that that this would strengthen the remaining sides.
This has not happened.
Moreover, the two former powerhouses of Australian rugby, Queensland and NSW, have teams that have won a grand total of two of their combined 11 matches.
The Reds, at least, are presenting a group of young players, forwards and backs, who look like being long-term and successful Wallabies.
There is only one player in the Waratahs squad, Michael Hooper, who has any real claims to a place in the Wallabies squad. And given the quality of the loose forward talent being produced by the Reds and the Brumbies, Hooper’s time as a Wallaby will be up before his contract with Rugby Australia runs out.
(Photo by David Ramos – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
Instead of trying to poach Dan McKellar for the Wallabies, Rugby Australia would be better advised to create an intervention into the collapse of the Waratahs.
The franchise that has developed the most Wallabies has degenerated, to the great detriment of Australian rugby, into what Paul Cully described in The Sun-Herald as a team letting down the Australian side down.
This is the real problem in our rugby, with its real implications for the future success of the Wallabies, that needs addressing.
Rugby Australia needs to investigate how the current Waratahs coaching staff was put in place.
Why wasn’t an Australian appointed as head coach?
What criteria was involved with the selection of the specialist coaches?
And what were the connections between businesses that manage officials, coaches and players and the coaches selected to run the Waratahs squad?
sheek
Roar Guru
Stillmissit, True, but the problem with Finnane is that while he was tough & fearsome, he was technically not quite up to scratch for a test prop, & too light for international duty. I happen to know the backdrop leading up to the 2nd test & Finnane breaking Price's jaw. Believe it or not, the punch was meant to hurt, but not to break any bones. However, Finnane, a former schoolboy boxing champ, delivered the punch too well. In any case, that's a story for another day.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Sheek: Just looking at your post again and Finnane came to mind. Knocked out our prop on engagement one time. Australian rugby has never had enough really tough, physically intimidating, fear for your health kind of player
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Sheek, I enjoyed the contact stuff when I was playing as many did in those days. Maybe why I like Loane over Tuyneman and Kefu also Loane was a man of his time when we had been second rate for a long time. Mark Ella looked odd when he ran, sort of like a fast penguin but he could move and had that 180 deg view of the world in front of him. If there was ever a natural union player it was him. Hated Randwick though. I played for Gordon at the back end of my time. I think I was there for 3 seasons. Played in NZ, South Africa (best place in the world to play the game in my time) and started in UK playing for a local club and for my state (County) on a couple of occasions. All very distant memories now..
terrykidd
Roar Pro
Not a good article Spiro .... full of innuendo and little fact. Lots of sweeping statements with bugger all justification. Your article does nothing to support rugby in Australia at any level. You should withdraw it.
sheek
Roar Guru
Stillmissit, "With that plodding run of his". Of all the expressions applied to Ella, I've never heard that one before! Sure, Ella wasn't quick, but he was quick off the mark, which is important. And even quicker between the ears, more important still. I've had it put to me that Kefu was a better all-round #8 than Loane. Indeed, Dwyer, when he picked his best XV of Wallabies he coached, preferred Tuynman over Loane for the same reason. You can put Gavin in the same basket. But none of them could scatter defenders like a wrecking ball the way Loane did. And when he hit you in a tackle, you were hurt. Australian rugby has never had enough really tough, physically intimidating, fear for your health kind of players, but Loane is certainly one of those. By the way, which Sydney Shute team did you play for?
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Totally agree Sheek, don’t know about 1899 as I am a bloody pommie who lobbed here in the mid 70’s with the intention of only staying 4 weeks! Kefu was another great 8 under McQueen but not in the mold of Loane. I suspect this kid Wilson could be another, as long as he doesn’t let it go to his head. Mark Ella was an absolute freak and so fast. I remember playing Randwick and thinking I had Mark lined up and he just kept pulling away with that plodding run of his..
sheek
Roar Guru
Stillmissit, Loane was only 18 months older than me & but also my hero. I wished I could be like him, but alas, I was slightly shorter, slightly skinnier, slightly less mobile, & definitely less talented. Here I was playing for my school 1st XV in 1973-74 & Loane, just 18 months older, was already a Wallaby. The two Marks - Loane & Ella - are among my very favourite players. Neither was perfect. Indeed, they both had flaws, but by golly, what they were good at, they were truly awesome. Definitely the best Wallaby 8 & 10 for me over the past 55 years. Indeed, since 1899!
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
That was a hell of a game......I was there with my Dad, and one of my brothers. After the fist 5 minutes, I thought it was already over.......what a fight back!
Tree Son
Roar Rookie
you know ze Germans would have a ridiculous and more literal word, maybe die Wildesaustralischespferde
jeznez
Roar Guru
That’s Rory O’Connor above. JOC is a Queenslander. My preference is actually to make NRC our main game and then have a three way Origin series between NSW, Qld and Rest of Oz. Ditch Super and make these truly rep games like we used to have. Premier Clubs feed NRC, NRC feeds the three Origin teams, the Origins feed the Wallabies. Simple pathways.
Jack
Guest
Your SOO Concept assume the other tea,s still exist to nurture and improve the players from NSW. The Tahs had first crack at Fardy, Simone and McCaffey and did want them. The problem is with the management and coaching, that much is obvious. Most players develop at the Brumbies better than at the Tahs. BTW O'Connor is head and shoulders better player in 2020 than Beale, who wouldn't make the bench at the Brumbies. Seriously who would you drop to give him a seat. That he played and AAC in the World Cup is absolutely evidence of the problem at the Tahs. How do you get commitment to the cause when reward is not matched to performance?
Sinclair Whitbourne
Roar Rookie
Might just like Rammstein, or might have more connection... Definitely more Die Linke than ADF or CDU. On a clear day you can almost see Sweden.
DNZ
Guest
Don't think your personal attacks are going too well Trytime. Most people in here can see that he has brought success to the Brumbies in some capacity. If that extends to leveraging off the talents of others, good. We need a manager that knows when to leverage the expertise of others. It was sorely lacking under Cheika.
Lara
Guest
The guy still cutting his teeth at SR level. Leave him alone n let him develop. Way to to early.....see you in 3 years after a couple of SR titles.
TC
Guest
The worst thing to happen to the game was allowing Cheika to have so much power. He was lucky in 2015 - we all know that - and from that he gave the WB a very sky blue tinge and was allowed to sign-up his mates like Hooper and Beale to huge, long-term contracts. Beale is one of the worst fullbacks in the comp.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
But if goal kicking was the difference in Christchurch, that should be encouraging in terms of overall team play. (Although lineouts were the other major problem.). They also ran the Brumbies very close in Canberra. With a young team the overall quality of play and teamwork has been good, a far cry from the regular disasters of the Waratahs. (And I’m not a Reds fan.)
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Well Trytime Brett has made you look silly...
adamv
Roar Rookie
Dan McKellar has worked his way from from Assistant Coach at Souths for the Hospital Cup in 2007, through to head coach of the Brumbies in 2018. At the same time, the John I Dent Cup, NRC and Brumbies Academy has provided a clear pathway for players to make their way to the Brumbies. NSWRU pissed off Cron who went to Japan, have not demonstrated any clear development pathways for coaches or players, and are the biggest drain on resources for Rugby Australia. If you want to fix Rugby in NSW, dismantle the whole thing. I'm still not sure on whether to rebuild it or not though.
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
Preferred Tah team to play Brums this weekend. Bell, Tuala, Talaki, McCauley, Staniforth, Swindon (c), Tisarno, Tafa, Short, Harrison, Ramm, Donaldson, Walton, Marky Mark, Maddocks. Bench Abel, Harry Holmes (back to l/h) Faulkner, Simmons, Dempsey, Flash Gordon, CMH, KB. Who needs Wallabies, some pride in the jumper would be nice.
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
der Brumbies Sounds great. You got German roots, mate?