Dave Rennie believes Australia can benefit from the experience he has gained with Glasgow as he prepares to take up his new role as head coach of the Wallabies.
Rennie has spent the last four years with the Warriors, guiding them to the Guinness PRO14 final last year, and believes the spell in the northern hemisphere has left him better equipped for international rugby.
“It’s been good for me,” said Rennie, who is leaving Glasgow earlier than planned amid the shutdown.
“I was keen to experience a different culture and a different type of footy.
“Rugby goes forever up here, the seasons roll into one, so you have to be very detailed around your planning.
“Around the international commitments you lose players for big chunks of time so you have to bring through young kids and manage a much bigger squad.
“It’s very set-piece orientated and we’ve developed a pretty good scrum and an excellent lineout, and I know if I bring an international team up here our set-piece has to be good enough.
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
“I’ve got to know a lot of players and the clubs and I’ve got a good understanding of how the international teams work, so when I bring an international team up here I’ll know what to expect.”
Rennie is braced for a big challenge as he tries to rescue the fortunes of an Australian team that has slipped to seventh in the world rankings after last year’s World Cup, while off-field issues led Raelene Castle – the CEO who appointed Rennie – to resign as Rugby Australia chief executive last month.
“Things have been a bit messy and that’s putting it mildly,” Rennie said.
“An enormous amount of stuff has come out in the press and that’s one thing I’d like to stop. A lot of discussions need to happen behind closed doors.
“But there are lots of good things happening in Australian rugby. The Super Rugby coaches have given us a lot of access to the players and we’ve done a lot of work with those guys.
“Personally I’m in a better place than I would have been if we’d been playing PRO14, so if there are any positives from the pause to the season it would be that. I’m a lot clearer on the players and where they’re at and what we need to do.”
Rennie is planning to return home to New Zealand within the next fortnight, but as things stand he must then spend two weeks in quarantine.
He is not expecting to head to Australia until mid-July.
Ex force fan
Guest
The broadcaster is a good point TWAS. However RA was chopping and changing the Chair and CEO until a couple of weeks ago so couldn’t progress negotiations with the broadcasters while trying to figure out if they are solvent and who individuals would be to represent then in these negotiations. As usual you will find an excuse for the administration.
Gav
Guest
If Rennie picks Brumbies Reds and Rebels players only. He will have a great coaching start. Ditch all the deadwood tahs as they have been part of the diabolical Clown Reign. Start afresh. #InDaveWeTrust
Walter Black
Guest
It is often easier to sort out a business that is a complete and utter mess than it is to sort out a business that is OK but has a few problems. With the mess, you can start from a blank sheet of paper without the fear of ruining anything and with less obstacles to the solution. What bodes well is that RA is in that mess situation now.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I think we need to see a lot more of Johnson. Some respected people have said Johnson did a great job as rugby director in Scotland, mainly behind the scenes and out of the spotlight. I trust he is doing the same here, but we need to engage supporters with RA and the game. Like it or not, he needs to be seen and heard. Another article expressed the frustration with the lack of media coverage of rugby. Whether it is too much being done behind closed doors or just secretive inactivity RA does not seem to have a strategy to rebuild interest. These sporting administrators working for RA seem to think the problems will be solved with a better broadcast deal that includes FTA. The problem is they can't get a viable broadcast deal because too few supporters are interested in watching.
pm
Roar Rookie
The whole shake up and rethink thing we're forced onto here isn't the worst environment for a new coach to come into. Let's just hope he really gets a fair crack or two and patience and confidence from all of the Oz rugby world
Pickett
Roar Rookie
NZ rugby announced the restart on 12 May. NRL announced restart on 9 April. You are wrong.
Micko
Roar Rookie
You can hardly compare that with the AFL & NRL! Just 5 teams that have no international or state borders against comps with 16 & 18 teams.
Ankle-Tapped Waterboy
Guest
The 13 June start date for the NZ Super Rugby Aotearoa was announced a month ago, ahead of League and AFL. What's unprofessional about that?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Without the broadcaster agreeing to something completely different, there is no point even starting up in fact. But EFF doesn’t care about that.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
That’s the place to learn ! Glasgow ! The Silicon Valley of World Rugby. We could put 30 players together who would give Rennie something to build on. His problem will identifying them. Johnson has not indicated that he has any clues . He and should go, he is not needed, never was. J It will take some good judgment, time , teaching , perseverance and patience from particularly from the supporters. Rennie seems to be a steady thoughtful man, we need to give him space and time.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
But AFL and NRL just had to start up the pre-existing domestic comp. RA have had to get to the point where everyone agrees it’s will be domestic only this season, devise a competition, role in some extra teams as 4 wasn’t enough, work with those parties so they are on board, and then plan out a new fixture schedule. So, yea, quite a different situation to the other codes.
Walter Black
Guest
Fully agree with your comments re AFL. I find it amusing that they are talking about reducing quarters to 16 minutes because the game gets boring and players get tired. Makes me laugh. In league, all internationals have been cancelled because of Covid. Europe's season isn't likely to re-start anytime soon and although the NRL has started, they need the international window for Origin which has been moved to November. So League considered internationals to be in the "Too Hard" basket and has focused on its domestic comps instead. RA has had and still does have significant financial and structural difficulties to overcome before we can charge headlong into a restart. RA would have been struggling even without Covid 19. If we think in terms of small businesses - RA is like a "New Start Up" whereas NRL/AFL are like an existing business re opening its doors.
Ex force fan
Guest
The Sunwolves are the only international team to be considered in the 2020 domestic based Superugby competition. I expect union understood earlier that the physicality of the scrums and mauls will always end up in the starting playing later then AFL and NRL. I think it was a good decision to be a close follower and let the better resourced codes to the hard work with the medical experts and government. Anyway RA with its current turmoil and internal conflicts are unable to lead anything.
mbp
Guest
rugby is a mess. a distant third AT BEST of the traditional winter sports after the nrl and afl.... and falling further behind. its getting harder and harder to see light at the end of the tunnel. its just hard to watch with poor decions at the top and substand permormance by all teams except for the brumbies.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
""Exactly, the NRL and AFL coordinated their international scheduling and commitments and teams so much better than SR. SR should be embarrassed with the way the they have handled the international teams, having been shown up completely by the likes of the AFL and NRL."" Take note of my ""sarcasm"" speech marks. AFL has no presence outside Australia, and even then it is largely one state that is interested in this aberration of football. NRL has one overseas based team and they had to re-locate and be based indefinitely in Australia. Neither of these codes face the prospect of multiple international teams with there own guidelines and protocols. Comparing SR to these two is ridiculous. And especially so given the large scale turn over of executives that RA has had. Clearly you have no idea. Ignorant.
Ex force fan
Guest
“The Super Rugby coaches have given us a lot of access to the players and we’ve done a lot of work with those guys“.... interesting. Who would like to bet if the Force was included or excluded?
Marc
Guest
lets get this all started guys. NRL is about to start and so is AFL. Rugby has no idea yet. Unprofessional
The Late News
Roar Rookie
Well let's hope he's right. He is no fool.