The heat is on the NSW Waratahs following a horror start to the season, and they will be looking to bounce back in Friday’s clash with the Western Force.
Assistant Jason Gilmore hopes a shift in mindset is all that is needed for his team to end their worrying slump in form.
Waratahs coach Rob Penney is under the pump after his side lost 61-10 to the Brumbies just a week after being thumped 41-7 by the Reds.
NSW will be desperate to turn around their fortunes when they host the Western Force at Bankwest Stadium on Friday night.
Gilmore said it was important not to make wholesale changes to the system after just two rounds.
“When you’re on the back foot, as we are at the moment, the worst thing you can do is panic and make wholesale changes to your program, because then people will start losing belief and confidence in what you’re doing and what you’ve practised for four or five months now,” he said.
“It’s more around the mindset this week that the boys have changed, and the staff have changed as well.
“You can have all the detail and the systems in place, but at the end of the day we’ve got to compete hard tomorrow night, so we’re looking for a real shift in mindset across the squad.”
Gilmore has noticed an improvement in the way the players have trained this week.
“We’ve got a short turnaround this week which is good,” the former Junior Wallabies coach said.
“The worst thing would have been a bye or a longer turnaround where you’ve got to sit and dwell on it.
“We had a pretty honest review meeting on Monday as a staff and a playing group as well, so it was really good to just dump that on Monday.
“The boys had a pretty sharp training session (on Wednesday) which was good. It was probably the best intent that we’ve had, but you’d hope (for) that after the weekend’s performance.”
The Force are also looking to atone after being thumped 27-11 by the Brumbies in Round 1, before having a bye last week.
The Perth-based franchise will unleash a new halves pairing of Argentina international Tomas Cubelli and young flyhalf Jake McIntyre.
The Waratahs have lost Wallaby Angus Bell to an ankle injury, with Tetera Faulkner starting at loosehead.
Malo
Guest
When expectations are so low there is no panic, we just wait for the next generation. Concentrate on the Rebels and Force and let your biggest market of rugby supporters wither and die. Can’t wait for the Roosters to start. Plus school rugby and club rugby gets huge support still, looking forward to having a few beers and pies supporting them.
Cheika_Mate
Roar Rookie
Good stuff Jacks, it’s not the coaches that have the tahs in this position, years of mis management and no transitional planning has hurt them. Example Mack Mason deputising to long for Foley, and don’t get me started on our second row stocks.
Andrew Wests
Guest
Absolutely agree, we are in for a season or two of pain and just need to look for the marginal/incremental improvements this year, and not put pressure on by expecting outstanding results. The good coaches will get this, work with the young guys and hopefully with the pennies (no pun intended) in the bank build through recruitment and development for next year. But there will be few smiles this year, lets try and support our guys through thick and thin and not be the normal Waratah supporters that if we don't win we throw our toys out of the cot
jeznez
Roar Guru
Spot on Jacko. We’ve got a tough couple of years ahead of us at the Tahs but with good coaching these young blokes will come good.
Shano I would think having some quality guys around like penney and Gilmore would have major benifits to the Tahs going forward...I see no downside in getting decent coaches to bring the young guys thru..... And I also se Gilmores involvement in School rugby as a major positive....Coaches learn from everywhere and gilmore has a future so he may as well be learning as much from anywhere he can...
Shano
Guest
I feel for a quality guy and coach like Jason Gilmore he doesn't deserve to be associated with this rabble. I hope he gets out quickly as possible as he will get a bad rep like Nathan Grey Gibson and Penney have. Someone told me Grey is involved with The Australian schoolboys. Tell me that is not true, i very concerned if that is true.