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Opinion
The history of the great game Down Under is complicated, to say the very least. But so is my relationship with the Wallabies.
I love to hate them. The Wallabies are that type of team you could never support as a neutral yet feel obligated to do so against the northern hemisphere or the All Blacks.
These days, however, supporting them has become even more difficult to do. Slipping to an all-time low in the world rankings and losing (yet again) the Bledisloe Cup to New Zealand, the Wallabies leave much to be desired. What’s even more problematic is the fact that this isn’t a new development. Since their last final appearance at the 2015 World Cup the Wallabies have been on a downward trajectory that still hasn’t reached its lowest point.
The Wallabies (hopefully) must face South Africa and Argentina in the Rugby Championship this year and the bulk of the home nations during the end-of-year tours. One can’t help but wonder if it is even worth it to watch these Test matches when the result seems inevitable.
It truly saddens me to see the Wallabies in this situation. To also read about the politics going on in the Rugby Australia (RA) boardroom is truly horrifying. Mismanagement seems to define Rugby Australia, and mistrust between players, coaches and the union is the epitome of rugby in Australia now.
It leaves one to wonder: what does the future hold for rugby in Australia? Will the Wallabies be able to reclaim their glory days or will they be shunned away to make room for others in the already crowded Aussie sport market?
How do you fix this massive problem?
The answer is not simple.
Each rugby-playing nation has its own unique set of problems. However, I think RA can learn a lot from the Springboks and South African Rugby Union (SARU). During the 2016-17 season the Boks slipped to their lowest ranking ever and lost week-in and week-out. We all know the story of how they turned it around to win the 2019 World Cup. To go from non-contenders to title contenders and eventual winners of the World Cup is a miracle on its own, but it didn’t happen overnight.
Rassie Erasmus is the key man in this entire process. He told SARU exactly what he was going to do, how he was going to do it and what he required from them. Transparency was imperative to eventual Springboks success.
When Dave Rennie was appointed head coach of the Wallabies my first impression was that he is this Erasmus-type character – someone who knows what he wants to achieve and how he is going to do it. Given the necessary time, he can make the Wallabies a genuinely good side again assuming he is given free rein to do so. Hopefully the RA board has the patience to stick it out with Rennie, because they have been known to back the wrong coach for too long.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Secondly, RA needs to prioritise its goals and plans. Everyone seems to be going in their own directions. The Sydney rugby union wants more influence in the game with the Shute Shield, but the Waratahs lost all their matches this year. Queensland won Super Rugby AU, but their feeder system, the National Rugby Championship, was canned because of a lack of funds. Half of the unions want to stay and play Super Rugby, but the other half don’t. There is a huge gap between grassroots and professional rugby, and it is still growing.
The list goes on and on. All this uncertainty and the lack of cohesion between RA and its shareholders are hurting the game immensely.
Who are the actual losers from it all? The fans.
The endless boardroom battles between interested parties are turning fans away from the game. Rugby Australia needs to come up with a short, medium and long-term plan that helps grow and sustain rugby in Australia and not try to please everyone around the table. There isn’t one scenario in which all parties will be completely satisfied with the decision, but that’s just how it is and always will be. Stakeholders need to accept that and do the best they can in the interest of the game without bad-mouthing the organisation.
Lastly, RA and New Zealand Rugby need to mend their relationship. Things have really taken a turn for the worse this year, so much so that it seems almost unfixable. Both unions, however, need each other even if they say they don’t. This is also not a case of who shot first or who is to blame, because both unions are at fault for their deteriorated relationship, and both need to step in to fix it.
A strong relationship is mutually beneficial for the All Blacks and Wallabies. There have been talks of Kiwis joining Super Rugby AU teams to bolster the packs and of Aussies going over the Tasman to play among the best in the world. If this were to happen, I don’t think Aussie sides would get hammered during Super Rugby and top Aussie players would have a more rounded skill set to contribute to the Wallabies. In a few short years the Wallabies might even win the Bledisloe series.
Rugby Australia is fighting an uphill battle in a complicated world atmosphere. There is, however, hope for the future. If RA can sort out their priorities, mend broken relationships and stick with a coach with a lot of potential, the great game will survive Down Under.
I will go back to my complicated love-hate relationship with the Wallabies and hope they get trashed by the Springboks, but I’ll cheer them on when they tackle the All Blacks. Rugby is always better with a strong Wallabies side.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.