I want to start by saying the Dave Rennie has done the best job out of previous Wallabies coaches for near on 20 years, by creating depth for Australian rugby.
Having said that, the results and inconsistent performances suggest a greater problem for rugby in Australia. Especially the brand Rugby Australia depend on, the Wallabies.
There is certainly a trend that has developed for the Wallabies under Rennie’s tenure that is one week good and one week diabolical.
The only decent run that has occurred under Rennie’s watch was last year’s Rugby Championship.
Granted, he had a world-class Samu Kerevi and a more mature Quade Cooper to lean on, however, he created depth that actually competed somehow.
From there, when suspension and injuries occurred, he has been able to get them up for one match at a time.
His win rate is appalling.
Brett McKay, Harry Jones, Jim Tucker and Tony Harper pick through the bones of another Bledisloe loss in an Instant Reaction podcast
I will accept there have been some baffling calls against the Wallabies, but the there is no plan B. Even plan A I cannot see.
He clearly wants an old head at fly-half, due to the fact Noah Lolesio isn’t quite ready and we are under a year out.
He is consistently quoted as stating he wants physicality but the forwards can only seem to do that for one week and then fall off.
The selections are sometimes baffling with the likes of Harry Wilson held back, Tate McDermott barely used and constant changing of the locks.
Throw in that he has struggled to get the best out of Taniela Tupou and the continual use of Jordan Petaia when he has failed to meet expectations is bizarre.
He has made some great calls as well with Dave Porecki, Andrew Kellaway and Cadeyrn Neville, but they have to grow as well. Again, this is a nod to his creation of depth.
(Photo by Getty Images)
You certainly have to keep Rennie to the World Cup, but Rugby Australia need to start to get a plan together for a home World Cup in 2027.
Unfortunately, contenders are few.
There is obviously Dan McKellar, Steve Larkham, Scott Wisemantel and Darren Coleman.
And ex-Kiwis (yes, they are not Aussies as such, but they have lived and operated in Australian sport through different paths) Simon Cron and Brad Thorn.
McKellar appears to be the preferred pick for Rugby Australia given his “success” at the Brumbies.
He created a great team environment and produced some excellent talent, but the rolling maul was the go-to move for the Brumbies.
Since taking on the forward coaching role for the Wallabies, this “weapon” and “knowledge” has been nothing short of a debacle.
The Wallabies have failed in both attack and defence on these plays and although it started well under his tenure, it has failed miserably this year.
Stephen Larkham would’ve been my choice a few years back, but he was thrown under the bus under the Raelene Castle/Michael Cheika dilemma and he needs time back with the Brumbies.
Simon Cron and Darren Coleman have followed very similar paths through the club rugby scene in Sydney. It has certainly held them in good stead. They have in innate understanding of their players and have achieved immediate results for Shute Shield and now the Waratahs (for DC) and Toyota in Japan for (Cron).
It is to early in their journey, but this could/should be a great development for the future and worthwhile an investment from RA over the next five years.
That leaves Brad Thorn and Scott Wisemantel.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Brad Thorn has built a strong environment at the Reds and they have dominated Australian teams, until this year.
The issue is he appears to be divisive and has struggled against his country of birth, which appears to be an issue with any NZ coach who takes on a role in Australian rugby coaching systems.
The last man standing is Scott Wisemantel.
He has worked successfully with some of the best coaches in the world, including Eddie Jones and made England a force.
The Wallabies attack has certainly improved under his watch, albeit, every second week, but it’s worth a crack.
He has actually created greater skills in Wallabies backs, which is hard to see, but they do seem to have ideas that are creating issues for our opposition like days of old.
The issue is the implementation of when.
Anyway, Dave Rennie will and should remain coach the the 2023 World Cup in France.
Then gracefully move on.
The creation of depth has been great and is probably still short of international standards, but at least we have players who can step up!
One every two weeks!
Two Cents
Guest
Even for good money, I doubt that Razor would take the job, even out of spite for NZRU.
Two Cents
Guest
While I'm sure he'd be flattered to know how much everyone here at the Roar would love to have him back in charge, Eddie will never coach Australia again for 2 reasons: RA can't afford to buy him and they fired him for spite so he has every reason to want to help any country but Australia.
Two Cents
Guest
RA will never try to bring Eddie back or it would be them admitting that they were wrong. And, I don't honestly know whether Jones would even take their call if they did try to approach him and he would probably ask more money than they'd be prepared to pay him. I think he relishes the dominance his England teams have had over Australia in recent times because he gets to rub RA's nose in it and there's really no incentive for him to return.
FrancisF
Roar Pro
jcmasher Agreed.
TimO
Roar Rookie
How can BT not be an Aussie, when he played for Kangaroos?
Nobody
Roar Rookie
I don't know, Razor Robertson is pretty tempting.......
Malo
Guest
Yeah only locals have won RWCUPs
Rugbytrylover
Roar Rookie
Love to know what Deans fell out with Giteau over? He was pound for pound one of our best ever Wallabies.
ozziedude
Roar Rookie
anyone but old mate in the pic, he puts his ego before the good of the team. Bring back EJ
Alistair Douglas
Roar Rookie
Depth is what we used to say when Robbie Deans was in charge. We just don't have depth, and we never will if we don't support grass roots. We need to leave Super rugby in its current format. We need to go all in on a national competition. Super rugby should be a knock out system like a world cup over one month in one location.
Josefa Leko
Guest
I think Renee has made progress ,don't forget he had nothing when he first started and I'm sure he's looking at the worldcup as his ultimate target .
Tanaka
Guest
Media not us????
Double Agent
Guest
I must have missed that bit in the article! :shocked:
Michael Hurley
Guest
My solution to the coaching dilemma (in two words) is; EDDIE JONES
Chopper
Roar Rookie
The Reds scrum destroyed both the Brumbies and Tahs packs early this season. And I mean tighheads being popped and packs driven 10 metres. The rolling maul of the Brumbies and now the Wallabies no longer works. The opposition just gets lower. Lastly, if Tate McDermott and Tuppo can't get a run there is either something seriously wrong with the selection process or there is a serious culture issue within the Wallabies; or both.
TiredOldGit
Roar Rookie
The dream is to have such a well oiled squad of real rugby talent that the coach is just a game day tactician and custodian. Why do you think Queensland state of origin can choose ex players to just come in and have a crack at coach? More focus on players at development stages and less on coaches at the national level. Once they’re in the wallabies squad there is f-all they can do with them. For too long they’ve been saying “we need to work on basic skills”….. FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM. The only way to get better talent at the national level is to increase the standard at the junior level. We’re only ever excited about the fast guy tearing up private school rugby. Who cares. They never turn into anything. Player development is number 1. Let people play overseas to develop and pick the wallabies from any club on the planet while they fix the mess at home. Australia rugby league is filling up nearly every national team for the world cup and there is heaps of talent across the board. Someone should be in North Queensland, gold coast and west Sydney saying to juniors – if you’re league career doesn’t work out you could try rugby – earn millions in France, see the world, represent your country.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
You can leave him out, but you can take Foster the imposter!
GC Red
Roar Rookie
"The only decent run that has occurred under Rennie’s watch was last year’s Rugby Championship. Granted, he had a world-class Samu Kerevi and a more mature Quade Cooper to lean on, however, he created depth that actually competed somehow" The team they had that day was completely different in so many facets, a balance of youth and experience, a balanced back row.... 1. Slipper 2. Fainga'a 3. Tupou 4. Rodda 5. Phillip 6. Swinton 7. Hooper 8. Valentini 9. White 10. Cooper 11. Koroibete 12. Kerevi 13. Ikitau 14. Kellaway 15. Banks 16. Kaitu'u 17. Bell 18. Robertson 19. Swain 20. Samu 21. McDermott 22. Hodge 23. Petaia Arguably the best match day 23 we have had in a decade. We had the bulk of that team together for 3 matches, the injuries started in the second Argentina match, and we haven't been able to field it again since.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
I don’t think the answer is to copy NZ as the setup is completely different. The issue here is that when we went professional the only thing that changed was the money and paying the players. The setup, governance and structure is still the same as it was in the amateur era and that’s where a lot of the problems reside. We need to change the structure to reflect a modern professional one for things to change
Viking
Roar Rookie
I'm not buying it. The game is a global game now. There is also no "Australian way" of playing. Our players don't have the skills to support a 'running rugby' style of play and we certainly don't have the rugby IQ to 'play smart' which seemed to the old Australian rugby style. The only way we will be competitive these days is to get the best coaches, and unfortunately, that is not Australian. Your telling me you wouldn't take a Scott Robinson over that Tahs bloke to coach the wallabies? Craziness.