- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
For all you hard rock lovers out there, ‘talk is cheap’ was a phrase used in a song by ‘Cinderella’, a hard rock cross blues band.
Sometimes you have to be brutally honest about the state of affairs, especially when divisions develop. We have seen a CEO go from Rugby Australia as it was clear the state of play was about someone taking the fall for multiple failings in the organisation, but only those involved know the real reasons why he left.
Australia has in the past been known as an innovator of the sport as they played the Australian way with no compromise, other countries would be wary about what style of play the Wallabies would play with.
For the last twenty plus years Australia has lost its identity and is still trying to find what it is, the game keeps revolving but your identity should still be firmly rooted.
If you look at teams like Ireland, South Africa, France and New Zealand, even when they go through a trough they know that they will come out of the other side because of their DNA.
Too many times we have heard from a certain RA chief about excuses and that Australian Rugby is on the right path, since the appointment of Eddie Jones the chief has gone quiet and it is Eddie trumpeting how Australia can win the World Cup this year.
I am wanting the best for Australian Rugby and World Rugby needs the strongest Wallabies team that wins consistently, however this cannot happen unless those above are responsible enough and accept the failings they have contributed to.
Division starts when those in power create smokescreens to blur supporters from reality, Eddie had spoken about this Wallabies team as the team that can win the World Cup! He stated that he wants the Wallabies to be ruthless and successful, just like the Australian cricket team.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Statements like this creates hope, whether realistic or not. But don’t the supporters deserve more than hope?
Against South Africa we saw a shambles on display from the Wallabies as they were dismantled at will, we all know the problems that were on show.
Suliasi Vunivalu and Tom Wright have come in for deserved attention from both media and supporters, but they did not select themselves or choose the game plan that was implemented?
Quade Cooper was strangely not used in his usual playmaking role, I wonder what his role was meant to be? He would have seen the shambles unravelling before him and wondered what am I supposed to do?
Players kicking the leather out of the ball for no returns played into the Boks hands literally, the defence was passive and at times non existent!
The attack disorganised with no real punch which was required. This is a very strong Boks team but we helped them look invincible.
Is Eddie talking honestly to the players about where they are at or is it cheap talk? The Pumas game will give us proof of which it is, we should see a much improved performance if the players realise the truth.
Too many times coaches and administrators act like they are trying to win votes from the public, which causes division and confusion when clarity is needed the most.
Another two rock songs are relevant here: Led Zeppelin’s stairway to heaven, and AC/DC’s Thunderstruck. Australia have been through too many storms so need to find themselves the pathway to heaven where the game is played, so maybe no more talk -just action is required followed by singing some great hard rock and rock songs!
Australia deserves to be back where it belongs. It is up to those that matter to stop with the talk and show the Aussie supporters why they have genuine reason to believe, because there is a greater prize ahead.
No Australia, this prize is not the Bledisloe (not this time at least) – for the Wallabies, it is about each and every game developing progression and unity.
Realistically, the Rugby Championship is about developing combinations and unity for the Wallabies. Eddie Jones should use the Pumas game to decide the nucleus of his squad.
Those that receive injuries or are blatantly not up to the level should be the only replacements, players make mistakes but it is more about their mindset.
Another song, ‘Closing time’ by Semisonic will help to wrap up this article!
Thank you for reading my latest article as I am not normally this blunt, however I think that reality about the current can be a positive thing.
Go the Wallabies against the Pumas! Walk the walk and let your actions speak, this is what makes you stronger.
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.