Australian rugby fans are an interesting bunch. Rival international fans often tell us that we are up there with some of the most annoying fans in the world.
But if there is one thing I do know, it is that we are stubbornly loyal (to a fault) when it comes to the teams we support; whether it be our local club, or defending our embattled national side on whatever social media platform after another bad performance.
In Australia, with so many sports in competition with rugby, the vast majority of current fans are people who have grown up playing the game their whole lives, or they know someone like a family member or close friend who has. It takes a lot to challenge the faith of something so embedded in one’s life. But the buck has to stop somewhere.
As the points piled up in the second half of the Wallabies’ record loss to Wales, it became clear that this was going to be no ordinary loss. It wasn’t just that this young Wallabies side were clearly outclassed, it wasn’t just that their World Cup campaign was in disarray.
It was that, after all the talk about the ‘golden decade’ and the upcoming, much-needed windfalls for the sport, we realised that the most important moment for the next decade (or indeed, ever) of Australian rugby is right here, right now. This is not hyperbole. God, I wish it was.
We are on dangerous ground right now, because these three major events that could potentially transform our sport are under threat from the systemic issues that have plagued our sport for years. Such a golden opportunity for a redo does not come along often, and should it be squandered, Australian rugby might not be able to bounce back if it wants to maintain being a major player in international rugby.
Back in August, as Australia departed for the World Cup, Eddie Jones, aside from telling the media to uppercut themselves, let loose a metaphor that has stuck with me:
“I can’t believe the level of negativity here, boys… I can feel this negativity coming over. I gotta wash myself off boys. Gotta wash myself off, cause it’s just sticking to me.”
Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones speaks to media at Sydney International Airport on August 17, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
It was a metaphor that proved perfectly apt, in multiple ways. For the last decade at least, probably since the 2013 Lions tour, hasn’t that been how interacting with Australian rugby has felt?
Those negative feelings of diminishing results seeping into your bones, into every nook and cranny of how you interact with the game as a whole. Maybe it affects the players too, forgetting how to win, how to pick yourself up, and how to fight to the end when the going gets tough.
I personally reacted to Eddie’s rant in two ways: I appreciated that he wants to break the cycle. But another part of me thought, are you THAT naive to think this reaction is going to be received well by Australian fans? Mate, it’s been a long time since 2005, and we’ve been through a bit since then.
As things unfolded, part of me thought it was the former: he’s taking a new, talented young squad, building for this critical upcoming period in Australian rugby. But the more things change, the more things stay the same. This young squad lost seven out of eight matches, and has had a nightmare World Cup campaign. Sound familiar to Quade Cooper getting cut after the 2011 World Cup, or Noah Lolesio’s treatment during the Rennie era? We’ve been here before!
I feel so bad for these players, who still have long careers ahead of them. That reminder that you were part of that 2023 Australian squad is going to follow them around forever. In the process of trying to break that losing culture, Eddie has given us our biggest loss in the professional era so far. How much will that affect this team, especially at such a critical point in their development?
That feeling of naive belief gave way to anger as results have continued to worsen. The players come out and try to take flak for clear tactical issues they couldn’t execute, Eddie fires up at the media for asking questions about the tactics and choice of players, he talks up a big game only for an underperforming result, and the cycle begins again.
Many players, like Michael Hooper, have come to Eddie’s defense and said that he works harder than anyone else to deliver good results and that fans should pump the brakes before delivering criticism. That’s all well and good and we didn’t doubt his commitment (until some concerning news about him heading to Japan, which I hope is untrue), but when we, the fans, have been in this seemingly endless circle of rugby purgatory; if we don’t put our foot to the accelerator of criticism now, then when?
That is why this loss hurts more than most. It’s not just that it’s yet another helping of negativity from a bad performance, but that the rhetoric of Eddie Jones and the RA board got many of us believing that things can turn around. We feel lied to, and we feel like we’ve been taken for fools in believing it.
In a heartbeat, I’d rather have taken Eddie saying that this World Cup was a write off and we’re building for the bigger picture over what we got. Of course, that talk doesn’t sell tickets, but neither does being a wanker when legitimate questions are asked about what the future of this team looks like. At least saying it was a write off would be honest.
But that brings us back to where we started: we are stubbornly loyal, to a fault. Hooper is probably right about Eddie’s work ethic, but we don’t see what happens behind the scenes of the Wallabies camp; we can only take press conferences, interviews and team performances at face value.
Right now, I see a team struggling to execute a convoluted rugby game plan, making basic errors because they’re under pressure to perform due to previous disappointing results that are piling up, led by a rude head coach who keeps saying to us, an audience who has been subjected to the same results for years, ‘It’s gonna get better, mate’ and clapping back at anyone who asks for more details.
You can’t keep kicking the can further down the road forever, especially, when the road ends at a Lions tour, less than two years from now.
You can’t keep making excuses for poor performances forever. The people you speak to, the fans who come to the games, travel around the world to watch you play, who get up late at night to watch you, who dive into the analysis, watch the press conferences, write articles and make podcasts and videos, and then make excuses for you around the work lunch table after another loss, these are the people who honestly love the Wallabies, and whose support comes from a place of stubbornly loyal support.
LYON, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 24: Will Skelton of Australia speaks with teammates as they huddle after defeat to Wales during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Wales and Australia at Parc Olympique on September 24, 2023 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Being angry at a poor performance is one thing, but feeling like you’ve been gaslit is something else entirely. You can criticize the Rennie era, but I admire that Dave didn’t hide away from the fact that his rebuild of the Australian team was going to take a long time. Even though the 36 percent win record suggested otherwise, they became a team I felt proud to support again, because of the sheer effort the team was putting in. The team that nearly beat Ireland in Dublin, or France in Paris, less than 12 months ago.
If nothing changes, and these sorts of interactions continue into 2024, the Wallabies and Rugby Australia will be chipping away at the last real currency they have: the faith of these stubbornly loyal, rusted on Australian fans.
The decisions they make, right here, right now, are critical for the future of the game. Whoever the coach is only has one full year to prepare for a Lions tour. If that tour results in catastrophic losses for Australian rugby, does that coach leave? Do they stick it out for a crucial home World Cup, only two years after that?
If they stick with Eddie, he needs to change how he interacts with Australian rugby, quickly. Because once the rusted on fans, who are angry at the status quo, stop believing, Australian rugby stops being a force in this country. Whether this is a golden decade or a golden disaster, we are going to have to live with the decision that is made now, after this disastrous World Cup campaign.
At some point, the buck has to stop somewhere.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
Just on the point of damage to player confidence. I've had a look at the England squad that didn't make it out of the pool in 2015. The following had fewer than 18 caps: George, Kruis, Billy V, Slade, May, Nowell & Watson. These guys went on to achieve a heck of a lot and 2015 does not define their careers. Hopefully the younger WBs will follow suit.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
This really encapsulates how I feel Nick. Gaslit is the perfect description. When they’re found out they just change their tune and insist they were humming it all along. Even the targeting 2027 is gaslighting. 2023 results are important so we start 2024 ranked high and remain there when pools are seeded. Ireland came in ranked 1 but have ended up in a pool with the 2019 champions and Scotland. Their QF exit in 2019 shattering their ranking is a part of that. Planning for the future is a cop out excuse because many of their actions are hamstringing the future.
Collie Flower
Roar Rookie
Hi Billo. Your optimism is refreshing. Reminds me of Sean Maloney during commentary pleafully asking Morgan Turinui what needs to happen for the Wallabies to reach the Quarter-Finals. Maloney had an ember of hope glowing in his heart. Turinui stamped it out. I'll be the Turinui to your Maloney. The Wallabies have lost momentum and the nature of their loss to Wales must've damaged their confidence. Portugal can't be underestimated; they're coming off an impressive draw against Georgia. They showed resilience to keep Georgia scoreless during a sin-binning, and, but for a missed penalty at the last minute, almost staged a triumphant comeback from 13-0 down. Fiji have had a good tournament so far, and are improving and building momentum. They seem primed for the knockout stage.
Jamie Hevia
Roar Rookie
Thanks Nick, It is going to be a while before I can start enjoying the game again. The only thing I want is for the BS to stop, concentrate on the next game, and win OR play well. This 4 year cycle is BS... If that is the norm why bother watching in between World Cups... I really feel for the players, there is some great talent out there.
Geoff K
Roar Rookie
But but but the players love Eddie. :silly:
Clippers
Roar Rookie
Haha I can’t fault your optimism. The world actually needs more of you Billo. Now the wallabies are on the edge of being out, are there any Australian players with tenuous eligibility to Georgia or Portugal? Maybe it’s not too late to bolster their squads to try to defeat Fiji! Michael Hooper has a bit of Georgian in the heritage surely!
Clippers
Roar Rookie
Hey Nick, I feel absolutely the same, and the Rennie comments, that is where I was. The rhetoric from Eddie and Co now, – ‘it takes time to build’, ‘good teams have been around for 6 or 7 years’. ‘We need to stick with Eddie now’. Why does Eddie get to drive the bus now to build continuity? From the starting point he has delivered?! Where was that thinking, and affording the driving gloves to Rennie. Who, now that the results are in, put the wallabies in a much more competitive position. This is on RA! Get rid of Eddie. Overhaul RA. Start again now for a clean cycle with Lions and home World Cup as the milestones. If Wallabies fail like In France at the home World Cup, I’d say that would be the nail in the coffin for Rugby in Australia. I can’t see how you’d come back from that.
Nick Wasiliev
Editor
I'll pass your feedback onto Christy :laughing:
Nick Wasiliev
Editor
Hey mate, always love chatting with you online and cheers for checking out this article. I do not blame you for checking out now. Something like a World Cup is not supposed to feel like a marathon race, but it has for us. A rugby world cup is supposed to be a joy. Us, the fans, and the poor players are the ones who are losing, and I hope the reaction to this game means the powers that be actually take action. Not corporate speak, actual action. If they don't, this is the first sign that they could lose even the most loyal of fans.
Steve 50
Roar Rookie
Hamish went behind Andy’s Marinos back and put Eddie in. He should be sacked , and he clearly didn’t care damaging his relationship with Andy. Andy was sacrificed .
Noodles
Roar Rookie
While I agree with all Nick has said here, there’s another dimension that really got under my skin. It’s the arrogance. The idea that Rennie was somehow soft. The idea that you can be careless about a RWC campaign to the extent of plainly weird selections. The idea you can claim to be rebuilding when you’ve ended up wrecking the confidence of our whole WBs group. The hype was bad enough. But we can’t be fooled twice by the Hamster. He’s the skipper and we are heading for the rocks.
GusTee
Roar Pro
TOUCHE
GusTee
Roar Pro
If we take Option 2 then it will be a case of ..... followed by the next change of coach and then the next change of coach and then the next change of coach .... frankly the current coach is the least of our problems. The buck stops with the Board and its Chair.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Not the end. But potentially it will make the path to genuine success (sustainably a top 4 nation) either very difficult or impossible now.
Frank the tank
Roar Rookie
Actually adding a player based comparison. Skelton has demonstrated he is very capable player at club level in Europe. Think of the output his coaches are able to conjur out of him relative to his performances for the wallabies (only maybe till recently). Yes you could argue that he is playing against weaker sides, but more often than not some of his best performances are against teams with world class packs. Again well documented by roar analysis over the years. I’m no rugby analyst but I guess in the words of Homer Simpson, “why doesn’t mine look/play like that?” Im sure there are loads of reasons, but it begs the question why are the decisions and practices around player performance and development not up to world class? And what can be learned from the experience of Ireland? And other nations that have shown improvements including France and Scotland? Because all those nations have been a shambles at one point.
Frank the tank
Roar Rookie
The decisions of the RA board will continue to haunt us all if some practical steps are not taken. I don't want to get into the nitty gritty of what RA need to do, but merely recognize a clear point of comparison. Over the past 8 years, Ireland has demonstrated what can be done at the local, provincial and National level to get world class performances. Much of this has been documented on The Roar, given that so much of it has been done with Aussies in charge. In particular, Dave Nucifora, Andy Friend and Steve Anderson who set up Ireland and Scotlands performance programs. It actually makes me incredibly proud to see them do well. But so confused. Not only because, why haven't we asked them to help us out, but surely someone at the RA would have asked "Jeez, Ireland and Scotland have improved a fair bit, let's find out what they have done with their limited resources and similar participation numbers." I just get so frustrated thinking about the long term impact of RAs lack of strategic vision. Like other nations sat down and thought "how can we be good?" while RA just shot from the hip in their white private school echo chamber.
Clippers
Roar Rookie
That is a good point too.True also, there was also no Georgia and Portugal in those stats. Also, On any other night, Bernard Foley doesn’t get penalized for taking too long to kick against NZ. Or the 1 or 2 point losses on the spring tour go our way. I’m happy to move on, I didn’t like it when Rennie was sacked on a World Cup year, but accepted it happened and can move on and got behind the current wallabies under Eddie. I just don’t like it always being reduced to the number 38% and a comparison to 38%. It doesn’t do it justice at all.
Billo
Roar Rookie
I would just like to remind everyone that, technically at least, the Wallabies still have a chance of qualifying for the quarter finals if they beat Portugal and Fiji have a couple of bad results. While it's highly unlikely, it's not impossible. Stranger things have happened, although I'm not sure when. And, with the Wallabies now at 500/1 to win the comp, is anyone prepared to risk a dollar to win 500?
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Refer to the matches lost, not won, to come up with a figure of 53% loss. where over the full 3 years of Rennie's tenure the squad lost 53% of matches played. The rest were wins or draws, i.e. 47% I haven't split the data by Tier 1 and Tier 2. The Wallabies did drop to #8 under Rennie.
Collie Flower
Roar Rookie
Hi Nick, Thanks for expressing your thoughts and reaction. Commiserations to you and other Wallabies fans for what has happened. Wales had a good performance, but it was sad to watch the comprehensive nature of the win considering what it would likely mean for Australia. It’s good to see that the team has the continued support of Wallabies fans. The current iteration of RA certainly doesn’t deserve fans’ loyalty, not that RA seems to care as they seem indifferent to holding themselves accountable. According to Hamish McLennan, if fans are unhappy, ‘don’t watch’. No worries, McLennan… looks like you won’t need to repeat your directive; watching the Wallabies at the RWC won’t be an option for much longer.