NSW Rugby has forced their coach Darren Coleman into a corner to the detriment of the team by putting him on notice over his Super Rugby future.
That’s the assessment of former Wallaby Matt To’omu who said he has “a bee in my bonnet” about how Coleman has been treated and accused the coach’s bosses of “poor leadership.”
At the start of the season NSW Rugby sources backgrounded that Coleman had four weeks to prove he deserved a contract for next season.
His future has become a major talking point again following the gutting 39-36 loss in Fiji last weekend – which follows back-to-back two-point losses to Kiwi opposition that have left the Tahs with a 1-4 record.
To’omua, a co-host of The Roar Rugby Podcast, said the pressure being exerted on Coleman by his employers was making matters worse.
The Roar Rugby Podcast hosts Matt To’omua and Christy Doran are joined by Brumbies backrower Luke Reimer. Listen in the player below or in your podcast app of choice
To’ouma focussed on the decision by Coleman to run key starters for 88 minutes in energy sapping conditions in Fiji, with a must-win game against the Rebels on a six-day turnaround.
He said Coleman’s precarious hold on his job was clearly affecting his selections.
“The Waratahs, they’re in a tough spot at the moment (and) I have a bee in my bonnet about this,” To’omua said of the situation engulfing Coleman.
“I look at that game on the weekend, and if you’re planning your season out, you’ve got some really tough games early on, two Kiwi teams back-to-back, then you go to Fiji, and then you’ve got a six-day turnaround coming back here in a must-win against Melbourne on Friday.
“In terms of planning and seeing the bigger picture, do you really want your top 15 guys going into Fiji, playing 90 minutes, completely drained, then a six-day turnaround, flying back to win a game that you must win?
“Is it because Coleman’s under pressure to get that contract? Is he constantly selecting his top 15 and not looking further because he has that pressure, or is it a bit of inexperience?
“I don’t know, but I just feel like the Waratahs are in a much worse position now, having lost that game, having exhausted a large chunk of the starting 15, and now they’ve got to come back on a six-day turnaround against a Rebels team at home like that. For me, it’s frustrating.”
To’omua said the players will try to back up but it would be hard to do so considering the “extremely taxing” conditions.”
The former Wallaby said NSW Rugby rather than the coach was most at fault.
“I look at that and I see poor leadership from New South Wales Rugby in terms of having a coach sing for his supper.
Tane Edmed of the NSW Waratahs passes the ball during the round five Super Rugby Pacific match between Fijian Drua and NSW Waratahs at Churchill Park, on March 23, 2024, in Lautoka, Fiji. (Photo by Pita Simpson/Getty Images)
“Darren Coleman’s a fighter. He’s trying to do his best. He’s getting his players to do his best.
But, you know, would he have been better served having a few blokes rested or coming off the bench knowing that there’s a six-day turnaround?
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“It’s of no disrespect to the opposition or even to the blue jersey. It’s just an understanding from a planning point of view that you’ve got a long season ahead.
“You’ve got some games that you really must win if you want to make those finals. And, you know, Fiji in Fiji is a very tough game. Like that’s an extremely hard game to win when you’re at your best.
“Do you, you know, pull three or four guys to kind of sit at home and get ready for the next week, send some guys there, get some valuable minutes into them, and then really go to the next game?
“I feel like it’s something we don’t do that great in Australia. Super Rugby’s always been such a short competition that we kind of just go all guns a-blazing. But you’re seeing teams now understand that depth is really important.
“Do you give [players] minutes because they deserve it, or do you give them minutes so they can grow? I I don’t feel the Waratahs have done that.”
He said the Tahs squad “looks a little bit skinny at the moment.
“And it might have been a missed opportunity to kind of grow a bit of depth on the weekend.
“It starts from the top. And when you’re putting week-to-week pressure on a coach to get a new contract or to, sing for his supper, he’s not able to have this long-term kind of view. He’s looking week-to-week, and you can’t blame him for wanting Jake Gordon on in the crucial minutes of the game.
“You can’t blame him. However, for me, it’s a lack of leadership from up higher in the sense that we’re making someone so insecure about his position that he feels like he has to fight, and I just feel like we’re chasing our tail a little bit.”
jeznez
Roar Guru
G’day ATW. No doubt there are some absolute drongos out there making some ridiculous comments. People that don’t see the growth of the game and understand the value of that. It is so short sighted and blinkered. The player numbers rising, a secondary schools competition started, professional players and Wallabies being produced. On field performance will come in time it’s the growth that is more important. Was such a bad decision when the Force got cut. We can’t repeat it now. The Rebels aren’t the issue with the state of the game. The problem remains our over all structure. We need to let Wallabies be selected from offshore, a build a balanced comp for the players that we can afford to have on shore. And as part of that we must retain professional teams in our growth regions.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Hi Jez, yours is the right read of the match, but some of the commentary about the Rebels has been blinkered to the point of vile. I refer to the below-the-line on the articles about the Rebels taking legal action, where apparently the Rebels ought not to take legal action because their on-field performance is woeful and has been for, like, forever. No it makes no sense to me either.
carnivean
Roar Rookie
Yeah, rookie 10s and experienced 9 makes it easy for the coach to make the call for 9 to take the lead.
RichTheTraveller
Roar Rookie
I can't help but feel optimistic that they've got a great season just around the corner, but yeah i think it won't happen with this guy. Maybe Michael cheika coming back
Guess
Roar Rookie
Yeah Gordon's leadership is irreplaceable, tho I'm not sure it's his fault they play off 9. It looks like game plan
Guess
Roar Rookie
Toomua is spot on. Not only Coleman might be afraid to make changes in selections due to pressure but also the game plan. Personally I don't mind losses as much as lack of change for more than a year. Obviously pressure to keep the job doesn't help
Guess
Roar Rookie
Idk they play with lots of motivation. Can't blame them for lack of effort. It's his plan that's not working. He's all about strength and not enough about tactics. Honestly as a fan it's painful to see them play such a dull rugby
RichTheTraveller
Roar Rookie
I'll try to keep this brief.. if Coleman turns a corner and keeps his job on the back of the Tahs winning out the season I'll be stoked for him.. but to me he looks a level below any of the other Australian team coaches.. best example of this can be his very poor comparison to Kiss in that coaching montage they played after the reds v tahs match, Kiss was motivating, he was crafting a vision the whole team could unite while Coleman was mumbling in corners.. Coleman doesn't come across as a good motivator, he certainly hasn't got his team performing to the sum of its parts, Kiss got the reds doing as much in about a month.. and say what you want about the force and rebels but those teams have shown an annual improvement that the tahs can only envy at this point in the season.. Coleman looks more like an administrator than a coach.. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I think the tahs should be bringing in a Les Kiss, not sticking with this.. salaryman.. All that said, it goes without saying that I'm not in the change room, I don't know a thing, I'm just basing these takes off what I've seen over the past few years
Cannonball
Roar Rookie
(Genuinely) interested in his thoughts about sacking Rob Penney. Didn’t give him long. Not sure if Rob is a bad coach, or he was desperate to get back into SRP and accepted a Crusaders poisoned chalice?
carnivean
Roar Rookie
There is a 3rd option: Set a timeline for the process, communicate that process to the media, then shut their traps to kill all speculation. Of course that requires them to give up their politicking so it’s unlikely. Actually there’s a 4th option. They could allow DC to reapply for the role. This wouldn’t be the best for DC but allows the board to select the right candidate available.
carnivean
Roar Rookie
It's clear that Gordon is valued highly for the leadership he brings. Sometimes it has lead to the team playing off 9 too much. But in general he's been the clear head on the field. In tight games it's rare to take that off the park and bring on a rookie.
Wig1
Roar Rookie
Rots in deep. Rust never sleeps.
Wig1
Roar Rookie
I'll tip the rebels by one penalty,
Lobby
Roar Rookie
Couldnt agree more with matt. It looks immature management. When will our game be led by adults?
Fin
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the info. That was the article. I'm with you, happy to have Horne heavily involved and I also would struggle with the concept of Gilmore replacing DC.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Anyone other than you said it's a formality, ATW? Comments in the article are talking about what a tough set of games the Tahs have played, leading into a must-win match. Am expecting nothing but a hard fought match, it's must-win for both teams.
cs
Roar Guru
Feelin' alright Ankle?
carnivean
Roar Rookie
I assume you mean the SMH/Age article, in which case yes. The key points: * An independent high performance consultant will run a reivew in the coming weeks. * They will report to Horne and the Waratah’s board (not named) * Horne is going to ensure that the review is part of his wider review of the Waratahs current structure and high performance environment * the author suggests that Jason Gilmore is there ready to take over if DC is cut Points 1-3 seem to be going in the right direction and seem suspiciously like RA/Horne don’t trust the Waratahs to make a sensible decision on their own. Point 4 is odious and I hope that it’s just the author’s opinion rather than something seriously under discussion.
Cec
Roar Rookie
Good point Mirt and Tate is another one in the same boat. Fatigue leads to injury.
Fin
Roar Rookie
Teddy Wilson is a great young 9 and more than capable. Maybe the issue is leadership or lack there of?