Who does Kurtley Beale think should be Wallabies captain? - The Roar Rugby Podcast
Who does Kurtley Beale think should be Wallabies captain? Matt Toomua put the question to the 95-capped veteran on the Roar Rugby Podcast! LISTEN:…
New Western Force coach Richard Graham has stepped down from his Wallabies assistant coaching role to focus fulltime on the Super rugby club.
Graham, whose last match with the Wallabies was Saturday night’s 23-22 loss to New Zealand, said he wouldn’t be joining the national squad for the upcoming tour of Europe and next month’s Bledisloe Cup Test in Hong Kong.
Instead he’ll stay in Perth getting the Force ready for the expanded Super 15 next year.
“It’s important that you’re committed to one or the other 100 per cent,” Graham said on Sunday.
“Certainly from my point of view going away would have meant an eye over my shoulder looking towards the Western Force and that’s unfair to both parties.
“I won’t be going (overseas).”
Graham takes over at the Force from former All Blacks coach John Mitchell who has accepted a position with South Africa’s Lions franchise.
“We’ve got a very good young group of players, I think possibly the best young group of players in Australia,” said Graham.
“We’ve got a good foundation, what we need to do is recruit well over the next month or two.
“Obviously a strength of the Western Force is the forward pack that they’ve got so I’d probably like to incorporate them into the game a little bit more and be more multi-dimensional than we’ve been.
“In terms of goals, I think everyone enters a season wanting to win but at this stage I think it’s important that we develop as a side our identity, that we play well, and if we do that then hopefully we can achieve what we set out to as a side.”
And while Graham is excited about taking on his new role, there is one small regret he can see from having to walk away from the Wallabies.
“Probably the disappointing thing for me in this is that I won’t be there next year when I think they genuinely have a chance of winning the World Cup,” he said.
“I think with a young side everyone’s acknowledged there’s going to be ups and downs but I think the side’s finally starting to believe what they’re capable of and that’s been evident the last three games.”
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.
Who does Kurtley Beale think should be Wallabies captain? Matt Toomua put the question to the 95-capped veteran on the Roar Rugby Podcast! LISTEN:…
On Monday 29th April, at the Rugby Australia 2024 AGM, the Voting Members of Rugby Australia endorsed the proposed two new Directors and two…
It’s not just the 2024 campaign that has raised serious questions about the Waratahs, but their 2023 Super Rugby season too. Having limped into…
The Queensland Reds are charging towards the Super Rugby season, but their hopes of claiming their second title – and first since 2014 –…
They were made to roll up their sleeves, but the ACT Brumbies have kept their top two hopes alive by holding on to beat…
Joe Schmidt is well aware of the threat Kurtley Beale poses but the new Wallabies coach has tempered hopes of an immediate recall to…