Christie you are a complete drama queen and sensationalist simpleton. What is this greatest BS?
The boks were lucky and had the favour of the officials the whole game. The only side out there looking to play rugby was the ABs. The real loser in this game was rugby. Clearly the NH establishment wanted SA to be victorious. As to you and you and your coverage, how about you try and develop some objectivity, rather than the populous pulp you come out with. You’re not a sports journalist, just simply a small minded propaganda mouthpiece.

Top observation Bodger.
I also made a similar observation. The ABs have really improved their rucking performance and contact play. It is noticeable how few penalties they have conceded at the breakdown. On the contrary I think refs have been far too lenient on sides and in particular NH sides, leaving their feet or deliberately sealing the ball off by leaning forward with their arms on the ground forming long protective tunnels. To their credit the AB’s have chosen not to try and contest this with cleanouts as it would mean coming in from the side to have any chance. I am a wallabies fan but I am delighted the AB’s are in the final as they are by a long measure the most deserving finalist with how they have plaed and conducted themselves in this tournament. To be honest aside from the obvious disappointment of how poorly the Wallabies played, the biggest disappointment was the Fiji didn’t make it through to the Semi and but for some questionable decisions that didn’t miss by mutch! One thing I know for sure they would have put on a far better spectacle than England.

PIE,
You run the risk of being cast as the atypical whinging pom with comments like this.
O’Keefe refereed fairly and consistantly. In my opinion England were extremely fortunate to be in the sem-final , and if we want to look at refereeing impact I’d be happy to revisit the England Samoa and England Fiji QF games. i think you will find England were highly gavoured in the close calls!
There is no doubt on form that NZ and SA are far worthier finalists than England. So suck it up and throw your support behing the England Cricket team. After the shellacking handed out by the Proteas they could do with it!

Great Article Spiro. I also picked the QF winners and think we are headed for an AB Springbok final.
I also particularly liked your observation about diversity and the wealth its embracing can deliver. I am hoping for a focus on this from the RA in its re-building endeavours. It would be great to see more indigenous and other ethnic groups in our rugby programs. What many fail to acknowledge is that Rugby will always struggle in Australia if it remains principally the domain of the affluent private school cohort. You are never going to build the type of loyalty and devotion that the NRL and AFL codes enjoy, if your appeal dosen’t embrace the broader church. This also needs to be reflected in the games administration. There are far too many private school ties and affluent twats running the game. Have a look at the board : https://australia.rugby/about/about-us/board
Show me the diversity here?

Only in marketting pork chop and even then I wonder. He’s a charletan. He has nothing to offer.

OSR,
I think you are very close to exposing the core problem. I also believe Eddie suffers from narcasistic personality disorder. You may be right about Carter Gordon, but I suspect he is just the latestest to suffer this fate. I highly suspect several of the assistant coaches that departed or were dismissed also fell foul of Eddie’s unhealthy ego and innability to accept criticism. I simply cannot find any reason why else you would leave behind, Noah Lolesio, Quade Cooper, Pete Samu, Michael Hooper or Len Ikitau. Keep in mind that even if the players themselves didn’t make remonstrations, perhaps assistants may have on their behalf.
Having worked for several narcasists I can tell you thats how they operate. Paranioa rules and any suspicion of disloyalty, even by association is punished!

TWAS,
Stop ruining Eddie’s “good story” with the facts.

Great observation Scouse. I’ll add to your list. Have a look at the way Ange Postecoglou, or Wayne Bennett conduct themselves and motivate and encourage their players. I have argued elsewhere that RA could do a lot worse in chasing a Wayne Bennett or Craig Bellamy to coach the wallabies. I’ve been shouted down with the old argument that as league coaches they know nothing about RU. That agument holds no water when you look at the number of league assistant coaches teams including the wallabies have as “skills” coaches. To me that is the far more bizarre circumstance?
Personally I can see far more logic and upside in haveing skilled technical exponents coaching scrums, lineouts and mauls, whilst a propper people manager and rugby strategist manages the team.

P2ME, the facts are that Len Ikitau would have been available to play. You’re defence of jones is absolute BS and shows your ignorance. Anyone who knows anything about Barbarian games, knows that they bare little resemblance to a national teams “game plan”
Further there were several players picked who were not physically in the camp to witness this new game plan of which you speak! BTW, how about you tell us what this new plan was that so dramatically departed from the old game plan?
From what I saw nothing much changed at all!

Great article Tony. made some similar points in an earlier post. You are so right about the contradictions, bordering on hypocrisy. This is especially evident in the discarding experience for youth BS. That does not explain the non-selection of players like Harry Wilson, Noah Lolesio and Ryan Lonnergan. On the other hand when the post mortem analysis is conducted, will we get an appraisal of whether Donaldson provided more than perhaps Tom Wright at full back or whether we may have benefitted from Folau Fainga’a maul experience. Will Poreki be as vilified as Folau has been for his woeful lineout throws?
My feeling says we will not. Here is the question to ask, if we had to pick a team tomorrow from all available players who would be in it?

This is a complete fiasco!. I don’t care what Eddie wants or give any credence to what he sais. He failed, he refuses to be contrite, and he hasnt admitted one damb thing. An uppercut is totally inadequate. We lost because we didn’t have sufficient experience in the team or the coaching staff.
If you were the coach of Argentina would you leave Sanchez, Cubeli or Creavy out of your side beacause they were too old? If you were Ian Foster would you leave behind Brodie Retalic or Sam Whitelock in favour of younger second rowers or not taken Sam Caine ecause he was a it long in the tooth and not 100 percent?
Eddie got it wrong – way wrong. It is now only hyperthetical but I can’t help feeling how much better we would have been with Quade Cooper marshalling the backs and mentoring Noah Lolesio and Carter Gordon. Wouldn’t it be great to have Pete Samu and Michael Hooper in the back row mix. In the centres how much did we miss an available Len Ikitau and could have called upon Irae Simone, given he was stationed in France. And how well did Kellaway or Donaldson perform at full back? Were they really that much better than Tom Wright? I can tell you from the rugby I have watched in the past 12 months Wright provided a much better attacking weapon with far superior playmaking smarts.
So excuse me if I don’t take Eddie at his word. The players and the public deserve better. Nothing will change if he remains in charge because he is unwilling to admit his faults and address them.
I want him and his sponsors, Hamish and Waugh gone! good ridance and thanks for nothing!

I’m picking the All Blacks. Just look at that reserves bench! Any other team in the world would kill to have them in their run-on side.

Elequently put Ozinsa! For the life of me I can’t undestand the defence being rolled out for Eddie?
There is no logic or design to his decision making. If you wanted a young team, likely to be the future of the Wallabies why would you select Nic White over Ryan Lonergan? Why would you leave Noah Lolesio out of the squad? The truth is there is no rationale behind his selections.
That said what really gets me riled is his constant disingenuous and bleeding obvious claim of “being responsible”. Its as if we are too stupid to see that for ourselves! What I want him to come out and say is I was wrong! I made some mistakes. I am going to review my performance and take on board constructive criticism of others. I will let you know what my actions will be to improve my performance. – Realsistically like so many other narcasists I’ve known there is F**(( al chance of that happening and that is why he needs to go!

No Christie you are correct it isn’t the answer, but it is a part of the answer. Eddie must go and so must Hamish, Phil Waugh and the board. That is the re-boot we need. We need to remove the nepetism and corporate boys/girls club mentality from the administration of the game. From the coach upwards throught the hierarchy there is far too much self interest and personal agenda. We need to put the agenda of what is best for the future of rugby in Australia and Australia’s future in the rugby world, first foremost and last. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again “leadership is the greatest form of servitude that anyone can aspire to” we don’t have leaders who understand their role and responsibility is to serve these aims. They just want to utilise their position to further their own self interest. Don’t believe me – then cast your mind back before big money entered the game. We were at the pinnacle. We had players and administrators who commited to the game because of their belief in the game and their team mates. Its true many of the players were from wealthy backgrounds and could afford to play rugby at the international level. But don’t try and tell me that was the case for the Ellas from Matraville or Campese from Queanbeyan Highschool.
Thats the biggest obstacle to overcome for Rugby’s future in Australia. From the top down everyone involved has to believe that its not soley about them, but about something bigger. Maybe some time spent with the teams and support personnel from Portugal, Fiji and Georgia might be instructional!

John,
What you describe here reads very much like a rugby league game! One out running and a kick to end the set. Gee I wonder if that could have anything to do with the fact that we have so many league coaches in the setup?

Botticelli,

Not sure what planet you are on but clearly you are bereft of any rational or honest assessment.
This has nothing to do with prudence or objectivity! The only sabbotage of the campaign was orchestrated by Eddie! You and your kindred are the ones that need to f)(*^6 off for the benefit of Australian rugby!
Frankly I couldn’t give a flying F^^$ where Eddie goes, although I dont wish his cancer on anyone.
Your comment here and elsewhere just illustrates what a complete moron you are why Australian rugbt is in the malaise it is!

Gus,
Well put and validated. Further proof of this fallacy is the number of australian players playing overseas. How many more would make this choice if we reduced their opportunities in Australia by 20 %? We don’t need an more Mack Hansen or Jack Dempsey departures. The departures we do need are in RA. We need a new Board and national coaching and development group. We need a new approach which removes nepotism and relies on objective, evidence based decision making. We also need true accountability and transparency. They collect loads of data on player development and performance. Lets see it. It is not unreasonable or disrespectful to ask how a coach or selector arrived at a decision.
Fix these things and we have a chance. Continue to ignore them and nothing will change.

Agree,
And sycophantic articles from CD only add insult to injury. The sheer hypocracy of it makes my blood boil. Apparently you can overlook and drop players for supposed poor performance, but not the head coach! You can sack or disenfranchise assistant coaches that you personally don’t like but lets hang on to Eddie! Give me a break Christie. Time for you to move on and find another false prophet you can blow smoke up their proverbial!

Great article Tony highlighting the false bravado. I’m sure we have all worked for people like Eddie. He reminds me so much of a CEO for a small Australian IT company I worked for. It was all about being globally the best, but no real pragmatic way to get there! They’re just narcacists. He claims its all about the team but its not, its all about him. Others have remarked how hard he works and how passionate he is. My boss was the same. The problem was it was completely obsesive! There was not time for refection or honest self analysis. I know you and others have have remarked that Eddie chose youth over experience, but is that really true? Here’s the facts. He left behind Noah Lolesio. He left behind Ryan Lonnergan. He chose to ignore the possible availibility of Len Ikitau. He left behind Corey Toole. He left behind Tom Wright – the oldest of this group at 26! Is Eddie saying these guys are all past it? yet he picked Nic White at 33?
Eddie didn’t pick a young team. He picked players he felt he could mould or who he was already confident of their unquestioning acceptance of his view. Similarly he was keen to preclude players like Hooper and Cooper who might have influence or sway over the team. It was the same with the assistant coaches. No dissent tolerated. How much could have the young contingent benefitted from Laurie Fisher and Dan McKeller?
Eddie has failed not because of a lack of effort or dedication, but because he made it all about him – in his own words. He like so many meglamaniacal dictators have found out – its OK when you’re winning, but no amount of self deprecation will save you when the tables are turned!

.

Hi Rcar,
I think its a bit much to attribute australian rugby’s decline to Cooper and Foley?
Similarly I think suggesting this one particular article reflects Harry’s assessment of Fiji’s performance is a little harsh and myopic. As to me sh^%ing on our coach I don’t see it that way. I am criticizing him for his faults. What you call tactics I call stupidity. As to him “bloodying” new members – I absolutely agree thats exactly what he is doing. My point is the inclusion of some experienced and competent paractitioners like Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper may have served to mentor the new members.
Not sure why you have it in for Quade Cooper but I think you will grow if you just let it go!

Rcar,
I think you need to revisit some of the recent fottage of Quade Cooper’s performances. Your statement is not reflective of observed fact. His defence has been superb and his vision far better than any other candidate. Your plea of giving Eddie a fair go is hypocritical to say the least. One would argue he’s had a fair go and certainly more so than he’s extended to Quade Cooper, other players, and indeed his coaching staff!
Further your critique of the Author is disingenuous – Harry has not said anything disparaging of the Fijian side. All I have seen from him is praise and admiration for their effort!
So your comment is in the main baseless. Unlike you we are addressing the real problem! Eddie Jones is the real problem. He has made subjective decisions on the squad and his coaching staff. I see little evidence based decison making. That is why a potentially competetive WBs campaign has been reduced to an “Eddie sideshow alley”

Great suggestions Cookie. I was also hoping for a Quade Cooper selection and as captain. From what I observed in the pre-tournament training camps Cooper was in the leadership group and was highly applauded for his support. Perhaps Eddie feared he might be to distracting from Eddies message?
I would also have liked to see Lolesio included in the squad. I agree that he has shown more accumen than Carter Gordon to date, but both would have benefited from mentoring from Cooper. His exclusion really brings into question Eddie’s argument of including younger players with a view to future development. Is one to conclude from this that Eddie sees no future in Lolesio? Anyway almost had a gutfull of Eddies drivell and in some respects can’t wait for this to be over. In some way I’m hoping we miss out and I’ll throw my support behind fiji!

Well observed PC. I also remember Dick Marks’ tenure and that of colleagues of his like Rob Bradley who was the National Junior Development Officer. It was deemed that these roles were no longer needed after the WC win in 99, as the sheer populism of the game would encourage recruitment and development. The management at the time thought they could save some money, presumably to bolster their own remuneration. Anyway we lost the coaching, refereeing and junior development roles and for the past two decades we have suffered as a result of the short term stupidity.

Harry,
In another post I made exactly the same observations, but perhaps not as elequantly!
I once stated in a presentation to a team building exercise that “Leadership is the greatest form of servitude that one can aspire to” Eddie has forgotten this fundamental requirement, if indeed he ever appreciated it. He is now caught in a trap of either defending his own decisions or blaming others for their lack of support. It smacks of pathalogical delusion and narcasistic personality disorder.
Your point about digging a hole is the perfect analogy. If he could demonstrate some genuine acknowledgement of his errors of judgement, rather than resorting to his hubris he might stand a chance. Simply admit his errors and rectify them now. If possible reach out to Cooper and Lolesio who are both in France. Send out the SOS to Pete Samu and Len Ikitau. If not use what you have. Donaldson to number ten, Kellaway to fifteen Foketi to 13. If you persist with Carter Gordon and Jordan Petaia you will not only lose the match against Wales but you will do irreparable damage to Gordan and Petaia’s confidence.

Well actually Bluff boy some of them are in France. They’re just not in the squad because Eddie is an incompetent selector.