You simply cannot build a strong argument that this latest appointment is world class.

That doesn’t mean he is a bad coach and I’ve no doubt he is a terrific bloke – like the rest of them. My comments are never personal.

The point is that it is outrageous when our increasingly limited funding is used to develop mediocre talent from other places, who will take whatever growth they gain from their position and apply it elsewhere or not at all.

Schmidt is commuting to Aus (because of his impressive devotion to his family),

Cron is retired – and commuting from NZ.

Fisher will retire after this appointment.

Parling will go directly to Europe.

Not one of these appointments will grow the game here beyond their record on the pitch.

So unless the results are outrageously good, it is a complete waste of time, money and opportunity – just like Rennie was.

Because there are levels. And we want our best to get the opportunity to coach for amd against at the national level.

What we have now done for 5 of the last 6 years is prevent any development of Australian talent. For 35%. Which is not better than a developing Aussie talent.

Because it is not a club team, it is our national representative side.

Great,
Can you please clarify this process?

As far as I can see, it’s two retirees and now a guy without a contract after his super rugby side is cut – who has the worst line out stats in the comp.

…but hey – at least there are no Australians in the Australian coaching set up. Phew!

Well, the genius is that this way, we can ALWAYS say that there are no experienced Australian coaches!

Because, you know, we don’t have any experienced Australian coaches – because we make sure that no Australians get any experience. And it just keeps going in a circle until no one is listening any more – and we’re getting closer to that place with every inept decision…

Phew. Another bullet dodged!

I thought they were going to invest in developing Australian coaching talent there for a minute…

Now if could just get around have to use Australian players…thoughts?

Couldn’t be happier for the team and for DC. Great and brave change to bring in Harrison.

Appalling that the decision is up to RA bureaucrats, but he deserves to continue his project in my view. Perhaps some fresh technical support.

And it’s dying there too isn’t it?

So super rugby is now officially nothing more that a trial match.

The wallabies management will choose players, coaches, direct tactics and game strategy.

If the competition was already on life support, this finally kills it.

TBH it sounds like my assumption was spot on. Nothing wrong with that position – just important context for your opinion.

Do you really think Razor is the best person for the job irrespective of nationality? Did the English or French or welsh cry out for his services? How could he be the best person for the job? He has never, ever coached an international game. He is an actual rookie. Were any non-kiwis thought about? No. Of course not. Why would you? Razor was the best kiwi for the job. And you have great depth behind him at SR where only locals need apply – zero non kiwis have coached a SR or NPC side. I agree with that bias – Aus should do the same. Foreigners for assistants only.

I’m interested in the well being of Aus rugby – at a deep level. Wallabies and the regional teams are meant to be a representation of us – but they are less and less so, with more kiwis than Aussies coaching to absolutely no positive effect. and Aussie rugby people are voting with their feet – far more interested in Shute Shield / hospital up and the NRL. Because while you’re worried about competing with NZ, those comps are far more relevant and compelling to us.

So back to the beginning – I don’t want a foreign coach for the team that is supposed to be our representative, and unless a foreign coach delivers a material uplift in performance (proper silverware), then get out, you are a hinderence to us (it’s certainly not personal).

Now I fail to see how bringing a 70 year old out of retirement, but having him still based in Christchurch, is going to have any positive impact on anyone other than the 20 or so players he is in direct contact with once a fortnight.

What that appointment does do however, is continue down the path of preventing any Aussie from developing into a better coach through that experience. It’s just jobs for the cuzzy-bros.

So no reflection then..? Not surprising. I’ll help you out…

There are precisely 6 head coaching roles in Australia. Including one tier one team – the wallabies – which is a representative team, not a club. And those roles typically run for 3-4 years.

The opportunity to build depth is therefore limited to that number. With perhaps 2 roles per year on offer.

Congratulations on your job, and welcome – but comparing the Australian rugby coach opportunity-set to a professional services scenario with 20k+ positions and regular turnover is wilfully misleading (to put it nicely).

I suspect (with only these sentences to support the view) that you care about Aussie rugby in that you want us to be competitive with NZ. And that is not at all what Australian rugby is about – but it is a big part of why we are where we are. Reflect.

The smart move for the waratahs is to bring Cheika in as a technical adviser to Coleman.

It’s okay that you don’t understand or care for Aussie rugby – totally fine. But the unbelievably condescending arrogance of this commentary (not uncommon) is something you should reflect on.

The only reason, the ONLY reason, for Australia to appoint a foreign coach is that they will deliver meaningfully superior results than a local candidate. Because he is taking the job of that Aussie and therefore preventing that person and their team from benefiting from the experience of being a national coach. Eg. There is no way that Australia was better off as a rugby nation under Rennie than they would have been under any one of a dozen Australian coaches – his results were simply poor across the board – but instead of development for an Australian, we spent $4m on a foreigner – who threatened to leave to Japan before the RWC unless his contract was extended, and then left as soon as he was cut – taking all of that IP with him (BTW Rennie was a decent coach amd a good man – that not the issue at all). Madness.

If Schmidt doesn’t win important silverware he should go. Simple.

Phew!
For a minute there I thought we in danger of investing in Australian coaches. Dodged that bullet though!
Maybe we can save a spot for the Aussies to-try out for running water – as long as they don’t speak to the palyers, that could ruin everything.

Well gee I hope you are involved in the TV rights negotiations! Looking forward to your pitch about how you believe Australias most populous state is irrelevant for the broadcasters. That should be brilliant!

That actually doesn’t make any sense…

Well I’m proud of you for eventually getting through all of those big words. Well done!

A good piece, thanks Mark.

The day of the long knives indeed!

That was a new low for Australian rugby (which is saying something) and the results are now on display for all to see.

I disagreed with removing McLennan, mainly because he had displayed the financial capability to manage us from bankruptcy (thanks Raylene) to prosperity. I can say I understand some people wanting him to go – because they put so much hatred into anything Sydney, and so with jones failing, it was an obvious target.

But replacing him with someone with absolutely no relevant capability on any front was nothing other than gross negligence.

We have overnight gone from a position of financial growth – to a position of poverty. And with absolutely no plan to get out of it – certainly none that I have heard about.

Accountability is important and also unemotional.

McLennan was held to account – and now the knifers and their supporters need to be accountable too – for killing off the rebels and / or the brumbies.

There will be no NPC, so rugby will no longer have a national footprint. Our best athletes will play overseas and in NRL. This is the legacy they leave behind.

These blokes are seriously out of their depth.

These ‘recommendations’ are written at the level of a KPMG junior BA – Who was clearly given the current plans of the CEO and has come up with a list of actions that ‘oh my gosh’ is precisely what they are already doing!

Junior level management from a big institution playbook.

Let’s make sure we are being clear.

Twiggy offered RA under McLennan between $300m and & $500m and with his wife (while going through a divorce) publicly backed McLennan to remain chair.

Twiggy is now offering Herberts vision for RA $0, and has since invested in rugby league.

Accountability has to run both ways.

Well, that’s another pointless conversation on the Roar…

I’m trying to have a conversation about whats best for Australian rugby because I’m deeply concerned about it – I think there is a genuine possibility that the professional game is approaching the end here.

But the roar just needs to keep grinding it’s axe. Cheika can’t have any credibility – because….well he’s from Sydney! How does he sleep at night…Jones was from Sydney too! There’s proof if you need it.

Sydney just needs to provide players. And money. And volunteers. And viewers, And votes. And not have an opinion. Because Australian rugby can’t beat NZ rugby until that happens and that’s what Australian rugby exists for…

I hope Joe gets 80%+because it’s a waste of time otherwise…
Watching a Slow car crash…

Seriously mate, that’s not a debate point. Castle sent RA insolvent. Really not worth rehashing but entirely unjust to lay blame elsewhere.

Yeah…. I think we can all be clear that Castle is the reason the ARU is in such debt. If you don’t understand that, well…perhaps go back to school, or just watch the 1,2,3,4,5,kick game.

Are you serious?

He made it crystal clear he had a plan after consultation with Qld and ACT.

Neither McLennan nor Waugh nor Herbert built up the rebels debt.

But Herbert – with precisely the same information as McLennan (as a director) said he should be chairman because he had a different plan – what was it?! Is that what we are seeing here? Or is he incompetent? Or misleading?

Honestly the bias here is breathtaking.

There’s nothing fair about those stat comparisons and you know it – the only picture is bad and worse.

I’m not defending Eddie, but the hyperbolic garbage that is parading as insight is worthless – even though it is effective in being harmful to the cause.

Moreover you are (as is the trend) intentionally avoiding the point. Which is about Aussie rugby, not Joe Schmidt or Dave Rennie.

Yet you inadvertently make my point for me. Which is that Rennies 35% is worth even less than Eddies 10% to Aussie rugby. Just ask Stan sport…

So how much success does Schmidt have to deliver to be of any benefit to us – I’d suggest about 80%. Because below that (and possibly even beyond that), it is only about Schmidt, and that is a story about NZ. And that is a bad thing for Aussie rugby.

And even though this is the bast chance in several generations to get those results (good young Aussies vs NZ without key players) it is unlikely.

This was the opportunity to invest in Aussie rugby – instead the doubled down on ZN. Ridiculous.

So yeah a dumb decision by desperate incompetents.