Baxter, has been very successful at Exeter winning the English Premiership more than once, this is well documented. But is that national coach material, we are talking a very different level of ability and commitment. In the amusement stakes, Eddie can talk the game to death, has an impressive home and away record but is now struggling on the big stage. Like all conglomerates, the RFU are not that interested in a persona just the trophy cabinet, hence finding a more winning coaching combination, will be much more complex.

Human futility, bureaucratic authorizes and contact sport will never find the middle ground. Banks was extremely fortunate and Zanders was over vigorous and deserved time to reflect. The major concern, a tackle happens in a split second and if your technique is dubious you will quickly become a burden to any team at this level.

Redemption, sadly the Rebels remain a team of lost opportunity, their dilemma is not a competitive player compliment. Perhaps it is more a structural psychological road block, as the team has the aspiration to win but retreat when it counts. Against the Waratahs, they demonstrated ability but their game plan became repetitive, no plan B, not one senior player exhibited leadership, no change of direction from the coaching staff and they deliver another maybe performance. Like most supporters, witness lost opportunities almost on a weekly basis.

Brett, Dave Rennie is a seasoned astute complainer and is probably on a mission of smoke & mirrors. He or his team would have discussed with each super coach the players they are interested in, how many minutes each person should play weekly, the skill / strengths that each player needs to concentrate on, or where improvement is required, including their diet and his preferred game weight. He is looking at a much more complex picture than a super coach, do you honestly believe this team contemplate teaching basics upon arrival in camp..

Adam, perhaps not a great example but SA does have numerous human rights issues, like most of the zone. For my money this is not the avenue, the code needs to venture down. As sport equality builds bridges and allows differences without prejudice to be explored, both on the field and in the player’s home country.

Alas, I always felt rugby was above woke hypocrisy unfortunately that’s not the case. As reiterated by Otago man the USA who attacked, Iraq, had forces in Syria, demolished Libya’s dictatorship and the folk are still disgruntled and killing each other. With the granddaddy of them all, their shameful Afghanistan withdrawal. But they are our friends, nothing to see here? Rugby was once a ruff game for gentlemen whatever his ethnic grouping. Does South Africa, receive a pass mark considering all their race violence, do we consider France’s recent miss adventures in different parts of Africa, the list goes on? Once sport encroaches into politics and we castigate sports men & women for their ethnicity the code becomes part of the dilemma not the solution.

As a Rebels enthusiast finding something to celebrate is turning into a project. Regardless of the injury list their style of rugby is reflective of results. Over the seasons the franchisers has enjoyed a number of accomplished Wallabies on their player list for little return. Further, on a weekly basis their senior players appear to drift in and out of matches and make pitiable recurring decisions, which are normally costly. In reflection they have a competitive player compliment; perhaps there is something amiss within the mechanics of the coaching staff.

Ozinsa in my humble opinion, according to the article, Dave Rennie sent an SOS asking Beale to return from the northern hemisphere. Beale is not a charity but a professional rugby player with a use by date, and other added responsibilities. Are you communicating he misses OZ rugby and Dave Rennie’s voice that much he’s happy to walk away from an appealing contract on a promise and perhaps? Dave, has been watching UK club rugby, made a few enquires and penciling in the blanks. .

At this juncture it is difficult to ascertain if I’m a delusional disingenuous KB critic or are Beale’s ability so exceptional, that the success of the Wallabies, are dependent on his unique skills? Sorry Dave Rennie, I appear to be missing something. As Beale’s last few games for the Tahs / Wallabies were somewhat ordinary and it was felt then. He was lucky still to be wearing a Wallaby jersey. Reading the article it appears KB has been promised a player position not a mentoring role. If correct, Dave Rennie like the previous coaching staff, is now overlooking the emerging talent available.

KJ, It is also interesting how the six nation’s teams are not affected by this level of political dribble. This could be another season of empty stadiums and heightened tensions between administration, medical opinion. lost revenue and common sense. Once committees start discussing ideas like uncontested scrums, the average enthusiast becomes disgruntled and the super season could be in for heavy weather.

Sadly, rugby keeps supporting such clowns and the nightmare is. Such committee members are allowed to drive a car, vote, have kids and be your next door neighbour. Like most I was looking forward to the start of the season.

Geoff, rugby has been slow to react to change. Vehicle manufacturers were forced to install, first seat belts, then air bags in motorized vehicular transport years ago. This is not downplaying all the other safety innovations that had been incorporated over the years. Yet, rugby administrators have watched vehicle manufactures been beat –up in court over unnecessary death and serious injury. The construction industry was somewhat delusional, until they were pulled into line kicking and screaming. On a very different subject our daughter belonged to a pony club and overnight their insurance and liability jumped through the roof. So what doesn’t rugby understand, once a sport becomes professional and players are compensated, the codes responsibility is magnified regardless of the weasel words hidden in a contract. Sadly apart from short sighted administrators, very few refs are on the same page, some contact areas can be reformed, scrum penalty are a contentious area and need a review. In my opinion, smart intelligent changes to the codes dynamics increase player safety. Having to embrace forced change is never idyllic.

This covid pandemic is obviously affecting everyone’s judgment and further if Dave Rennie is involved as reiterated in the article, then shame on him. Sadly Kurtley’s last couple of seasons in OZ, including his mundane Waratah appearances and the somewhat magical mystery kicking performances, when playing for the Wallabies. Had every rugby enthusiast, celebrating when he departed for Europe. His return may deliver a challenge for whichever club offers a contract as it would have to be, two plus years? Without been contradictory but kurtley B’s style of play was phlegmatic long before he departed and now he is returning. Dave; winning the RWC is a big ask, but the teams in trouble if they compromise the talent available with Cheika’s yesterdays hero’s.

Robert, great analogy, we happened to be in NZ a few years ago and attended a dinner with friends, not realizing the guest speaker was Graham Henry. Where he basically reiterated what you have implied. He restated as coach he was not there to teach the player abilities or new skills, as players were selected after been carefully nurtured and arrived complete. His main objective was the top 2 inches, as that’s what delivered winners and turned matches. Further, I believe DR is trying to cultivate the same level of professionalism.

As a rugby enthusiast, would David Pocock receive your vote, probably not? A great rugby player but not necessary a distinguished leader, who struggled to impress fellow participants with his personal agenda, on how we should address the ecology of this nation. In the ACT standing as an independent, if you consider the two major parties, may have its challenges. Apart from his sporting ability he has achieved little to excite the skeptic and I don’t believe chaining yourself to a piece of equipment is a vote catcher.

For many Twickenham is very much the home of rugby and if we are honest the stadium provides a rugby spectacle on a grand scale that few southern hemisphere venues can match. I have been lucky enough of attend a few tests in the UK and both OZ & NZ generate considerable hype and excitement with the stadiums over flowing with corporate sponsors. Sadly even when NZ were rated No 1 in the world, we failed to create enthusiasm for tickets in OZ. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt, perhaps we don’t sell supporters and inclusive package, perhaps we need to start thinking outside the envelope and embrace a standard and not react to another nations forward planning.

Smoothy, musical chairs is the operative word, when confronted with uncertainly. With the depth of conveyor belt talent NZ appear to have, you would think the AB coaching staff would be looking at combinations and replacements. It is also noticeable that the game has shifted and yet the present AB administration is still embracing their predecessors play book. Sadly in the modern game there is now a big difference between a utility player and trying to breach deficiencies. NZ is extremely efficient when able to insert their game style but as recognized on the northern hemisphere tour, their team is challenged and vulnerable when proposed lesser teams incorporated a different game strategy. In such situations their musical chair replacements have endured the same game logic and preparedness and struggle to adjust like their predecessor.

Willie La’, it is fascinating how rugby enthusiasts can relate to Foster’s lack of imagination and how Hansen’s redundant play book, is the only plan (A) that appears to be tabled. Further, as I reiterated to friends in NZ, who have emerged a little shell shocked. They don’t understand why, their NZ’s rugby bureaucracy who was once the gold standard has completely lost their farsightedness. Considering the nearly completed local competition according to reports has highlighted numerous young talented players. In addition, folk like Foster and his team with a similar mindset are not the future of NZ rugby and never were. Interestingly their latest northern tour presented more questions than answers. Particular with their inability to subdue the rushed defense and the high ball as both can nullify a structured attack. As noted the AB engine room requires more oil as they have few standout players with test experience and resolve. Also their match day inside backs has become a raffle and tinkering with different combinations basically means, the preferred defense and attack element is missing. In conclusion watched all the matches there are a few players who are not AB candidates anymore and need to be discarded. Dave Rennie’s Wallabies, sadly have a more complex problem, player depth.

Pilferer, good read. Unfortunately both tests this weekend had trials & tribulations for southern coaches that highlighted two very different frames of mind. The Wallabies experience extremely poor officiating and Foster thinks there is still mileage left in Steve Hansen’s discarded playbook. Dave Rennie, is vindicated regarding his concerns, but apart from another weak apologize from the WRC, will things change, and that’s debatable. Foster’s tenure is much more troubling, as the cautionary signs started ringing during the first Springbok test. Ireland certainly delivered their notification and after 43 years of pain on home soil the French hammered the AB’s. As a person looking through the mirror and always expecting the AB’s to obtain a positive result, fossils approach, player selections, game plan and reaction after the match was not stimulating or confidence building. In my opinion NZ have an extravagance in two areas, player depth and world class coaches. Someone needs to vigorously propose an immediate change in direction.

Regardless of all the ramifications, he said, she said, at the end of the day the only winner should be rugby. Therefore, Erasmus’s egotistical disingenuous tirade is a stain on the conduct of Springbok governance. No, administrator, player or ref is bigger that the game and to think Berry has not received any kind of public apologize is perhaps a reflection of the gents unsophisticated reaction. We all watch and enjoy rugby and however a ref officiates or reads a match; he will never be everyone’s friend. The only issue I have, southern / northern hemisphere ref’s appear to interpret different areas of a match differently, particularly the breakdown / scrum, as they don’t appear to be on the same page?

Geoff, this weekend was very much a tail of two cities. The Wallabies had selection issues and looked a little inexperienced in certain positions and the final score reflected that. The All Blacks appeared lethargic, perhaps the result of a long season which commenced in Feb. They are now enduring a three month hiatus away from home, due to travel restrictions. That doesn’t reduce the great win or Ireland’s achievement but Foster basically took two teams thinking seasonal exhaustion could be a factor. The question now is, who will play in the remaining tests, as neither team look structured, composed or appear to have a winning formula.

Dave, we all agree the team you have selected looks at little inexperienced in certain positions and have noted, pickings are definitely austere considering some names, in the starting 15. Notwithstanding my thoughts, Twickenham is a special place that will probably deliver diverse emotions for some Wallabies. But if cool heads prevail, the final result could supply satisfaction

As rugby aficionados we watch the game but don’t recognize the undertones. The test against the Blossoms answered many questions as they used the rush defense which troubled the Wallabies. Therefore, in reality the result could have been much more competitive. Although I was unable to watch the complete Scotland match, the highlights were troubling; the reshuffled backline did not look idyllic, in fact O’Connor is not a world class No 10 and Rennie is probably aware of that. Sadly, Beale & Skelton should be relaxing in the bleachers; their best days have long disappeared. Slippers performance was disquieting; no player can afford to be continually penalized at test level. To be fair, I was looking forward to this northern tour but now things don’t look that optimistic.

TM, you offered numerous valid remarks, thank you. From one enthusiast to another, this season under Dave Rennie, the Wallabies are growing in confident, it appears, which is refreshing. This tour will certainly expose the areas of their game that require further commitment.
1 However, the high kick has always been a raffle because of the hang time. Therefore the area becomes congested making it difficult to exit in a controlled phase play fashion. The second AB/Bok match highlighted the congestion; The Wallabies need an exit plan as this is a common practice for some Northern teams.
2 What was noticeable in the tournament recently completed, Northern & Southern refs exhibited different rule interpretations, regarding the ruck & maul, where frequent penalties were awarded for infringements, which I struggled to capture? It’s also time for World Rugby to be very specific regarding rule analysis.
3 Further, I believe scrum penalties need to be reviewed, perhaps making some free –kicks? As play can become a continual quagmire of resets and time wasting.

One of the many dilemmas when hosting a major event is trying to find a financial balance. This is probably less problematic in the Northern hemisphere where rugby is on the up surge and many supporters could fly in and out or perhaps drive, as a country like France is centralized. The Australian bid requires a different approach as you would need a tourist visa and driving or flying long distances. If you support a less impressive team, in the lower tier grouping, you would need to an enthusiastic follower. As the experience, discounting sightseeing would probably not deliver to expectation and be expensive. Further, finding adequate stadium support for two less imposing teams is always a struggle. Therefore, expanding the eligible teams to 24 is progressive thinking but world rugby needs to consider, what will be their share of the cost.