Now is not the time to change the laws!  

Rugby is a World game and as a Country competing we need to get better at the World laws. Eddie Jones is a relentless Master Coach adapting to the World Laws.
I suggest we find a way to filter Coaching laws & skills correctly own to the grassroots level.
First step is educating  and making a accreditation compulsory for all junior Coaching staff & managers.
Change and debate is good, change is happening we must be positive RA has made changes, WA back, new National coaching group, our Super Coaches have improved and developed. Let the system settle into the new administration and competitions

Thanks for the feed back on my grammar & punctuation – 👍
Your personal attacked and profiling really doesn’t deserve a reply however as you are trying to manipulate my profile it requires a correction.
Your failed attempt to “profile me” is not close!
No private school education!
Simply one of the “Australian silent majority”
Born, Schooled & raised in the bush!
Tough, hard work required to survived stopped my study time to master the grammar & punctuation.
I did enjoy sport in the public & club systems more than English language lessons.
To help your profiling I am obviously not an English teacher or a journo!

I hope you are all right?

As a Rugby supporter I don not follow your logic?
Example: If Kurtley Beale was not picked up by Joey’s & developed him in a Rugby system, I am sure the Elite, ARL money teams, if you have money your “Elite” by definition, The Broncos, Roosters, Souths would have open their cheque book as they currently do with their early talent identification.
The GPS System supports Rugby development and attracts big crowds.
It has to be positive for the game.

Are you suggesting kill off “GPS’ to further reduce the pathways for Rugby talent.

Self defeating attitude just as RA shut down Western Australia.

The problem with AR is lack of MONEY, a plan that is inclusive of the grass route systems, funding for junior Coach development and support the battling clubs.
Rugby has to grow from the bottom up, top down has fail more recently.
Unfortunately the funnel is upside down.

Not a Private School competition causing the demise!

My eyes are not fully of bias!
Back up your statement with demographic facts.

Simple have a look at the “Religious Private school” system!
41% of secondary school children are Private.

Sorry, sledging private schools and peoples education choices can be divisive and destructive.

The worst out come is Private schools provide a pathway for for developing Junior players ARL / RA / AFL and other sports they specialise in!

RA have far bigger problems than the Private School system.

The problem RA has to solve is their lack of involvement in grassroots Rugby.

What is “Elite” ?
GPS Schools are full of Boys with both parents working class people, struggling to provide a pathway they have chosen to educate their child. That is a life choice!
Talent is also secured by the cashed up 15 ARL Teams with extensive talent identification scouts, successful pathways in place, paying School fees, providing scholarships, supporting families! Yes paying School fees and scholarships happens in the “Elite” ARL system!
ARL have Boys secured playing in the GPS competition as well.
ARL have top end “Elite” Corporate sponsorship.
Both ARL & GPS Clubs suck the “talent” out of club land clubs. This will not change.
Some GPS Schools ban the Boys from Club rugby once the Comp starts!
This won’t stop due to the prestige of winning.

This year I watched a Union Team with 35+ Boys competing in 2 divisions reduce to one team for the second half of the comp, they had to play GPS and instructed not play Club. My opinion It just did not work for Clubland!
The year before a different Club with a crack team of U14’s, the next season they where scouted to move to ARL and could not field an U15’s.
Your “Dress” comparison just doesn’t wash, take time and go to Clubland Union and see who is supporting their children at games.

The issue is MONEY lack of it in Union!

What a lot of rubbish!
“Now the perception of elitism due to the sports’ ties with private schools.” Private school bashing has no facts to support the comment.
Support you throw away comments and publish your research where junior players are registered?
Rugby I would think should be proud that “elite” Schools support Rugby!
The public system is not catering for Rugby, take out the private Schools and your back to Club football, creating a far greater decline in participation.
Take out the Private Schools are you suggesting the rapid decline and death of one proven system of Junior development!
Guess what it is not a cash drag on RA it is a free Rugby development area for RA.

“What Cheika has done, despite these circumstances, in getting the Wallabies to the final and quarter-final in union World Cups, is very much Superhuman indeed”.  
Cheika’s failing has been he had a game “style / plan”, self named the Australian way, unfortunately failed!
Why did Cheika game style fail should be the question!
Why after 5 years it worked, failed, failed, failed, failed?
Why did he pick & stick with players that could not deliver his Australian way plan?
Why did he not have support staff that are able to train the skills for his “Australian way?

  “TV ratings, domestic competition crowds” -Is the decline due to poor results from the Wallabies?

Moving on to a good question that is the real problem!

 “Waning junior participation, an increasing desire from Australian-based Pacific Islanders to follow rugby league instead through their connections to Tonga, Fiji and Samoa.”
  “Fewer Australian-born kids than ever now find the prospect of playing for the Wallabies an appealing prospect. ” 
There is a very sound reason this is happening and should be one of the first items on the RA agenda addressing how to improve the Grass roots community coaching.
Having been involved from the Mid 80’s and currently involved in junior Rugby I see the problem ever weekend.
Junior Club Rugby from a young age are Coached be well meaning Parents, more often that not have never played Union.
They watch and the juniors watch League on the free to air.
They Coach what they see.
Developing talent is identified very early be talent scouts from NRL & AFL and junior scholarships are offered or incentives given to the junior players.
Rugby can not compete with the funding of 15 League Clubs continually scouting Junior Rugby players.
Rugby does not have the “financial pathways of the 15 Leagues Clubs.
Luckily some Private Schools offer scholarships to save defections.
The Islanders – Tonga, Fiji and Samoa.”
Yes they are playing Union and league- they chase the money and support on offer in League.
The real issue is lack of RA funds and a very small pathway system, simply because most of Union is an amateur sport.

A failed National team that lost wider community support has not helped with cash flow. 
My local Club lost 50% of a crack Junior Team to League poaching and the end result they could not field a Team. The local “Private” Catholic School with a rich Union history is now offering League.
The flagship is the Wallabies and the success of the Coaching Team led by the Head Coach has a huge influence on Juniors, cash flow and community support.

The rest is not worthy of a comment.

👍 How about a few more Rooster converts from Union?
😊 Keary 10, Hargraves 12, Manu 1 3
Rooster Union Coaching Panel: Stuart (Coach) , Cronk (Backs) & Sonny Bill (Forwards)
There would be no salary cap issues with their roster management.
Any injuries they could sub on!!!
Lets hope Cheika is a Genius and we won’t need the Roosters money or players He will be around for another 5 years!

Agree on stats, Captain / playing record outstanding
Coaching however he seems to have matured as a Coach and you can not dismiss this years record!

We will all know soon lets hope a lot of us are wrong & “Cheik” is a genius and every Wallaby plays out of their skin!

Do not under estimate Ricky, he is a winner, a very smart person with a sharp football brain.
ARL with only 6 tackles to score or make ground creates a need for creative skills and team moves. A lot can be learnt from this knowledge.
I can see in the AB’s play and pod systems the 2 play makers in a similar role as left and right field attack in ARL. There is definitely cross pollination.
There is lessons to be learnt from other codes and Coaches.
I often though privately he would make an ideal Wallabies Coach.

Ricky’s die or win at all costs is infectious!
Maybe that is what Eddie is looking for – Raiders tried hard but lost – do not Die wondering give 110%!

I would much rather Ricky was with the Wallabies.

For the record if you comment about Hooper was directed at my comments.
I am not in the “dislike” basket!
He gives 110% every game, agree his commitment is always fantastic.
His mirroring of Cheika is grating but I look past that as he is a very loyal Captain to his Coach. A positive for his character. 👍
My comments regarding “Pooper” combinations are based on an opinion the WB would be stronger with a genuine 6, Pocock starting and Hooper set loose fresh as a “finisher”
He would carve them up with fresh legs!

You have missed a few other areas of concern

You over looked
–  the pooper experiment it doesn’t work! One on the bench (Hooper) one start please.
– how is Kurtley in the team on his form?
The 2 independent selectors need to look forward and forget the loyalty of the Coach to “Old Waratah” players and select the best players for the positions, not last World Cup standouts!
Can not blame the Ref no mater how bad he may be both teams have the same Ref one adapts one is a victim!
How can any team play with confidence with Cheika continual Whirlpool selections.
I though the new selectors would make a difference or are they cleverly dominated by Cheika!

“To your 18 year old hooker – he would have been looking at parents, grandparents and any older siblings to see what the potential build was like. Not just whether he thought the kid looked like he could put on size.”

If it is the same person I am aware of he definitely would fail the genetic history size BUT pass with flying colours exceptional ability, skills and heart! or another example to support your comment!
Why discriminate it is happening every week in Junior Rugby, the ARL is profiting from these rejects!

Appreciate your comment and point, the Australia I live in you can have a conversation around the Wallabies with most people! Yes rusted on ARL, AFL, Netball, Women cricket, Rugby 7’s etc. They will always support an Australian International Sporting Team and in past filled stadiums for Test matches!
Yes, if it continues the rusted on may be the only ones left offering opinions to strike up a conversation on how to follow the Invisible man out of the swamp!?

Cursed or consistent?
Look to the positives they are most consistent team in the World.
Same Coach with under 50% win loss ratio!
Same reason for loss Referees!
Same Captain making decisions that some think may be questionable!
Same game plan – the players are still searching how to execute!
Same preparation – Captain “we trained well”!
Same failure – training not taken to game day!
Same upper Management of RA accepting failure!
Same excuse coming from RA for player loss ARL, AFL, Soccer, OS defections!
Same player competition from above that goes back through successful decades!
Same no obvious RA plan to fix the failures in the system!
Same consistent victim mentality!
Obviously Michael Checker pre the National Coach appointment results show he has lots of qualities.
However they are not showing through at national level.
Success against England 13%, NZ 16%, Ireland 20% SA 37%

Sad for AusRugby supporters having to accept “Same” as a pass mark for a proud Rugby Nation that had an outstanding reputation pre the current rabble!

Knowingly they would offend a section of their “supporters, employees & playing group” Rugby Australia opened up the divide by coming out and supporting one side of a referendum.
There is no winner or looser if there is a breach they are both in breach of the so called policy!
Good for the employer good for the employed!
Divisive for the public and a bad look for RA!
I support peoples right to their personal choices it is none of my business.
40% of Australians support Labor, 40% support Liberals the balance will decide the Government – If your preferred selection are not voted in we live with it!
Lets get on with supporting Rugby as our opinion may not change the result.

SIMPLE the Pha Lap factor

“Phar Lap was an underdog cheaply leased by an unknown trainer, Harry Telford, and he did not appear to have any racing talent”

Brumbies of the past – Defenders ” Hearts as big as Phar Lap!
plus “Heaps of Guts” straight out of the Gundagai abattoirs.

to name a few- Larkham, Walker, Ryan, Finnegan – No fear!

I still have not forgiven Eddie for dropping Finnegan in the 2003 World Cup.
Maybe the pay back is his current job!!!!

Is there any “Makybe Deva” in Australia Rugby?

If you definition of small = 6 foot 2 inches (183cm) 92 plus kg then your correct.

Agree – Hooper is an example “swanning out on the wing”. If the Pod system and recycle is not creating space he is only a passenger in attack!
He would be out there on instructions but has to wear the criticism.

Foley Beal & Cooper are world beaters behind a pack going forward and giving them front foot ball in space.

The conversations seem to revolve around the World cup selections.
My thoughts are if we make the crunch matches what will be required?
If it comes down to Australia having to play
Wales
England
All-Blacks
Their 10 will be a defender.
Wales defence is setting the pattern for a knock out competition.
Sorry we have to disagree about the quality of defence in the 6 nations.
It will all come down to Cheiker and the “Game Plan” he is banking on lifting his win loss ratios above 48%??????
Reality is Cooper, Foley, Beal offer the similar defence, massively difference abilities in attack. Toomua stronger defence less attacking options!!!
Glad I am not a selector!

Exactly what I said – “my observation is the 2nd 5 is now a 100kg plus “tank with skills” running straight over the non tackling 10!” ( 2nd 5 = 12! )

Things have changed at Test level – 2 flaws in your opening assumptions.
1. “First, that flyhalves are almost always one of the poorest defenders in any team”
my observation is the 2nd 5 is now a 100kg plus “tank with skills” running straight over the non tackling 10!
2. Along with halfbacks, flyhalves are usually one of the two smallest players in a team. They are selected for their skill and ability to lead the team around, not for their physical prowess.
There is very few light weights at Test level.

10 do not have to defend, YES they do – start watching the NZ & 6 Nations!
I would suggest to win the world title it is a must. I hope I am very wrong!

When comparing players you MUST first understand the style of game the HEAD coach has asked them to play, their form may be a Coach issue, trying to put a round peg in a square hole!!!

Foley & Hooper can tackle, elect to stand off or it is a mind set they are not efficient.

Hi Nicholas

Retaining the ball and securing field position is one critical important part of Rugby as you have pointed out, points win games where are they coming from?

If you had time at some stage? It would be interesting to see the results of the ball retention and how points are being scored?
Inside the 22 – off a lineout, scrums, penalty ?
or
Outside the 22 attack, turn over etc?

The frustration is watching a game where you don’t have to give the ball to the other side after a set number of tackles, it is yours until you infringe or loose it!

Are the Aussies trying to score way to quick influenced by their League cousins restricted to 6 plays? Lerugby – you watch it in junior Rugby.

Your 2 examples Wales & Crusaders value the ball and have patience!

Confused, maybe I was seeing double and counted Moody, Franks, Whitelock & Read twice?
Their that good anyway!

Hi Nick
There seems to be emphasis in UK & Irish Rugby to play the game tight, kick and get set in their 22m attacking zone and play for a penalty – “Free shot”
The commentators often talk about the “free shot”, play out the advantage and score then if not successful in scoring take a line out, scrum or shot at goal.
Retaining the Ball as you point out is critical to their strategy.
It would be interesting to know the scoring statistics from these “Free Plays”
For example is it true that the most profitable source of tries comes from lineouts?

oooooops slip of the key board finger 2-4-2.
At times it looks like they have an extra 4!!!
Keep the great articles coming.