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Former Wallabies captain - Cheika's selection inconsistency hurting the side
Former Wallabies captain Andrew Slack believes Michael Cheika has a “monopoly” over picking the team and has called for independent selectors to help the side.
In 2018 the Wallabies have won just three of their 10 Tests and have fallen to a record low seventh in the world rankings.
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Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle discussed the potential benefits of adding an independent selector to the mix.
“I think there’s models around the world that you can see that mix of having a selector, head selector or working with the head coach is working well in international programs around the world,” Castle said on Fox Sports’ Kick & Chase.
“That’s certainly something that we would discuss with him, to see if that’s something that could be helpful to him.
“It’s certainly a model that’s proven to be successful elsewhere.”
Cheika defended his selection process, telling Fox Sports “I’m not just picking numbers out of a hat.”
“I take advice from experienced coaches who have been in the job in the past as well,” he said. “So I’m not just blindly looking… I’m always taking counsel on these things and I think, more often than not, we’re making the right calls.”
Slack — who captained the Wallabies when they last beat the All Blacks at Eden Park in 1986 — feels it is unwise to allow Cheika absolute power over selections.
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“Everything in selection and the way you play the game you’ve got to have a balance,” Slack told Fox Sports.
“There’s times when you take ludicrous risks because you’re up against all that, so you’ve got to take risks.
“But by and large, I think the go to thing is to be balanced in your selection and decision making and I’ve said this for a long time about Cheika — and prior to that — the monopoly he has on selection is ridiculous, and they need an independent selector.
“It’s been talked about — nothing’s ever been done about it.”
Slack also noted the effect Cheika’s selection inconsistencies may have on players.
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“I think Cheika’s been caught fixed in between who he should pick, what motivations he should use to pick these certain players so ultimately players’ heads are spinning,” he said.
“If I was a player, my head would be spinning unless I was an absolute certainty — a [Israel] Folau or someone — my head would be spinning and I don’t think it’s good for the way you perform if there’s uncertainty.
“The other side of the argument to that is you keep them guessing and it pushes them further — that might occasionally happen.
“But I don’t think it happens for the majority, so by and large I think our selection and Cheika’s selection over recent years has been a mish mash.”
The Wallabies have the week off before they take on Wales in Cardiff on November 11.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Probably the worst article on a rugby match I have ever read
198 Go to commentsWho hurt this man.. LoL 😭
198 Go to commentsIt unfortunate for the Jaguares that they became formidable just as super rugby as we knew came to an end. However, the idea of bringing them back is nonsensical. While I enjoyed the Jaguares and the South African flavour of the comp, a selling point of this incarnation of super rugby is that all games are on a decent time for an Aussie audience.
2 Go to commentslol that’s your opinion Ben, All Blacks benefited from a forward pass try, SA played 77 min without a recognised hooker, missed a no try conversion and a penalty could have would have but didn’t
198 Go to commentsBrett, from my distant perspective, I hope you get to keep the Rebels. Any ideas of teams from Japan or Argentina are just crazy. Won’t happen. If you look at logistics, it is much easier to get to LA from Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney than to Buenos Aires. All with direct non-stop daily flights. You may even get some “gringos” to watch the games, with some younger players compared to Giteau and Nonu who still “play” in the area. I think it is virtually impossible to get a competitive Argie team for SR. All Pumas are in Europe, almost all second tier players are also in Europe. Fringe players are in South American pro rugby tournament (and many still in the MLR!) but these players who might be most interested in joining a new Jaguares do not have the skills to compete. As I have been saying since the Jaguares joined, they should have had TWO teams to make logistics for visiting teams better and Argie player development improved as well. Jaguares/Pumas was not ideal. But this is where Pichot and his cronies did not think long enough. Further the country with he new president “No hay Plata” Milei is in a very difficult situation. Galperin, the richest man in Argentina owns the Miami franchise of MLR. I don’t think you can get him to invest in Argentina. Actually, he played rugby himself. He was a fly half. He is worth around $6 billion!
2 Go to commentsWell done Baby Boks we will take the Draw. No 9 senseless long passes in those conditions. let’s move on and hope for some good weather
5 Go to commentsHow did it end a draw. South Africa didn’t score any points as far as I can see
5 Go to commentsNo doubt this will be a fantastic occasion and I plan to be there, but I think the bean counters have won out over the rugby brains. In my opinion, it is foolhardy to give the Black Ferns the experience of playing in front of 60,000+ at Twickenham a year before they might be playing there in a World Cup Final. Better to play France at Twickenham and Black Ferns at Kingsholm. The difference in takings would be miniscule.
1 Go to commentsDom kant
198 Go to commentsBen is a little incel desperately trying to stir the pot and stay relevant. We used to get mad at his articles. Now we just feel sorry for him
198 Go to commentsPerhaps we may need to put an asterisk on NZ’s ‘87 WC win since the Boks weren’t there. You know, just as a reminder. Poor Ben Smith. Go cry somewhere else.
198 Go to commentsNz should have won. I didn't watch the game, but the ref was at fault and the bounce of the ball and the Bokke used the Bomb squad and the Bokke slow the game down and the Bokke scrum. They should remove the scrum. The Bokke are to strong. Not fair. Nz should have won
5 Go to commentsThanks for a much more balanced piece Ned and not that BS that Bin Smuth just posted a short while ago. read this article and then Bin Smuth’s and tell me there isn’t a huge difference🙄
5 Go to commentsWere the Baby Boks part of this game or did the Baby Blacks play themselves?🤔 That man Bin Smuth once again does a little write-up on the game and it is like 95% about the Baby Blacks🤣 Glad he ends off with the Baby Blacks were actually in cruise control for most of the game and weren’t actually playing for the win WTF🤣🤣 Maybe he was expecting the Baby Blacks to run rampant….
5 Go to commentsOne does not expect anything more from Ben Smith who epitomises the worst of New Zealand media arrogance and an inability to balance what he has to say about any team that beats the All Blacks. His reference to context is pathetically thin. He does not comment that Frizell deserved a red card given his blatant manipulation of his body to ensure that he could drop his body weight onto Mbonambi’s lower leg. No mention of the ball lost forward before the All Black’s try (lost in-field of the 5 metre line and gathered beyond). The All Black commitment and effort was superb and there was little in it. Given the Springbok passage to the final and the loss of their hooker in the first three minutes, their resolve and capacity to win their fourth final out of eight attempts (not three out of ten) deserves the praise that has been forthcoming from media around the world, worth reading and listening to. Ben should join his “pundit” friends on TV - he would fit in well. This sort of article reduces any credibility Rugby Pass has ever had. Why persist with this sort of nonsense? The man does his country and a rugby blog a disservice.
198 Go to commentsEtzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
198 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
157 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
198 Go to comments