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Rushed headcoach appointment smacks of a classic Ulster misdirection - Neil Best

By Neil Best

That which prematurely arrives at perfection soon perishes

I feel a little bit sorry for Scotland assistant coach Dan McFarland. He’s just bagged himself a great opportunity to move up career-wise, but he finds himself at the centre of another Ulster/IRFU cock up.

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I don’t know the guy personally or professionally and have no real idea if he’ll be the answer to Ulster Rugby’s problems or the fans’ prayers. But what I do know is that the announcement and its timing, has been nothing short of another shambles.

To many observers it looked like it was a rushed announcement post-Munster, to overshadow the bad news of the end of another Pro14 season without playoff rugby. And it’s not the first time Ulster have tried what is increasingly appearing to be a rather deliberate trick either.

Remember Arno Botha? In mid-January 2017 Ulster announced he’d signed a two-year deal with the club. The announcement came within a day of Ulster’s drubbing at Exeter -which effectively ended their European Rugby Champions Cup ambitions for another season. By the middle of May the deal had fallen through over concerns about fitness -you could say the deal had been announced before all the i’s were dotted and the t’s crossed.

When Ulster lost badly at Leinster in January this year -operations director Bryn Cunningham began the process of briefing the arrival of Stephen Donald. Only two weeks later that deal was off too due to fitness.

In many ways it’s the same with Dan McFarland. He’s been announced without all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed. Whilst we all may expect that the IRFU will eventually buy out his contract, or “revoke” it -as has become the Irish Rugby term for buying out -there is absolutely no guarantee. Ulster Rugby have made an announcement expecting something will be sorted out rather than knowing it will. That on its own it’s nothing short of madness because the worst-case scenario doesn’t bear thinking about. No coach until January would be a disaster, no matter how talented.

The last time Ulster waited on a coach it didn’t turn out great either. Remember a talented guy in a national setup yet to be given the chance to be a number one, Les Kiss? All these positive indicators sound familiar? On that occasion of course Les did arrive just quite late. But the guy asked to step up in the meantime did a pretty good job -good enough to feel aggrieved about his subsequent demotion. Internal friction followed but the fans were all reassured that Les would get it right when he got his own assistants -but they arrived and he lasted only a few more months.

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I’ve heard that Ulster or the IRFU -no one is any longer quite sure who calls the shots on anything -may have only interviewed two applicants for the role. That in itself seems odd -given the perceived need for a big name to steady a big club like Ulster. The other interviewee Andy Friend was apparently impressive to say the least but not well enough known personally within IRFU circles.

If that wasn’t intrigue enough, Connaught – the club McFarland has a strong history with -are apparently dispensing with their own head coach Keiran Keane after just twelve months, yet that natural Connaught fit for McFarland seems to have been overlooked in favour of him being sent to Belfast.

Could that mean that Andy Friend may soon be Connaught bound? If no accommodation is reached with the Scottish Union, I wonder how Ulster fans might feel about Connaught getting the IRFU’s second choice for Ulster only six months earlier.

But with understandable ongoing supporter unrest -those least impressed with the Shane Logan regime and his perception of self, will have already voted with their feet before we know the answer.

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john 42 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

14 Go to comments
A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

14 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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