Kearns spews damning indictment of Aussie rugby on NZ radio show
World Cup winner Phil Kearns has delivered a damning indictment of Australian rugby, claiming Dave Rennie, the new Wallaby coach, has to end 20 years of “playing by numbers” and rediscover the team’s attacking flair.
Kearns believes Rennie’s brief, having taken over from Michael Cheika, will also include developing Australian coaches to fill the current void that left the ARU with no option but to give the job to a New Zealander.
The former hooker did not pull his punches telling the Devlin Radio Show: “Dave Rennie is rated very highly by players who have been coached by him, but if an Australian was appointed to coach the All Blacks there would be outright war.
“There is currently no obvious Australian candidate to take the head coach role. There are some guys coming through who we think have got potential but there is no one ready to take the reins right now. Generally, over the last 20 years we have been coaching a style of rugby that is very played by numbers and I don’t think we have brought a lot of great coaches through. The ones who had potential have been dragged overseas, mostly to the UK.
“The ability to keep them hasn’t been great and we only have four professional teams and we need to do a better job of coaching the coaches. It would be a mistake if Dave Rennie came in with a whole crew of Kiwi coaches because he has to be seen to be imparting his knowledge on the next batch of Australian coaches.”
While a dearth of home-grown coaching talent is Kearns’ major concern, he is also unhappy with the style of rugby that has been served up, although he accepts Cheika did try to change this situation but his term ended after the World Cup in Japan.
'Disgraceful' – Phil Kearns launches tirade against referee over Tupou decision https://t.co/OyygztQU6c
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 20, 2019
He added: “You have seen the Wallabies play a very structured, programmed style of game for the last 15-20 years and our strength traditionally has been our flair and ad-lib which has to a large extent disappeared.
“Dave Rennie’s job is to get the most out of the players he has got and identify the next group of talent coming through and make sure they are coached properly. Our players have been so worried about where they have to be on the field rather than responding to the way the game is being played that it has taken us backwards.
“Look at the team Rod McQueen coached, and the back line was: Gregan. Larkham, Horan, Little, Roff, Tune and Burke with a couple of decent forwards running around supporting them. They knew how to play rugby and had the skills which I am not sure we have been coaching for the last 15 years.
“At the World Cup (in Japan) one of the big issues was that we didn’t have a World class 9 or 10.”
The Season 5 – Episode 3
A changing room reminder about team values and expectations encourages the squad to train with consistency but mistakes start to creep in.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments