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Ominous signs of another Australian Rugby scouting failure

By Online Editors
Mack Mason of the Waratahs had a night to forget on his return to Super Rugby. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)

The NSW Waratahs are rallying around rookie playmaker Mack Mason after the 24-year-old’s rare start backfired spectacularly on coach Daryl Gibson.

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Deputising for Test five-eighth Bernard Foley, who was rested under the Wallabies’ rotation policy, Mason was hooked after 57 minutes of the Waratahs’ humiliating 31-29 Super Rugby loss to the Sunwolves.

With Mason’s confidence seemingly deserting him after a succession of blunders, Gibson said he had no choice but to replace him with the Waratahs fighting to save the game against the competition’s bottom-placed outfit.

The coach was loathe to blame Mason for the shock loss in Newcastle, but will likely think long and hard before picking the under-20 Melbourne Storm NRL player again.

Mason, a product of rugby school Churchie in Brisbane, originally signed with the NRL team Melbourne Storm featuring in their under-20 team after high school. The Queensland Reds moved to lure Mason back to rugby, providing a squad spot in 2016 before the Waratahs snapped him up for 2017 and beyond.

He has been biding his time in Sydney, playing NRC and club rugby but his disappointing re-appearance at Super Rugby won’t be lost on Australian fans waiting for the next generation of Wallaby flyhalves to establish themselves after just one new debutant (Reece Hodge) since 2009.

Gibson is committed to resting all his Wallabies at least twice during the season, meaning Foley will be absent again at some point which could provide Mason another shot.

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Kurtley Beale, like he did on Friday night, is the obvious option to cover for Foley, but Waratahs hooker Damien Fitzpatrick said it was important not to give up on Mason.

“We’ve all been there. I’ve had shockers as well when I started,” Fitzpatrick said.

“Mack’s a great player who had a couple of errors. I’m sure he’s going to beat himself up about it as a five-eighth, likewise at hooker when you miss a throw, one of your fundamental skills, you beat yourself up.

“But at the same time we pick ourselves up, your teammates pat you on the back and you get in on Monday and you move on.”

The entire Waratahs squad faces a week of soul searching, with Gibson warning his charges they face more misery against the Blues on Friday in Auckland if they repeat their bumbling display.

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“The Sunwolves have been very competitive this year so we knew what we were going to be in for,” Gibson said.

“It’s a real learning opportunity. I’ve seen the best of this team and tonight we didn’t see close to that and so we’ve got to really learn from it.

“If we play at the same intensity that we did last week (in beating the Crusaders), then we’re going to be a good side.

“If we continue to do what we’re doing tonight, then we’ll get what we get.”

Michael Cheika talks to RugbyPass:

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A
Adrian 18 minutes 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

6 Go to comments
T
Trevor 3 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.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 7 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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