Scott Johnson's roller coaster first weekend as Australia's national director of rugby
Scott Johnson’s first day as national director of rugby finished on a low but day two gave him some reason for optimism as the country’s Super Rugby teams continued down their unpredictable pathways.
Hours after telling journalists on Friday that the Wallabies boast a fighting chance to win the World Cup, the flagship Waratahs team were undone in embarrassing fashion by the lowly-ranked Sunwolves.
Equilibrium was restored a day later when the Melbourne Rebels produced their most compelling rugby, beating the Queensland Reds 32-13 to leapfrog the Waratahs atop the Australian conference.
If first impressions mean anything, Johnson – who is also a new Wallabies selector – would have pencilled a host of Rebels names into page one of his notebook.
Will Genia is probably spelt in pen but his halves partner Quade Cooper’s case for a Test recall is firming by the week as the pair pulled the strings against their outclassed former team.
Most members of an abrasive Rebels pack are mounting cases too, none more so than flanker/lock Luke Jones and bullocking No.8 Isi Naisarani, whose Australian eligibility ticks over next month.
Classy winger Jack Maddocks is the season’s leading try-scorer with eight, adding two more to his tally via assists from Cooper’s boot.
Coach Brad Thorn’s youthful Reds must bounce back in three straight games against South African foes if they are to lift from the bottom rung they share with the Jaguares and Sunwolves.
A week after stunning the Crusaders, the Waratahs were rudderless in Newcastle, crashing 31-29 to a Sunwolves team who preyed on their mistakes.
Rested five-eighth Bernard Foley was sorely missed, with the little-used Mack Mason seemingly out of his depth and Kurtley Beale also enduring a night to forget at inside centre.
More mandatory rotation looms for Waratahs stars in coming weeks, including Israel Folau and Michael Hooper, their two most consistent performers who haven’t missed a minute all season.
There was a bye for the Brumbies, whose return next week is against the competition-leading Crusaders in Christchurch.
That’s a daunting prospect given how quickly the nine-time champions recovered their poise with a 32-8 thumping of the Hurricanes, turning their table-topping clash into a lop-sided clinic in Wellington..
The Waratahs will also travel to New Zealand to face the Blues while the Rebels host the Sunwolves and the Reds stay in Brisbane to face the Stormers.
Elsewhere in round seven, the Bulls scraped past the Sharks 19-16 in Durban and the Chiefs also left it late to pip the Jaguares 30-27 in Buenos Aires.
The improving Blues made it three straight wins and clambered into the top eighth by seeing off the Stormers 24-9 at Eden Park.
AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments