'To be honest, that's where we are at': Dave Rennie gives frank assessment of Wallabies
Dave Rennie, entering his second season as head coach of the Wallabies, has talked up the French side that will be visiting Australia’s shores later this year and acknowledged that 2020 didn’t really go quite as well as the Kiwi coach had hoped.
In Rennie’s first year in charge, the Wallabies finished bottom of the Tri Nations log and recorded just one victory from their six matches played.
Three of their games ended in draws, including both of their clashes with Argentina, while their sole win came against an out of sorts All Blacks side in a match where both teams conceded a red card.
Rennie, speaking from a coaching clinic in regional New South Wales, lamented the draws with Argentina while also commenting that the results from 2020 were a fair reflection of where the Wallabies currently stand.
“We were frustrated because we couldn’t put the Argentinians away but, to be honest, that’s where we’re at,” he said. “I think if we’d won those two Argentinian games and won a bit of silverware, maybe everyone would think that all the problems were solved – and we’re miles off that.
“So we’ve got a lot of work to do, but [we’ve got] good men, great attitude, keen to learn, prepared to work hard and so we’ve got to build on that.”
Later this year, a young but capable French side will travel south with the hopes of earning a first victory against the Wallabies on Australian shores in over three decades.
With the likes of Harry Wilson, Jordan Petaia, Hunter Paisami and Filipo Daugunu all earning ample game time in 2020, Australia’s national side aren’t exactly lacking in youthful exuberance either, but the fast-improving tourists should offer a massive challenge to the home team.
“I reckon they’d be favourites to win the Six Nations,” said Rennie. “They’re really impressive. They’ve created really good depth and I think you’ve got so many foreigners over there playing [in the Top 14] who are high-quality players and I reckon that’s assisted with their game.
“They’re impressive, that’ll be a really tough challenge. But it’s what we need. We’ve got a really good international programme this year and we’ll play all of the top sort of eight or nine teams.”
This could be a major coup for Australia – but also a huge blessing for the Lions. #Wallabies #LionsRugby @lionsofficialhttps://t.co/YfbRfMsNUS
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 31, 2021
As well as playing New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina in the Rugby Championship, Australia are also scheduled for matches against Scotland and England come the end of year tour to Europe. At least two fixtures are still to be confirmed, though there are rumours that the Wallabies could go up against Japan and Wales this year.
Speaking on the New Zealand rivalry, Rennie admitted that Australia will always be a step-behind their trans-Tasman neighbours due to their rival’s obsession with rugby.
“I think it’s inbred in the country and the DNA of rugby, there’s no AFL, there’s not really a strong rugby league presence compared to rugby and I think it’s very strong in all high schools so yeah, they’ve got a little bit of a conveyor belt of talent coming out.
“It’s a good system; the NPC system has got 14 more sides who play and that feeds into Super Rugby so it’s very well-structured and we won’t be able to get to that sort of structure based on what’s here with AFL and NRL but that’s why these days are important, [for] exposing and developing as many community coaches as we can to improve the quality of the players coming through. We’re certainly doing a lot of work and a lot of planning around it at the moment, it’s exciting times.”
The Wallabies won’t assemble until much later in the year but, in the meantime, Rennie will have his sight focussed firmly on the Super Rugby competition, which kicks off on February 19.
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