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Two coaches have now been linked with Michael Cheika's job - reports

By Online Editors
Australia flanker David Pocock

Two coaches have been linked with the Wallabies head coach position in the wake of their poor showing in the November Tests series.

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Last weekend the Wallabies crashed to a 37-18 defeat to England after the two sides were deadlocked at halftime at Twickenham Stadium.

The latest loss has heaped even more pressure on Cheika, who has lead Australia to a win ratio of under 50 per cent of the course of his five-year tenure.

According to Fairfax Media’s Georgina Robinson, two coaches have now been linked with the Australia head coach job, as the incumbent Cheika faces an informal meeting with the ARU board.

Watch: Michael Cheika following Australia’s loss to England at Twickenham.

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Former Springbok supremo Jake White – who is currently coaching Japan – is the biggest name being linked with the role. Beside winning a Rugby World Cup, White recently coached the Brumbies in Super Rugby and Montpellier Herault in France.

Rather more left of field, Scott Johnson has also been linked to the job. Johnson hasn’t taken the reins at an international team since he acted as interim coach of Scotland in 2014, but had coached both Wales and the United States before that, as well as a stint as head coach of the Ospreys.

All told, the 56-year-old Sydney native only won 5 out of 16 international games that he acted as headcoach on, but did coach Australia A way back in 2001.

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For some, getting rid of current coach Cheika can’t come soon enough. This week more ex-Wallabies added to calls for the former Waratahs and Leinster headcoach to be shown the door.

Fullback Matt Burke, hooker Brendan Cannon, and former coach Bob Dwyer are all critical of the current environment, labeling the performances ‘unacceptable’ and the respect factor has disappeared from the opposition.

“They can’t sit back and let this decline continue without someone deciding to take the bull by the horns, say this is unacceptable and we need to do something to turn it around,” Cannon said.

Last month Michael Lynagh told RugbyPass he believes Michael Cheika is bulletproof heading into next year’s World Cup in Japan even if the Wallabies continue their poor record.

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Lynagh said: “He will stay because a) there is nobody else and b)there is a financial issue that the ARU wouldn’t be able to meet. So, on both those fronts the logistics of trying to get rid of Michael are not right. You have to ask is Michael the right guy to take the team forward and for me that is the case.

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Bull Shark 2 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.

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