Wallabies next head coach not a 'done deal' says Rugby Australia boss
Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos says the race to be the next Wallabies coach is not a “closed shop” and rejected Brumbies coach Dan McKellar’s involvement in the national set-up as a conflict of interest.
Dave Rennie is preparing Australia for next year’s World Cup, where a deep run could see the mentor extend his reign towards the 2027 edition on home soil.
That hasn’t stopped the jostling in the queue though.
Queensland Rugby were left incensed by comments this week from an unnamed RA source in a Nine Network report stating Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn was not a “team player” and wouldn’t be considered for the role.
Thorn, who has led a Reds revival with the team clinching the 2021 Super Rugby AU title, was annoyed to have to address a faceless critic.
“”It’s always interesting when someone says something like that but if there’s no name to it – who am I talking to?” the former dual code international said on Thursday.
“I’ve been big on team here. Obviously from my playing career, in league or union, I wasn’t the bloke scoring lots of tries or flash stuff, I was the bloke hitting breakdowns and doing hit-ups and doing more of the team stuff.
“It’s annoying that I’ve got to stand here. If you feel strongly about something, have a chat, communicate. That’s normal.”
Thorn said Wallabies staff had been welcomed into Reds training, with Rennie and co working at the Queensland headquarters this week.
The comments about Thorn fuelled ongoing speculation that McKellar, who has been an assistant to Rennie for two years and will join full time after this Super Rugby Pacific season, is the heir apparent for the job.
Marinos denied that was the case and said there had been no discussion about the future of the role beyond Rennie.
“No, it’s certainly not a done deal,” he told AAP.
“We have a Wallabies coach and we are happy with our coach. There is no ‘heir apparent’.
“You’ve got to have succession but Dan’s coming in with a point of difference from a forward’s perspective and adding that value.
“Absolutely (Thorn is a contender); at no stage have we said it’s a closed shop or made a pre-determination.
“We believe Dave is the right man to take us forward but it’s about building the resources around us so that, you never know, if anyone needs to take over they’re in a good position to do so.”
The chief executive said Wallabies selections fell entirely on Rennie, insisting McKellar’s dual roles with club and country were not problematic.
“I don’t think it’s a conflict of interest when you’re coaching at a national level you’re there to put what’s best for the national team,” he said.
“Ultimately Dave takes full responsibility for the final decision.”
Former Wallabies captain Phil Kearns was a Thorn fan and thought competition for the coveted coaching role could only be a good thing for Australian rugby.
“I’m not sure Dave’s quite ready to give that up yet but Brad’s done terrific stuff for the Reds in rebuilding them,” the former NSW hooker said.
“I love his no-nonsense approach; it is hard and full of discipline, but a lot of sport is about discipline and getting those attention-to-detail things right.
“He demands that and has done well.
“Let’s keep them all competing for that job, just like players competing on the field.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments