Why it is time for another Kiwi to coach the Wallabies
Back to the future, again. When I read the reports that Eddie Jones and Warren Gatland were at the top of Rugby Australia’s wishlist to replace Michael Cheika, I immediately felt exactly how Marty McFly would have felt when told he had to go back to the future.
“Oh get… Weren’t we just there?”
Jones having another crack at the Wallabies would have a lot of fans worried, and there are plenty of punters who think the rot with the Wallabies all started when Robbie Deans came onboard in 2008. I disagree when it comes to Deans, things were looking pear-shaped well before then. But all that aside, there was another name mentioned in those reports that really sparked my interest: Dave Rennie.
I should explain first why Jones and Gatland don’t interest me in the same way Rennie does. Jones is familiar to all, and while his successes with Japan and England are to be admired, I just don’t want any of the b/s he seems to bring with him. The mind games in the media are getting old, and his efforts at diplomacy have not improved based on his current standing with the English clubs. The move towards greater synergy between the Wallabies and the Super Rugby teams does not suit him, nor would taking direction from Scott Johnson.
We were lucky enough to have former Wallaby Lachie Turner on our Pillar to Post podcast this week, and naturally, we discussed these coaches. He made the observation that while 2004 Eddie used to have playbooks the size of an atlas, the 2019 model is much less rigid in his philosophy. I suspect Scott Wisemantel is a positive influence in that regard.
Lachie made another interesting observation regarding Gatland in that he is the type of coach who could have an immediate, positive impact on the team. The scenario he proposed involves signing Gatland on a 2-year contract with an option to extend that allows Rugby Australia to reassess at the midway point in the World Cup cycle, which would allow someone like Dave Wessells to get a look in provided he has enough runs on the board.
Gatland is a better choice than Jones, but still doesn’t really excite me, and I think that’s because none of his Welsh teams have ever excited me. I know I’m in the wrong on this one, as he ticks all the boxes for better rugby minds than mine, but another part of my reasoning is his poor record against the Wallabies. It just strikes me as odd to appoint someone that has had so much trouble against us.
After Robbie Deans, there was a very vocal part of the Australian rugby community that preached we should never again recruit a foreign coach because Australian coaches get better results. Well, time has proved a mockery of that, as Ewen McKenzie and Cheika did not and have not delivered results, and we have no local coaches with the experience or form to call upon to take over when Cheika departs.
Which brings me to Rennie. As an Australian rugby fan, I remember the Chiefs with some fondness before he took over. They were one of those almost mythical beasts in rugby, a New Zealand team we had a good chance against. The way he and Wayne Smith were able to take that side from near cellar dwellers to consecutive Super Rugby champions was nothing short of masterful, and they did it without sweeping changes to the squad. More than anything, what I admired about that team was their support play once they made a break and the way that the overall game plan provided the space and freedom for the extraordinary individual talent in the team to come to the fore.
That Chiefs team was electrifying, and it’s just the sort of rugby we need to get fans back on the Wallaby bandwagon. We have plenty of excitement machines for Rennie to work with in Isreal Folau, Samu Kerevi and Quade Cooper, as well as young talent in Jordan Petaia, Liam Wright and Rob Valentini that would benefit immensely from his influence. He is noted as building great culture in his teams, the absence of which has been a recurring theme in media reports about the Wallabies over the past decade or so.
I appreciate that for Rennie to be involved we would need a caretaker of sorts until he becomes available in mid-2020. This wouldn’t be a hard task at all with the number of coaches Rugby Australia has on the books at the moment, so between Scott Johnson and Stephen Larkham, I am sure they’ll manage.
Turner was a great person to ask about Rennie, as he played against his team for both the Reds and Waratahs, and again during his time at Exeter against Rennie’s Glasgow Warriors.
“Rennie’s teams are all advocates of unstructured play, which is something Australian teams moved away from with Rod Macqueen. There would be a decent teething period with Rennie as a Wallaby coach but you would eventually see the benefits. I am just not sure the Australian rugby public would be patient enough”.
I can understand where he is coming from. The Wallabies haven’t been considered a successful side since the 2015 World Cup and yes, fans are desperate for wins and consistency. I think we need to give our fans more credit though. Rather than an overnight success, what we really want is a Wallaby team that embodies everything we used to love about them. Creativity, toughness and a never-say-die attitude. Dave Rennie’s teams have all had those qualities in spades, and that makes him the man to instill them in the current Wallabies. If he is up for it, then I say bring on Dingo Dave, this fan is in for the long haul.
Reds flyhalf Isaac Lucas ahead of Sunwolves:
Comments on RugbyPass
Brayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf 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 commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to comments