Author: Bob Dwyer
‘We’re just looking for a good set piece and applying a lot of pressure.’ This was the response last weekend to commentator Brendan Cannon’s pre-match question to champion Sharks hooker Bismark du Plessis. Clearly, this is the simply-stated-but-more-difficult-to-achieve plan for success in finals rugby. The Chiefs and the Sharks were able to achieve both these goals, each in the most testing of arenas. Both the losing teams went close, but not quite. Surely, these matches were as intense as rugby can get – I’m thinking just outside of the very highest level of international matches. Chiefs v. Crusaders Pre-match thinking…
In Bob Dwyer Rugby Workshops, my colleague Mike Penistone and I compile a list of discussion topics for our Global Coaching Conferences, as we think of them. A couple of examples: ‘It’s difficult to change ingrained habits’; ‘Width — is it important to your attack?’ The aim is that, via interactive discussion amongst the coaches, they will understand the full implications of the topic and then, with our assistance, develop a coaching strategy and content for practice sessions to achieve the desired performance. Recently Mike added another topic: ‘I want my team to dominate the opposition’. It’s pretty clear that…
The Queensland Reds have had a tough season, but they have come out the other end and live to fight another day. Injuries, suspension and a difficult-to-understand form slump in the first half of the competition, when they won only one game from six, combined to put them in an almost impossible position on the table. To stay in the race to finish in the top six teams, almost certainly requiring them to win the Aussie franchise, they had to win their last six matches. That they were able to do this speaks volumes for the full squad, both on-field…
The Reds and the Brumbies both needed to win their matches this weekend. The Reds needed to stay in reach of a wildcard spot in the play-offs and the Brumbies wanted to maintain their top spot in the Aussie conference — and neither team had easy games. The Reds had the Highlanders, thankfully at Suncorp, and the Brumbies were in Sydney to the Waratahs, where they had not won since 2002. With so much at stake, these were bound to be tough, physical, hard-fought matches – and they were. To their great credit, our top two teams weathered their respective…
This was a crucial weekend for the many Super Rugby teams. With nine teams fighting for the top six play-off spots and three fighting to avoid the wooden spoon, one slip had the potential to be crucial. Often in such situations, with the outcome so vital to a whole year’s endeavour, the contest becomes stodgy, with none of the combatants prepared to risk anything. Such was not the case this time, however, and the ambition and endeavour across the board was pretty much the opposite. We saw some great rugby. The Reds needed the win, of course, but also the…
A clean sweep, three–nil, against the Six Nations Grand Slam champions — that can’t be too bad, and indeed it isn’t. A growing ability within this Wallabies team to win the tight ones, to grind out a win when needs must — that can’t be too bad either. To gradually improve aspects of our play, week by week, month by month — that’s OK also. But year by year, year after year, now into our fifth year, that’s getting to be way too long. How long can a project stay as a work in progress? Once upon a time, not…
I saw the game live at Etihad Stadium and I had lousy seats – side-on and low down. I’m now travelling in Tasmania and I’ve been unable to watch any replays, so I’ve some difficulties in writing an accurate assessment of the match. (Let’s not play the obvious game here!) I’m going to give my summary impressions now and, if anyone’s interested, I’ll add more later in the week, but probably not until Friday. Here goes! This was a valuable series win for the Wallabies. They are playing the Six Nations grand slam champions, who had also won many fans…
During last week an Australian rugby journalist called me for some comment on the coming first Test against Wales, the Six Nations Grand Slam champions. ‘There is no way that I can see for the Wallabies to win,’ I replied. ‘Our scrum, our lineout, our midfield attack, our counter-attack, even our back row — I can’t see any area with a significant enough advantage on which we could build a victory.’ Wrong again, I’m happy to admit. We were well worthy of the win. David Pocock completely outplayed Sam Warburton and with great support from TPN, Rob Simmons, Nathan Sharpe…
We had two teams with a bye weekend – Reds and Force – but we still gained some valuable information, for both the immediate and long term benefits of all of our coaches and teams. The Brumbies seemed a little off their game in their match against the Rebels and, as we saw with the Crusaders a few weeks ago in Melbourne and with the Sharks yesterday away to the Lions, any team can win any game, if you’re not switched on and ready. I hope that the Brumbies can refocus during the break and get back to doing the…
With the extended Wallabies squad for the June internationals is to be announced at the end of it, and in a round of matches where performances were expected to count for plenty, many players let their chances slip. So many, however, that the selectors would have been forced to disregard a lot and to look to earlier matches and even to last season to arrive at final decisions. Not that this is so bad, anyway; if you’ve done it before, chances are you can do it again. The Rebels were awful, but the Hurricanes can punish any team if their…
The weekend started brightly for Aussie fans, with the Brumbies playing well again and picking up a valuable bonus point win over the well-performed Hurricanes – and in Wellington. One of my mates pointed to the interesting fact that three top NZ sides have each “surrendered” to three Aussie tries in the second half in the last three weeks – Crusaders, Chiefs, Hurricanes to the Rebels, Reds, Brumbies. Wonder what Graham Henry will have to say about that! The Brumbies had some ordinary moments – for example, silly penalty by Hooper, then soft try to Perenara – but were again…
On Saturday night, I had decided on my “headline” for this week’s article – “The Rebels are the Real Deal” – and then, on Sunday, came the Reds astonishing rout of the high-flying Chiefs. New headline needed! Just a few weeks back I was bemoaning the form of most of the Aussie teams – the Brumbies being the exception – and now we have victories over the two in-form teams of NZ rugby; the Rebels astonishing and well-deserved win over the Crusaders and the Reds “back from the edge of the grave” to register the first Chiefs’ defeat since Round…
Only one Aussie team won on the weekend and they defeated another Aussie team. The Rebels lost narrowly to the Bulls but picked up two bonus points; the Force lost by four points to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein – not that easy a result; the Tahs were well beaten by the conference leaders, the Brumbies; and the Reds lost, but picked up a losing bonus point to the in-form Crusaders in Christchurch. In total, not a great weekend for the Aussies on the score-board, but, for my money, some consolation from improved performances. The Rebels showed that there is a…
Today I want to talk about the Brumbies and the foundations of their consistent, high quality performances, which are attractive and exciting for fans – and no doubt also for their players. A statement I make often is, ‘You don’t need great players, you need players playing great.’ Great players are those generally considered great by the informed media, by the fans and, probably, by coaches and selectors. At the beginning of this season, none of these players would have been considered great by any but a biased few: Mogg, Tomane, Speight, Smith, Lealiifano, White, Auelua, Hooper, Fardy, (Sam) Carter,…
Last weekend, I challenged you all to name your alternative Wallabies XV to be coached by me to challenge the Wallabies in a trial match. So, it’s about time I picked my team. One of you suggested that Jake White should coach the team – given the success and style of this year’s Brumbies – and I agreed. However, when I subsequently discussed the fantasy proposition with a friend – an ex-coach and player at international level – he responded with ‘we’re calling time on the non-Aussie coaches, OK!’ So I’m coach again, but I’m bringing in the Brumbies’ back-up…
Quite a few readers have speculated on Wallabies Test selections and asked my opinion. Here’s an idea. I’ll choose the obvious XV, based mainly on past selections and past performances (they do count, after all): WALLABIES OBVIOUS XV: Robinson, Moore, Alexander, Horwill (c), Simmons, Higginbotham, Palu, Pocock, Genia, Barnes, Ioane, McCabe, AAC, O’Connor, Beale. Now: you get to choose an alternative XV via comments below, with none of the Obvious team included (and no reserves). I’ll join our alternative team selectors also and I’ll be happy to coach the alternative team – give me one week – and we’ll challenge…
This was always going to be a very important week for the Aussie Super Rugby teams, with the Reds against the in-form Stormers, the Brumbies away in Pretoria to the Bulls and the derby between the Waratahs and the Force. All were important matches for different reasons and I, for one, got a lot from them. The Reds were severely disrupted by early injuries to two mid-fielders, Lane and Tapuai — and for a short while played Radike Samo in the centres — but still battled gamely against the odds to stay in touch on the scoreboard. The Reds…
I hate to say it, but nothing much has changed in the total picture following this weekend’s Super Rugby matches. New Zealand and South African teams are still playing at a level way above our Aussie teams. If anything, South African teams remain the big improvers, with the Bulls and the Stormers – despite their Chris Pollock-influenced loss to the Crusaders – likely to provide the bulk of a potentially very good Springbok team. Of course, the Reds had the bye, and this takes a lot of quality Aussie players out of view, but there was a distinct lack of…
A few weeks back, I said that New Zealand rugby was looking in great shape, with South Africa behind them and Aussie rugby trailing behind. On the evidence of this weekend, I’m thinking that South African rugby has caught up quite a bit – and, horror, they are playing real, old-Springbok, knock-‘em-down, throw-‘em-out, rugby. This is a tough and talented Highlanders outfit, but they were just bashed up and outplayed by the unbeaten Stormers. Add the Bulls, plus a few from the Sharks and elsewhere, and the Springboks will be quite a hurdle – for anyone! The weekend featured some…
Last week, I was happy enough to write that “there were some encouraging signs for most Aussie teams”. This week the results told a different story, and it was back to earth with a resounding thud. However, not all is lost, I reckon, because there were still some signs that the “Aussie game” is starting to heed some lessons – most of which, by the way, have long been obvious to most supporters, if I can judge by hundreds of comments from you guys, over that same period. Let’s start with the Rebels and get it over and done with.…