Australian Rugby / RA

[Quick Hands]

Insurance is paid as a seperate component, so I’m not sure how that could be right.

Correct, there's a separate insurance fee which is on top of RA levy and the registration fee that the club charges.

(all registrations now being done through a central RA website)

 

[TSR]

Individual Insurance has, IMO been extremely damaging to competition viability. Certainly in my area at least.

 

[Mudslider]

Clyne and Castle are just adding another level of accountability between them and Cheika bring in Johnston... The executive stepping away from the RA bus...

 

[Slim 293]

The latest article in Fairfax seems to indicate that Larkham is gone.........

We're starting to get a feel for what the 2019 Wallabies coaching team will look like, but the big question is how will it function in a high-stakes World Cup year?

Michael Cheika survives at the helm, Scott Johnson installed over the top as director of rugby, with Mick Byrne (skills) and Nathan Grey (defence) likely, but not certain, to survive a cull of the assistants.

Something had to give, but there are plenty of people bemused that it was attack coach Stephen Larkham – the man once anointed by Cheika as his successor – who was offered up as the fall guy.

An objective look at the Wallabies' season – 13 Tests, nine losses, half the tries scored this year compared to last – will tell you they were all fair game. The attack was poor, yes. But the defence ran hot and ice cold, the skills were not evident and the set pieces – the lineout in particular – a mess.

But depending on what side of the fence you sat, internally, it was someone else's fault. The defensive system exhausted players, leaving little in the tank on attack. The attack was too structured. There was too much kicking for a team short on strong tactical kickers. And so on. One source told The Sun-Herald that Larkham had barely touched the attack this season.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...her-a-world-cup-campaign-20181214-p50mfz.html
I'm not sure how Grey could possibly survive after several seasons of poor, muddled defensive structures.........

 

[wamberal]

Without in any way defending Grey, who on this earth could devise a defensive strategy that could compensate for the weaknesses of Foley and Beale? Particularly against teams with big 12s.

 

[Highlander35]

Dunno. Maybe by not playing that combination?

 

[wamberal]

Dunno. Maybe by not playing that combination?

Too obvious.

 

[TSR]

I’m very dubious that Larkham’s credentials ever justified him scoring the gig, but in the current set up I would have assumed he would be 4th in the pecking order to go.

It would be interesting to know how Cheika justified that it is Larkham who needs to go while he, Grey & Raiwalui just need more time.

 

[Rebels3]

Without in any way defending Grey, who on this earth could devise a defensive strategy that could compensate for the weaknesses of Foley and Beale? Particularly against teams with big 12s.

He can start but abandoning the use of an open side and blind side wingers and revert to a left and right winger specialist.

 

[Rebels3]

I’m very dubious that Larkham’s credentials ever justified him scoring the gig, but in the current set up I would have assumed he would be 4th in the pecking order to go.

It would be interesting to know how Cheika justified that it is Larkham who needs to go while he, Grey & Raiwalui just need more time.

Wouldn’t surprise me to see Johnson take some control of the attack as per his resume shows he has experience. RA is broke, they have moved Johnson into a role which requires him to be paid. For the next 12 months I can see him helping the attack. Getting rid of the other 3 would require payouts and then new salaries to those that moved into the roles. Larkham might of been the unlucky one where the guy coming in has credentials to cover his role. The rest will be gone post wc

 

[RedsHappy]

The latest article in Fairfax seems to indicate that Larkham is gone...

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/patchwork-wallabies-can-cheika-stitch-together-a-world-cup-campaign-20181214-p50mfz.html
I'm not sure how Grey could possibly survive after several seasons of poor, muddled defensive structures...

Who knows the 'insider' reasons in any detail, but prima facie Byrne has been the biggest shock and disappointment of the lot relative to his avowed track record and experience with the ABs for many years. And he was praised for years by AB players and management well before he came back to Australia.

2018's Wallaby skills overall were abominable by any elite standard. There is no sign of improvement in any discernible aspect since Byrne's arrival, and kicking from both hand and place - supposedly Byrne's core forte - has certainly not progressed.

Byrne's statement before this year's Bledisloe that 'Wallaby skills are now as good as the ABs' was surely the emanation of man in a delusional condition or a piece of knowingly erroneous PR bluffing gone horrendously wrong as the 3 Bled matches proved.

The entire team of Wallaby ACs seem dysfunctional and unproductive to me. Not a single one appears to have produced anything of definitive value after a number of years together (bar the new Forwards AC who has joined this club in the the worse of senses and over-sighted our set pieces and breakdown work going backwards).

This long-running systemic dysfunctionality and low productivity of outcomes arising from all the Wallaby ACs must point to elements of serious managerial failure on Cheika's part.

 

[KOB1987]

Whilst I mostly agree with you RH I think in fairness to Byrne 'skills coaching' the Wallabies v the same gig at the All Blacks would be completely different kettle of fish!

Rawuli I think would have been guaranteed some job security in his contract given he was relocating from France, but they can modify his role. Maybe Cheika will take over set piece?

I'm not convinced that Larkham will turn out to be merely the patsy or that Grey will remain unscathed, so I'm going to await the official statement before making judgement on these two.

 

[Derpus]

Cant polish a turd.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I am bemused by the thoughts that any, or even all, of the Assistant Coaches can be held responsible for the Wallabies' inept displays this year.

The Wallabies have been on the slide, form wise, skills wise, game plan wise etc, since the 2015 RWC and the only common denominator is Michael Cheika. Just in his role as Head Coach, he should be the first to be held accountable despite the low abilities of his Assistants. But to imagine that all three of the Assistants are totally unacceptable while the HC is exonerated is team management at its worst.

If nothing else, this absolute clusterfuck must result in transparency in future contract for the coaching staff. There must be enforceable KPIs set and the ability for RA to take action that will not lead to large amounts of compensation when a coach fails. Those details must be available to the public, or RA will continue to slide in the fans' esteem.

Now it emerges that Larkham may have been left out of any real coaching role this year, and to imagine that Byrne has suddenly lost all of his abilities to enhance players' skills is just too unlikely to contemplate. I would imagine any ineffective inputs by the Assistants have been largely caused by and magnified by Cheika's autocratic approach to "his team".

 

[Rebels3]

I am bemused by the thoughts that any, or even all, of the Assistant Coaches can be held responsible for the Wallabies' inept displays this year.

The Wallabies have been on the slide, form wise, skills wise, game plan wise etc, since the 2015 RWC and the only common denominator is Michael Cheika. Just in his role as Head Coach, he should be the first to be held accountable despite the low abilities of his Assistants. But to imagine that all three of the Assistants are totally unacceptable while the HC is exonerated is team management at its worst.

If nothing else, this absolute clusterfuck must result in transparency in future contract for the coaching staff. There must be enforceable KPIs set and the ability for RA to take action that will not lead to large amounts of compensation when a coach fails. Those details must be available to the public, or RA will continue to slide in the fans' esteem.

Now it emerges that Larkham may have been left out of any real coaching role this year, and to imagine that Byrne has suddenly lost all of his abilities to enhance players' skills is just too unlikely to contemplate. I would imagine any ineffective inputs by the Assistants have been largely caused by and magnified by Cheika's autocratic approach to "his team".

Larkham and Grey have been there the whole time as well, arguably the team has got worse since they became full time. I guess the difference is Cheika is on a massive contract so costly to pay out, where as Larkahm would be a lot cheaper. And on top of this Cheika's resume is dramatically better than the assistants. Given the finances and the situation i think its a fairly good move, or at least one in the right direction. On saying that Grey would of been the first out the door in my mind.

 

[Quick Hands]

This long-running systemic dysfunctionality and low productivity of outcomes arising from all the Wallaby ACs must point to elements of serious managerial failure on Cheika's part.

All the parts that I have made bold could be made about RA, NSWRU, QRU, the Reds, the Waratahs, the Brumbies, the Force, so it's hardly surprising that those running RA are unable to detect these characteristics.

I often note that in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king. One suspects that metaphorically, nobody in the whole organisation has an eye for what's clear and plain.

EDIT: Some historical context (without wishing to reopen old wounds), but some quotations from this article are telling regarding Pulver's lack of oversight:

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...-own-staff-was-a-mistake-20141019-118g43.html

 

[jimmydubs]

So we're going to bring in a director position on big money but we cant afford to terminate Cheika?
Run him off and get a new coach for the year, add another layer of gobbledy gook post WC if needed: spend the money on trying not to become an utter laughing stock this year coming.
As ive said previously if Cheika as a self stated self made man who doesnt need the money insists on getting paid out then it just confirms hes full of shit. Fine. RUN HIM OFF already.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Cheika said ages ago he will leave after the RWC.

 

[Derpus]

So we're going to bring in a director position on big money but we cant afford to terminate Cheika?
Run him off and get a new coach for the year, add another layer of gobbledy gook post WC if needed: spend the money on trying not to become an utter laughing stock this year coming.
As ive said previously if Cheika as a self stated self made man who doesnt need the money insists on getting paid out then it just confirms hes full of shit. Fine. RUN HIM OFF already.

Makes sense to me. Salaries arent large lump sum payments.

 

[barbarian]

So we're going to bring in a director position on big money but we cant afford to terminate Cheika?

The more I read the more I'm convinced that it's not about money, it's the fact that they can't find a suitable alternative to replace Cheika.

The word is they have offered the job around, but it appears they haven't found anyone to take it - understandable given we're only 6-7 months from a World Cup and all good coaches are under contract.

So they change the only thing they can - the assistants. Which is something. A fresh set of eyes can only be a good thing, but I'm not sure if it's enough.

Amazed Grey has survived the chop. He'd be first out the door if I was in the chair.
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