Great Wallaby Tries: 84 Grand Slam v Ireland

Nov 12

Posted by Noddy
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As with this tour, the second test on the 1984 Grand Slam tour was against Ireland, in Dublin. The Irish would be different opponents from the Poms with a greater battle at the breakdown expected. Accordingly Alan Jones opted to play Chris Roche along side Simon Poidevin in the backrow, to have dual open-sides. It was another try-less first half as Australia went to the break 3-0 up thanks to a Michael Lynagh drop goal.

In the second half Mark Ella also dropped a goal to give the Wallabies a six point lead. Three quick penalties to Ireland soon had them ahead 9-6 and the Wallabies looking shakey. Another Ella droppy (for someone reknowned for his running game, he kicked a few) tied the score up. And it is here that we pick up play with about five minutes left on the match clock and at 5:54 on the youtube video.

Nov 4

Great Wallaby Tries Analysed: 1984 v England

Posted by Noddy
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The first half of this game was scrappy as both teams seemed to push to hard to turn position into points. Drop goal attempts went wide and the score at the break was all tied up at three apiece. Not too long after the kick off to the second half, we eventually find ourselves (as in the Wallabies) with a scrum 5m out from the try line in a great position. To see how we got into this position, check out the video below from about 2:36 to see the class that is Brendan Moon.

team

Jun 5

Video: Wallabies vs BaaBaas 1984

Posted by Gagger
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To whet the appetite for the game tomorrow even further, here’s something they showed on Foxsports’ The Rugby Club this week.

I too made a mazy run like Campo’s in a game of touch once, years ago. No joke.

A question – what’s the point of the forwards kneeling in the set move? Was this an Alan Jones dance step?

Nov 19

Where to play Matt Giteau?

Posted by Gagger
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Whoever the next coach of the Wallabies is, he’ll have two very different selection dilemmas; where to find a competitive front row, and where to play Matt Giteau.

Of the two, I know which problem is more likely to keep him awake at night. Nevertheless, a few rumbles in the press over the last couple of days could mean that the saga of where to play Kid Dynamite will rumble on.

According to FoxSports among others, Giteau is looking forward to playing at 10 for The Western Force;

“The plan in Super 14 is to play at five-eighth, and then obviously if things go well from there maybe look to play five-eighth for the Wallabies,” Giteau said.

Which signals a problem that the Wallabies haven’t had for as long as I can remember: too many 10’s. All of a sudden we’ve gone from Bernie or no-one, to three or more candidates:

Berrick Barnes – seems strange to say he’s the ‘incumbent Wallaby 10′ but he did have an impressive debut at the RWC showing confidence on the ball, a booming boot and bounce back toughness
Kurtley Beale - I’ve never really seen Beale play, but from everything I’ve read, including his ARC player of series award, he’s a special talent. On top of that, his bulking up could make him a different proposition to go with his trademark chip ‘n chase
Quaid Cooper – has shown some real bursts of skill, although seems variable and prone to temperament issues. Got to take into account he’s been stuck with the Reds though, which obviously didn’t help Barnes any either

So is Giteau at five-eighth is a real goer long term? Undoubtedly he looked sharp when he took the role against Fiji in the absence of Larkham, but the prospect of a Barnes or Beale having a good 10+ year run at the role and up to 3 RWCs is an enticing one. For them to be at the right level come 2011, they need to get going now though.

The Giteau at 9 experiment just didn’t work and with specialists like Holmes and Burgess coming through it doesn’t need repeating. Which leaves Gits where he is – inside centre. Is this the best spot for him though? Or put it another way, is he the best guy for the jersey? Is he big enough to worry modern defences? Does having the best 13 in the world outside render him just a dummy runner anyway? Ultimately, if Giteau had really made 12 his own, I wouldn’t be writing this blog post.

With Beale physically shaping up a little, one left-field idea might be to move Beale to 12 and have the smaller Giteau at 10. Although from what I’ve read, Beale has that elusive quality of being able to run a game, which would be squandered at inside.

So ultimately Gits stays at 12, a spot that Australia doesn’t have a lot of cover for anyway. Perhaps Matt Giteau is unfortunately just one of those talented players who’s timing was off and will just never fully fit what’s there. Perhaps a motivating speech from potential coach Alan Jones solve all of this anyway…….

Nov 7

You’ve got to be kidding

Posted by Gagger
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As proof that if you can throw enough bullshit, some will stick, check out the latest odds on the Wallaby coaching race:

$2.25 David Nucifora
$2.75 Alan Gloria Jones
$4.50 Scott Johnson
$6 Robbie Deans
$7 Ewen McKenzie
$11 John Fuggleton
$21 Laurie Fisher

I shit you not. There are obviously enough 2GB listening dinosaurs out there crazed enough to put some of their pensions on Jones. Apart from Jones, the bookies are as usual close to the form. From what I’ve heard I’d have Johnson a little closer to $3 though.

By all reports the interview process today will be a corker, if for nothing else to see the amount of hot air that the DJ Jones will need to generate to cover his zero experience within the professional game. The interview panel are Pat Howard, Michael Hawker, Rod McCall, Mark Connors, Brett Robinson and of course John O’Neil.

Each of the applicants have been asked to present a plan for how they would beat the All Blacks using the 2007 Wallabies squad. I would imagine that the likes of Pat Howard (coaching guru) could have a good old laugh at Alan’s expense if they didn’t mind a subsequent media vendetta. Watch JO’N try and think up some honorary role for the old wind bag (already mooted coach of coaches??) to try and stop him having a good old whinge afterwards.

Oct 31

Australia Coach Selection Shenanigans

Posted by Gagger
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The Wallabies coach selection process, which seems to have been going for about 6 months so far, has certainly thrown in a few twists and turns this past week with the approach of the application deadline.

The biggest non surprise has been the Deans candidacy fizzling out. O’Neil and the ARU cocked-up in publicly naming a favourite, especially so early in the process. It’s no coincidence that the NZRFU timed their selection process to make it impossible for Deans to go for both jobs. Also, as far as I could see, Deans never really showed any serious interest in the Wallaby job, no matter how much O’Neill tried to force him to, including a rendezvous in ‘gay Paris’.

Nationality aside, like in any big job, the candidate has to really want it, above all other options. Imagine Deans had relented and Henry kept the AB job. What happens in a couple of years when the Kiwis see sense and boot Henry out? You think Deans wouldn’t jump ship in a heartbeat? Deans probably also realised that ‘Wallabies Coach’ isn’t a big plus to the deluded NZRFU on the CV of an AB coaching candidate. His absence from NZ would also give someone else on the Shaky Isles a chance to shine.

If you look at the only poll that matters, taken from 64 rugby experts and closed before Deans’ announcement, you can see that most of these experts weren’t fooled by the Deans’ shenanigans. Of the two leading candidates in the poll, G&GR can (seriously) reveal that over a lunch in Europe recently, one of the Wallaby coaching selection panel, a certain ex-Wallaby, expressed strong positivity towards Johnson. Scott’s profile has gone from kooky assistant coach, to the guy responsible for all that’s been positive in the Wallabies the past two years. A strong runner.

We should find out soon whether Jake White, current Springbok World Champ coach, will throw his hat in the ring or not. I don’t know a lot about White, but despite SA’s form of late, I’ve not been wowed by the guy. Seems to me most of the works been done at a S14 level and he’s ridden an impressive talent pool, while making sensible but obvious selection decisions. Probably his biggest coup was holding off the bureaucrats and their crazy selection quotas. Am I being unfair?

Another name that’s popped up over the last couple of days has been Alan Gaffney. His qualifications seem to be working for Eddie Jones for a year as backs coach (worrying) and turning the English club Saracens around. Not mind blowing experience.

Thankfully the Alan Jones cabaret seems to be calming somewhat. Although I did laugh out loud reading this article; Jones confronts ARU over Wallabies job. I almost posted it whole, but you’d think it was a spoof. Here’s are a few choice quotes from Alan ‘the communicator’:

“I have to make up my mind where I stand this week,” Jones said.

“I have half put my hand up, I won’t say I am at full mast, but I am at half mast.

“You would at least think someone would say, ‘Well, perhaps we should listen’.

“I think it is incumbent on Australian rugby as it is on BHP to analyse candidates and to just see what- ever merit there might be in the candidature.”

Alan at ‘half-mast’. Disturbing.

Oct 28

Power lunching & pommy guts

Posted by Gagger
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Just when you’ve run out of rugby to write about, a couple of good ‘ol boys step in, one reluctantly and the other eking out every column inch he can get his hands on (no double entendre intended).

Our reluctant eye of the scandal storm is Peter McGrath, now ex-ARU chairman. This is a great pity, because looking at Peter (pictured), and knowing his profession (lawyer) there can be no doubt that if there had been a boozy lunch world cup in France, he would have made it well past the quarters.

As the story goes, he went a bottle of Bordeaux or two too many before bumping into one of the Wallabies key sponsors on the eve of the QF disaster, who subsequently complained about his ‘clearly intoxicated’ behaviour. McGrath has since been forced to step down pending an investigation, costing him a spot on the IRB.

Understandable, except that these mortally offended folk were from Bundy Rum, the source of many a chunder and punch-up in pubs across Australia every Friday and Saturday night. Which begs the question, just what the hell did he say or do? Intriguingly, there’s been no public hint of what happened that fateful night – could that be because he’s a top flight legal eagle?

Well, that’s been until now. G&GR can reveal exclusive footage of McGrath having a ‘Bundy good time’ and representing the ARU in the time honoured fashion:

Nothing wrong with that.

The next lord of lunching is Alan Jones, neolithic Aussie rugby coach and latter day radio gas bag. For anyone with a shred of sense, the notion of this joker running the Wallabies again is getting the credence it deserves – none. A silly season story.

What’s embarrassing though is the amount of air-time and column inches the self-serving underbelly of the australian media has given this shameless self-promoter, probably second only to the hoo-ha kicked up around one of the real contenders, Robbie Deans.

Witness the list of backers for Alans bid, each of which has spawned numerous articles and none of which inspire confidence in an understanding of modern rugby union coaching:

Queensland Rugby Union chairman Peter Lewis
John Singleton, Jones’ boss
Mungo Mat Rogers
Topo Rodriguez, a member of Jones’ 1984 side
Russell Fairfax, ex player and Fox journo
Craig Salvatori, a former forward who played under Jones at Souths who said:

“He may not be the best coach but he’s a great communicator”

Exactly, stick to radio Al.

Not gay at all. Jones singing with the Wallabies in ‘84

Finally, there was one hell of an interesting story this week about the England rugby team; Crisis meetings saved England’s world cup. It now emerges that following their shellacking at the hands of the Boks in the pool stages, the players finally mutinied and took control. This goes a long way to explaining the gutsy performances during the business end of the cup. You’ve got to say hats off, but still puzzle at how professional coaches in a professional organisation can get it so wrong.