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Thanks very much PB for all that data. Very informative. I am just learning about the core of player development in SA. From what you have said, I think the schools development system in SA is not much bigger or deeper than the (roughly equivalent) total of Australian rugby-playing schools. I...

Thanks for this PaarlBok, I found it very relevant and interesting. Looking over our way, and you obviously follow our game a bit, what do you think we might learn from the last few years of very good outcomes and player depth in SA rugby now? Just to note: out of our slick excuse-factory...

Phew, thanks, I'm suitably reassured.

It's a secondary point here, but Van is also a tremendous morale booster, fighter, hate-the-opposition and 'get up 'em guys' man on the field - I doubt that can be said of Mumm, for example. Plus, surely there is not a stupider notion that age should somehow prohibit Test selection as a key...

Yes Daz, the mainline media have today taken the required reality pill and gently awoken to the fact that, well, just perhaps, coaching _might_ have something to do with the current Wallabies debacles. As we've said elsewhere here, the lag from passionate GAGR debate upon such issues and the...

Hey! Go for it mate, good to see the posting fingers back and dazzling ;-).

_Very_ valid overall. Perhaps though 'complete failure' is a tad harsh, the defence in Perth was quite good/very good. But what is unarguable is that it has become, along with everything else, a core component of the scary roulette wheel of 'what will go wrong this week to completely cancel out...

Oh, really? So top line coaching has nothing to do with this and cannot contribute enduring solutions - or major improvements - to any of the above problems? That will save a lot of ARU $s as we can drop Deans' (and others) costs, save a truckload in fact, and just hire say 2 part-time...

Well said PaarlBok, very well said. Here in Australia our ARU and elite coaches have a wonderful PR machine that specialises in finding new ways of turning 'disgraceful' into 'encouraging for the future' and 'terrible for the fans' into 'terrific new young talent on show'. Then we have a coach...

The post-2007 O'Neill/Deans Wallabies ship is listing and taking on water. Will it be righted soon, or will we need to call in the priests? We know all the facts pushing the boat over. But the consequences of disillusioned fans and the code's continuing market share decline could be dire...

Thanks DPK. Good observations. The job you're inferring that needs doing in the Wallabies back line now is one that a highly experienced back line coach should be responsible for (along with the players in concert, of course). I have made this point elsewhere: I'm not even sure the Wallabies...

Perhaps the rugby hard-heads will see this comment as 'soft', but IMO something is badly wrong with the mental heart of this Wallabies management and team interaction when someone can play like Mitchell did in the S14 (very recent) and then just collapse off a cliff once in Wallaby-land. Other...

But I'm sure he gained hugely from that fantastic BaaBaas game....

Genia didn't do too bad a job quickly 'maturing into it' at the Reds, on a surprise basis after Horwill. In fact, I'd argue that he did a much better job than H (would have). A new young captain for the Wallabies would also act as cleansing agent for the poor team culture we clearly...

We'll all need some of that ARU-labelled Prozac soon, like the rugby media have been issued (until Wayne S today who is at last contemplating a change of coach!)...

Absolutely! And the promotion of a (genuinely, not faux) talented young Captain to radically overhaul the whole decayed and bacteria-ridden Wallabies culture (which Deans has not repaired but in fact has worsened) would be the wonderful commencement to the real rebuilding (vs the alleged...

Touche.

Reddy, that arrived by vapour from our moderators! No doubt, with good humour and wit intended as most support the Tahs, do they not? But note: the photo is pre-2010 Reds I think. That really does say it all.

Hey Gnostic - hello there - and welcome to the dark and dangerous world of the recent-Deans-doubters (I know what it feels like to be there already). Remember Connolly's w-l ratio is way better than Deans is today. And as I recall he endured far more attacks for his coaching capability and game...

As so often Reddy, you and I arrive at a similar place. Another point that must be derived from your observation re our poor backline coherence and capability v Ireland is this: when a top side goes from the relative backline excellence of Perth to the sad and sorry state of same last night -...