Australian Rugby / RA

[todd4]

It looks more and more like they are going to try and retain Cheika.
If so they should replace Grey and Raiwalui with maybe Peter Ryan and Laurie Fischer(if available), or similar folk.
I would then bring in Bob Dwyer as a director/mentor and he could be a selector as well as help out, particularly in attack with Larkham. I would also have the Super Rugby coaches involved in their areas of expertise. I would also enlist a third qualified selector who is removed from the setup.
It’s doubtful that Cheika would be able to operate under these conditions but he should be given no choice or any wriggle room. If RA had a sliver of spine we would not be at this spot right now.

If they sacked any of the assistant coaches would you need to put their replacements on a short term contract (12 months)? and would they accept that?
Assuming Cheika is replaced after the WC wouldn't the new HC want a say in who his assistants are? rather than RA saying we have just signed these new assistant coaches for the next 3-4 years?

 

[kiap]

If you believe the rumours, Marks was sacked and replaced by Alex Evans on the orders of Leo Williams (JON pulled the trigger) because he wouldn't update the manual as directed around a decade ago

Interesting. So the Chair, not the CEO, does the real hiring and firing in Australian Rugby.

On that basis, Chairman Clyne may not be the hands-off "Patsy" we've been led to believe.

 

[gel]

Having Clyne actually do something is worse.

Ask anyone from the banking sector.

 

[Kenny Powers]

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Kafer has some experience of success at the top levels of rugby to bring, dunno about the others.

Can you please elaborate on Kafers success as a non player ? Zero success as a professional coach how does Rugby Australia employ him, jobs for the boys.

And I take the same opinion Stuart McGill had of Pat Howard, Rod Kafer is stealing an income from Rugby Australia.

 

[Quick Hands]

[/


Can you please elaborate on Kafers success as a non player ? Zero success as a professional coach how does Rugby Australia employ him, jobs for the boys.

And I take the same opinion Stuart McGill had of Pat Howard, Rod Kafer is stealing an income from Rugby Australia.

That's before we even get to the massive conflict of interest in being employed by RA while at the same time being employed in the media to hold RA to account over their performance.

 

[kiap]

Can you please elaborate on Kafers success as a non player ?

Can you please elaborate where I claimed he had some?

You may be mistaking me for Kafer's mum. Having said that, at least one writer on an esteemed website got some sort of whisper that he was, as a player, in some measure behind the Brumbies early success. Either way, I'm not here to pump up his tyres.

Zero success as a professional coach how does Rugby Australia employ him, jobs for the boys.

Can you please elaborate which team Rugby Australia has employed him to coach?

Jobs for the boys? Could be - that issue depends on a few factors IMO.

And I take the same opinion Stuart McGill had of Pat Howard, Rod Kafer is stealing an income from Rugby Australia.

Possibly harsh. Pat Howard was employed in his cricket gig on a very significant executive-level salary. As I understand it, Kafer is in a part-time role convening talk-fest summits and coordinating a coaching development program. Is he actually "coaching coaches"? Dunno, but I'm not sure he is.

If Kafer is pulling in a significant rate of wedge for this sort of stuff while still working full-time at FoxSports then, yep, I'm not on board. That's definitely one of the factors.

Seems like Kafer reports to Ben Whittaker, too. Can anyone elaborate on his record of rugby success, on field or off? Cameron Clyne's? Raelene Castle's?

This is my point. On a committee of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

 

[Joe Blow]

TBF Kafer was credited with a lot of the success the Brumbies had when he was a player. Player/coach was he not? He obviously has a very astute rugby brain.
Sorry, he became a player coach in the UK.
See below from his Wikipedia page

Kafer is generally considered to be one of the foremost thinkers of the game and is believed to have been the brains behind the Brumbies successes in the early years.[4]

Kafer moved to the northern hemisphere in 2001 and spent two years playing for the Leicester Tigers before signing as player coach for Saracens F.C.. However, when Wayne Shelford was sacked as head coach, Kafer was appointed in his place and gave up playing.[5] .[6]

He may not be well suited to a high performance role but he might not be a bad bloke to have helping a backs coach.

 

[Joe Blow]

I’m not suggesting he is the guy but he should not be written off the same way Nucifora and others should not be.
When they are put in to the right situation they thrive. Cheika and Eddie Jones are no different.

 

[Quick Hands]

TBF Kafer was credited with a lot of the success the Brumbies had when he was a player. Player/coach was he not? He obviously has a very astute rugby brain.
Sorry, he became a player coach in the UK.
See below from his Wikipedia page

Kafer is generally considered to be one of the foremost thinkers of the game and is believed to have been the brains behind the Brumbies successes in the early years.[4]

Kafer moved to the northern hemisphere in 2001 and spent two years playing for the Leicester Tigers before signing as player coach for Saracens F.C.. However, when Wayne Shelford was sacked as head coach, Kafer was appointed in his place and gave up playing.[5] .[6]

He may not be well suited to a high performance role but he might not be a bad bloke to have helping a backs coach.

Who considers him to be "one of ther foremost thinkers of the game?"

By what criteria is this based?

What evidence exists as to this conclusion?

I recall him as a chubby 10 or 12 who had quite good ball skills.

Playing career:

12 tests ( 7 starting and 5 from the bench) - scored 0 points

33 matches for Leicester for 30 points (6 tries)

Coaching career (with Saracens)

Interestingly he was appointed by Mark Sinderberry (former Brumbies CEO) Standard jobs for the boys stuff endemic where anyone from Australian rugby seems to be involved.

Rod Kafer has quit as the head coach of Saracens following the team's record of only four wins in their opening 11 matches of the season.

The former Wallaby quit his playing duties to take on a full-time coaching role, but has failed to bring success to Saracens.

"In light of this, chief executive Mark Sinderberry and I have decided that it is in the club's best interests that I stand down as head coach immediately."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2392871/Kafer-quits-faltering-Saracens.html

 

[Aurelius]

Who considers him to be "one of ther foremost thinkers of the game?"

Why, whoever edited his Wikipedia page, of course.

 

[Joe Blow]

Are you blokes old enough to remember his days at the Brumbies?

 

[wamberal]

Are you blokes old enough to remember his days at the Brumbies?

Tugboat!!!

 

[Brumby Runner]

Who considers him to be "one of ther foremost thinkers of the game?"

By what criteria is this based?

What evidence exists as to this conclusion?

I recall him as a chubby 10 or 12 who had quite good ball skills.

Playing career:

12 tests ( 7 starting and 5 from the bench) - scored 0 points

33 matches for Leicester for 30 points (6 tries)

Coaching career (with Saracens)

Interestingly he was appointed by Mark Sinderberry (former Brumbies CEO) Standard jobs for the boys stuff endemic where anyone from Australian rugby seems to be involved.

Rod Kafer has quit as the head coach of Saracens following the team's record of only four wins in their opening 11 matches of the season.

The former Wallaby quit his playing duties to take on a full-time coaching role, but has failed to bring success to Saracens.

"In light of this, chief executive Mark Sinderberry and I have decided that it is in the club's best interests that I stand down as head coach immediately."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2392871/Kafer-quits-faltering-Saracens.html

In this sense at least, he would be a great role model for Cheika.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Are you blokes old enough to remember his days at the Brumbies?

Whether true or not, Kafer was widely regarded by Brumbies' fans at the time as being the architect of their second half plays in a period where they often ran away with the game after half time.

 

[KOB1987]

I agree that this is sounder advice than most of the tripe that's been delivered on here over the past week. After the RWC is the time to bring the broom in.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/..._sportsmail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=crm

 

[wamberal]

Without taking sides one way or the other, if Chubby can turn it around, why can't another coach turn it around?

Either way there are risks. Mind you, I cannot imagine any top contenders for this particular chalice, poisoned as it is.

 

[Quick Hands]

In this sense at least, he would be a great role model for Cheika.

Maybe his influence is already being felt?

 

[The Honey Badger]

That's one year you're talking about - we haven't figured near the top for 8 years which is a little bit of a different situation.

So, in the interests of fairness and having complete facts before us:

2008 - 1. NZ, 2. England, 3 SAF, 4. Wales
2009 - 1. NZ, 2. England, SAF, 4. Australia
2010 - 1. NZ, 2. Australia, 3. SAF, 4. England
2011 - 1. NZ, 2. England, 3. Australia, 4. France
2012 - 1. SAF, 2. NZ, 3. Wales, 4. Argentina
2013 - 1. England, 2. Wales 3. SAF, 4. NZ
2014 - 1. England, 2. SAF, 3. NZ, 4. Ireland
2015 - 1. NZ, 2. England, 3. SAF, 4. France
2016 - 1. England, 2. Ireland, 3. Argentina, 4. SAF
2017 - 1. NZ, 2. England, 3. SAF, 4. France
2018 - 1. France, 2. England, 3. SAF, 4. NZ

I'm not sure that the table above indicates that "there's not to much between any of the top teams", because the same teams always seem in the top 4.

England, South Africa and New Zealand have been in the top 4 every year since the event started.

I don't think that the evidence supports your point about the north catching up to the south - except that one of the SH nations has declined significantly.

Fair point @Quickhands.

Aus has underperformed at U20. NZ, England and SA have been consistent in this comp.

Clearly some countrys take this more seriously and have programs and resources targeting U20.

FWIW, Australia would have made the final 4 had they not lost the first game to Wales. A game we reasonably expected to win. But the 3 pool competition makes 4th spot a complete lottery.

A big part of the problem is the non release of players from Super franchises. Aus U20 needs to have call on all of our best players, and Brad Thorn should not be able to stand in the way.

I think the restructure of the U19 NRC is positive step and will lead to a better prepared U20 campaign.

I

 

[gel]

A big part of the problem is the non release of players from Super franchises. Aus U20 needs to have call on all of our best players, and Brad Thorn should not be able to stand in the way.

Brad Thorn should most DEFINITELY be standing in the way. As should every one of the other super rugby coaches.

The super rugby matches are still the premier competition for the aus/nz/saf/arg players outside of test matches.

Play your best players in and against the best competition.

 

[The Honey Badger]

Brad Thorn should most DEFINITELY be standing in the way. As should every one of the other super rugby coaches.

The super rugby matches are still the premier competition for the aus/nz/saf/arg players outside of test matches.

Play your best players in and against the best competition.

Well then no one should complain when we don't win.

Ridiculous assertion.

I think even the players would choose a Junior Wallaby cap over a Super cap.

Not about the level of the competition.

It's the privilege and honour of playing for your country.