Australian Rugby / RA

[kiap]

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.

Maybe. Or they're putting a straight jacket on to manage him out

The word is they have offered the job around

Dave Rennie was a name I saw floated

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

Yeah. He's intrinsically attached to Cheika, though.

Getting another gig might even be best for Grey himself. Is Grey 100% responsible for this shitshow? Possibly not

Similarly for Bernie Larkham. There can be upsides to leaving a job, even if you're fired

 

[I like to watch]

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.
.

I don’t get the logic that Cheika’s hand picked assistants are holding him back.
By sacking his assistants, they are effectively handicapping him.
This shouldn’t be taken as some form of endorsement of any of the coaching staff, but time is against many,if any changes IMHO.

 

[Quick Hands]

Maybe. Or they're putting a straight jacket on to manage him out


Dave Rennie was a name I saw floated



Yeah. He's intrinsically attached to Cheika, though.

Getting another gig might even be best for Grey himself. Is Grey 100% responsible for this shitshow? Possibly not

Similarly for Bernie Larkham. There can be upsides to leaving a job, even if you're fired

I'm not sure that Cheika is manageable in that sense. To me he's the type of guy who only operates when he has complete control - what comes with that of course is complete responsibility.

Larkham never impressed as HC at the Brumbies and has been even less impressive in this role.

Grey's only HC role was as captain/coach in Japanese 2nd division.

If either of them have aspirations of career coaching, I tend to agree that being sacked from their current role would be the best thing which could happen to them.

 

[Quick Hands]

I don’t get the logic that Cheika’s hand picked assistants are holding him back.
By sacking his assistants, they are effectively handicapping him.
This shouldn’t be taken as some form of endorsement of any of the coaching staff, but time is against many,if any changes IMHO.

One suspects that his hand picked assistants have little independence and Cheika micromanages the whole thing.

 

[kiap]

I'm not sure that Cheika is manageable in that sense. To me he's the type of guy who only operates when he has complete control - what comes with that of course is complete responsibility.

That's sort of what I'm alluding to. They take away his control to get him to quit.

Not saying it's right, nor that it's actually happening.

If either of them have aspirations of career coaching, I tend to agree that being sacked from their current role would be the best thing which could happen to them.

Yep. Flush the dunny and move on

 

[RedsHappy]

I'm still surprised that many posters here continue by implication to impute to RA a rational, objective, considered approach to the matter of selecting the elite coaching resources to manage the Wallabies.

Going right back to: the crazy multi-year extension of Deans' contract well pre RWC 2011, the post RWC 2011 ARU imposition of ACs on Deans and that did not work well, the debacle of Link's departure, the non-examination and non-change of any ACs as 2016's Wallaby results showed serious problems or deficiencies within the coaching group, Cheika's and RA's endorsement of Larkham as 'the anointed successor' to Cheika based upon zero evidence that Larkham was even a good national AC let alone ready to be HC, the ARU appointment of Kafer to head 'national coaching strategy' with zero relevant track record or experience to do such a crucial job, the poor state of Aust elite coaching resources at Super level .....we could go on.

The point being that there is no positive and compelling evidence of any kind that the modern ARU/RA genuinely understands the processes necessary to recruit, identify, build, develop Australia's national elite rugby coaching resources. None.

Systemic problems of managerial capability do not spontaneously cure themselves. They are only cured by radical managerial change of the appropriate kind.

Accordingly the statistical likelihood that RA will get late 2018 changes to the national Wallaby coaching set-up right either tactically or strategically is about 1 in 50.

 

[barbarian]

'Changes to the high performance structure' to be announced at 12pm.

 

[Quick Hands]

Accordingly the statistical likelihood that RA will get late 2018 changes to the national Wallaby coaching set-up right either tactically or strategically is about 1 in 50.

You're being generous with those odds RH. 1 in 1,000 would be more accurate.

 

[Derpus]

Maybe. Or they're putting a straight jacket on to manage him out


Dave Rennie was a name I saw floated



Yeah. He's intrinsically attached to Cheika, though.

Getting another gig might even be best for Grey himself. Is Grey 100% responsible for this shitshow? Possibly not

Similarly for Bernie Larkham. There can be upsides to leaving a job, even if you're fired

The odds are slim. The Waratah's improved once he left and demonstrated a similar level and form of ineptitude with him there.

Doesn't look good.

 

[Quick Hands]

'Changes to the high performance structure' to be announced at 12pm.

Michael Hawker and acting chief executive Matt Carroll let David Nucifora go in December 2012 and Pulver dismantled the high performance unit, of which Nucifora had been the head, upon his appointment in January 2013.
Nucifora's position, which sat above then-coach Robbie Deans in a role that spanned all elite teams, was abolished by Pulver.

 

[Derpus]

Michael Hawker and acting chief executive Matt Carroll let David Nucifora go in December 2012 and Pulver dismantled the high performance unit, of which Nucifora had been the head, upon his appointment in January 2013.
Nucifora's position, which sat above then-coach Robbie Deans in a role that spanned all elite teams, was abolished by Pulver.

So i assume Scott Johnson is coming in to take up that abolished role?

Reminds me of the tram debacle in Sydney.

 

[I like to watch]

Reminds me of the tram debacle in Sydney.

My prediction, NSW take a baseball bat to the Libs at the astate election.
RA seize the opportunity and offer Gladys a board position (which I admit unfortunately would be a match made in heaven)
We are doomed!

 

[barbarian]

Johnson in, and the introduction of a 3-man selection panel. That's it, it seems.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...or-of-rugby-and-selector-20181217-p50mp2.html

 

[brokendown]

so,much ado about nothing?

 

[Strewthcobber]

Anyone happen to see the job application and selection criteria for the pretty prestigious position of Director of Rugby for RA?

I assume it will have been publicised quite widely to ensure any and all applicants had a chance to get their hand up. Great opportunity for RA to search the market and make sure they get the absolute best candidate in there.

 

[KOB1987]

I watched the announcement and the ensuing question time. There was more to it than that, aside from what's already been mentioned:
- sounds like the first step in central contracting. Soup sides to collaborate with RA better.
- Cheika and Johnson will 'restructure' the assistants. Johnson not starting till after the 6N
- a 'future fund' has been established (no idea what with!) to ensure young talent stays in the game.

Actions speak louder than words obviously but it seemed like a reasonably positive first step.

 

[Derpus]

Johnson in, and the introduction of a 3-man selection panel. That's it, it seems.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...or-of-rugby-and-selector-20181217-p50mp2.html

Meh, seems to be a decent move as far as I'm concerned. Well established that there are fuck-all head coaches about. At least we are getting systems in place that have proven successful elsewhere.

Assistant coaches are all extremely lucky though, i would have sacked the lot.

 

[KOB1987]

Meh, seems to be a decent move as far as I'm concerned. Well established that there are fuck-all head coaches about. At least we are getting systems in place that have proven successful elsewhere.

Assistant coaches are all extremely lucky though, i would have sacked the lot.

Not necessarily, they just haven't announced what they're going to do yet.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I watched the announcement and the ensuing question time. There was more to it than that, aside from what's already been mentioned:
- sounds like the first step in central contracting. Soup sides to collaborate with RA better.
- Cheika and Johnson will 'restructure' the assistants. Johnson not starting till after the 6N
- a 'future fund' has been established (no idea what with!) to ensure young talent stays in the game.

Actions speak louder than words obviously but it seemed like a reasonably positive first step.

Wasn't that announced a couple of months back? Also, central contracting is only the first relative minor step we need to take. There's a whole lot more on the admin side of the equation that is needed to be centralised. This would help answer the where in regards to money for the future fund plus more.

 

[RedsHappy]

Anyone happen to see the job application and selection criteria for the pretty prestigious position of Director of Rugby for RA?

I assume it will have been publicised quite widely to ensure any and all applicants had a chance to get their hand up. Great opportunity for RA to search the market and make sure they get the absolute best candidate in there.

Yes, and what about the Position Description of this new role - RA's announcement today (see www.rugby.com.au) says this new role is principally re 'off field' Wallaby matters - WTF?

How does this role interface with Kafer's national coaching and coach development role?

Why in a financially tight RA environment is a Wallaby HC and a 'Director of Rugby' above him needed? What really is the intended and definable value-add of the latter role? How will confusion re team direction etc not result with two head-strong bosses one way or another over-sighting the Wallabies? Will a new, post-RWC Wallaby HC of good calibre (don't laugh please) accept that role duality?