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Australian Rugby / RA

Dctarget

Tim Horan (67)
Sua'ali'i has at least recouped $50k from his millions in free publicity in Murdoch Media. Nice big spread on the back page of the Daily Tele.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
what makes you say this? Counter cyclical hiring could be an advantage given how many buyers will be in the market at that time.

It depends who you want.

Two years out from a RWC is certainly a better time than one year out but the Eddie Jones fiasco showed that making a hire at a time when there isn't much talent available on the market means you're severely limited in who you can hire given you're almost certainly going to be hiring assistant coaches as well.

If you're hiring a first time international coach then they will take the job whenever its offered. The question then comes down to the quality of assistant coaching candidates that are available.
 

Sword of Justice

Arch Winning (36)
It depends who you want.

Two years out from a RWC is certainly a better time than one year out but the Eddie Jones fiasco showed that making a hire at a time when there isn't much talent available on the market means you're severely limited in who you can hire given you're almost certainly going to be hiring assistant coaches as well.

If you're hiring a first time international coach then they will take the job whenever its offered. The question then comes down to the quality of assistant coaching candidates that are available.
Certainly agree the supply also opens up after a cycle however I’m afraid Australia would find it difficult to access the more talented coaches in the available pool given the negative results and governance history that’s following us around now.
 

Rob42

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Alternative take on Wallabies coach if Schmidt doesn't continue past Lions: appoint John Manenti or Tim Walsh.

For long-term success at the Wallaby level, we need better Super teams. We go into 2025 with possibly the best line-up of Super coaches for a long time. Don't disturb that group - leave Kiss at Qld until at least 2027, and NSW losing McKellar after one season would be a mess. Larkham? Mmm, maybe, the Brumbies cope better with disruption.

But I'd rather see the Super level being supported well in terms of coaching, and for the Wallabies bring in someone who will work well within the current system, and not disrupt the level below. Manenti or Walsh do exactly that. Not sure Cheika does (but I will love him 'til I die based on Tahs 2014).
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
I don't think you can appoint a test coach with such little high end experience in the XVs game nor is any of it recent.

Tim Walsh has literally never coached XVs and John Manenti coached Eastwood.
 

Rob42

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
I don't think you can appoint a test coach with such little high end experience in the XVs game nor is any of it recent.

Tim Walsh has literally never coached XVs and John Manenti coached Eastwood.
Manenti has the technical skills, and players who've come from 7s to Super Rugby consistently seem to be well developed around basic skills, etc. He's obviously well versed in the Australian system. Walsh might be a longer shot, but he's just as good a motivator as Cheika.

We've chosen Wallaby coaches with excellent credentials for the past 17 years, and we've trended downwards the whole time.
 

Tomikin

David Codey (61)
I think the main thing that has Kiss ahead of Larkham and McKellar (who have similar levels of success but less experience) is that he's seen as something of a continuity candidate - he has significant international coaching experience with Schmidt and can theoretically come in and build on what's there, with less need to re-invent the wheel.

I can't imagine he's more than a nose ahead though, any one of the candidates could easily step ahead with a successful super season.
You mean Kiss, who the Reds players have said plays a total different game plan to the Wallabies. His one of the 4 Oz Talents. Hopefully, though, we get 4 years of the Schmidt.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
You mean Kiss, who the Reds players have said plays a total different game plan to the Wallabies. His one of the 4 Oz Talents. Hopefully, though, we get 4 years of the Schmidt.
Is that what they've said though?

Paisami sees the similarities between the two coaches, who worked together when Schmidt was the Irish coach.

"From the Reds to the Wallabies, I find Les (Kiss) and Joe (Schmidt) very similar," he explained.

"I think what Joe is trying to bring isn't too technical, it's pretty simple when he explains it, and for us it's now trying to get the repetition of doing it," Reds back-rower Fraser McReight, who is expected to wear the No. 7 jersey against Wales on Saturday night, said.

"It helps us as Queensland, [because] we've sort of done this for the whole eight months of preseason into the season. So when he speaks it's super simple and super understandable for us. "In terms of the shape, all rugby is a different version of a shape, what's probably more important is getting those combos right. So understanding, for me, how Jake Gordon or Nic White plays; I know how Tate [McDermott] plays; so I think that's probably the important part."
"Joe and Kissy have coached a lot together and being able to come from the Reds system to the Wallabies system there is a lot of crossover, which is great for us Queenslanders," the 25-year-old said. "And being able to help the other boys as to where Joe sees our improvement.

 

Tomikin

David Codey (61)
Is that what they've said though?







Yes....that is what they said...

McDermott had noted that Schmidt’s tactics were “very different to how every Super Rugby team plays”. However, Schmidt explained that Test rugby requires a different approach.

“It’s obviously different, the way we want to attack. It’s also very different to the way that I’m used to at the Reds,” McDermott said earlier in the week.


“I did get some feedback earlier,” Smith revealed.

“We had a camp the week before the Brissy camp and I met with two of the coaches and went through some clips throughout the whole Super year, which was really cool and cool to see exactly what their selection criteria went off, and some of it was just a little bit differing from what we were expected at the Reds.

 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Alternative take on Wallabies coach if Schmidt doesn't continue past Lions: appoint John Manenti or Tim Walsh.

For long-term success at the Wallaby level, we need better Super teams. We go into 2025 with possibly the best line-up of Super coaches for a long time. Don't disturb that group - leave Kiss at Qld until at least 2027, and NSW losing McKellar after one season would be a mess. Larkham? Mmm, maybe, the Brumbies cope better with disruption.

But I'd rather see the Super level being supported well in terms of coaching, and for the Wallabies bring in someone who will work well within the current system, and not disrupt the level below. Manenti or Walsh do exactly that. Not sure Cheika does (but I will love him 'til I die based on Tahs 2014).
Nah.
 

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Yes....that is what they said...

McDermott had noted that Schmidt’s tactics were “very different to how every Super Rugby team plays”. However, Schmidt explained that Test rugby requires a different approach.

“It’s obviously different, the way we want to attack. It’s also very different to the way that I’m used to at the Reds,” McDermott said earlier in the week.


“I did get some feedback earlier,” Smith revealed.

“We had a camp the week before the Brissy camp and I met with two of the coaches and went through some clips throughout the whole Super year, which was really cool and cool to see exactly what their selection criteria went off, and some of it was just a little bit differing from what we were expected at the Reds.

Those quotes are about super rugby being different from test rugby as a whole, one of them specifically references all of the teams. They don't discount the similarities in style and communication between Schmidt and Kiss.

Just to be clear here, I'm not saying Les Kiss should take over from Schmidt in 2026 or that I want him too - I don't love the idea of cutting his stint short at the Reds while there is still work to do, in the same way that I think McKellar jumping straight from the tahs might be counter productive. I'm just putting forward a reason as to why he is being named as the front runner, at least amongst those local coaches.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
John Eales Medal - Rob Valetini

Wallaroos Player of the Year - Maya Stewart

Shawn Mackay Award for Men's Sevens Player of the Year - Nathan Lawson

Shawn Mackay Award for Women's Sevens Player of the Year - Maddison Levi

Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year - Fraser McReight, QLD Reds

Buildcorp Super Rugby Women's Player of the Year - Siokapesi Palu, ACT Brumbies

Rookie of the Year Award - Tim Ryan, QLD Reds

Junior Men's Player of the Year - Toby Macpherson, ACT Brumbies

Junior Women's Player of the Year - Caitlyn Halse, NSW Waratahs

Cadbury Try of the Year - Tim Ryan, QLD Reds vs. Blues

Fedex Referee of the Year - Nic Berry

Nick Farr-Jones Spirit of Rugby Award - Graeme Tosch, Rugby Victoria

Joe French Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rugby - Kim Evans, Rugby Union South Australia

Geoff 'Bunter' Shaw Community Coach of the Year Award - James Barkell, NSW Rugby

Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year - Ian McGowan, QLD Country Rugby Referees

Cadbury Club of the Year - Wagga Wagga Junior Rugby Union Club
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
Manenti has the technical skills, and players who've come from 7s to Super Rugby consistently seem to be well developed around basic skills, etc. He's obviously well versed in the Australian system. Walsh might be a longer shot, but he's just as good a motivator as Cheika.

We've chosen Wallaby coaches with excellent credentials for the past 17 years, and we've trended downwards the whole time.
Could be a good coach but Manenti realistically he has the same resume as Darren Coleman. Shute Shield titles and now he's going to the MLR which isn't really going to push his case.

7s is a different event and I expect him to be coaching another nation in a year or two into the next Olympics. I see it being a long path to any major XVs HC role as MLR won't get it done.

Could he be a skills coach in the set up? Absolutely. Or even HC within the U20s potentially where he'd get the work into them.
 

Tomikin

David Codey (61)
Could be a good coach but Manenti realistically he has the same resume as Darren Coleman. Shute Shield titles and now he's going to the MLR which isn't really going to push his case.

7s is a different event and I expect him to be coaching another nation in a year or two into the next Olympics. I see it being a long path to any major XVs HC role as MLR won't get it done.

Could he be a skills coach in the set up? Absolutely. Or even HC within the U20s potentially where he'd get the work into them.
I like that his building, let him shot the shit out of MRL get a job in Japan /. Europe .. at a push one of the super teams... If he dominates there then into the role. I actually like his coaching progression.. Wallabies now narr but keep getting that experience
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
I just wonder about time. All these things would need a 2 year (relatively successful) stint at each. With no hiccups it makes him older than Schmidt now and be a 60+ rookie international coach.

I'm not being 'ageist' or writing off coaches with vast experience but they usually have some Test experience by that stage if they are going to be hired again.
 

stillmissit

Peter Johnson (47)
I just wonder about time. All these things would need a 2 year (relatively successful) stint at each. With no hiccups it makes him older than Schmidt now and be a 60+ rookie international coach.

I'm not being 'ageist' or writing off coaches with vast experience but they usually have some Test experience by that stage if they are going to be hired again.
We are in a similar situation with our coaches and our players. Both need to step up but the question is can they?
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
I just tend to think the path he'd need to walk is one of perfection.

It would rely on great results, then a good team opening and wanting him. It can't be a div 3 japanese club or european like Benetton. Clubs like the Wild Knights are unlikely to chase a guy from below and always go after current or recent Test coaches. Win there and then get a Super job and do a good job there. Then face the criticism I'm guilty of which is probably unfair that he has no international experience...

You got to get a job to get experience I guess and maybe I'm being delusional thinking Aus is still one of those nations that you need runs on the board. Are we now a place for the entry level Test coach and we hope to get a gem?

I'd like to see coaches like Peter Hewat back in Aus and Daniel Halangahu one day. Cron still a good prospect but faces a big year with the Force. He's going into year 3?? He's a guy that gets all the wraps from those around him but hasn't truly shown he's any more than a good Club coach yet.
 

Ignoto

Peter Sullivan (51)
Manenti has the technical skills, and players who've come from 7s to Super Rugby consistently seem to be well developed around basic skills, etc. He's obviously well versed in the Australian system. Walsh might be a longer shot, but he's just as good a motivator as Cheika.
John Mitchell and Richard Graham were touted for their technical skills coaching.

It did not translate well to a HC roll even at super rugby. That's even with Richard being gifted the easiest run into being successful; slowly introduced to the role with Ewen still there to be called on, a well established, successful and team full of leaders along with the best talent coming out of the country.
 
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