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Ewen McKenzie: Wallaby Coach

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Brumbieman

Brumbieman

Dick Tooth (41)
Dam0 said:
We played fairly well in that game, though it was a bit rusty at times. If I recall correctly we scored two masterful set piece tries and got bitten by a few refereeing decisions that were not necessarily wrong, but different to what we were used to (where we drove past the ball at a ruck so that the whole thing collapsed and got pinged) . IIRC the game result was not in serious doubt from about the 20th minute onwards.

It is very rare that the All Blacks put on spectacular performances one after the other;even in the supposedly glory days of 1996 we were lucky to win in Brisbane v AUS and in Christchurch v SA - and that team is regarded by many as the finest All Black team ever.

I take your point that 2012 was not exactly a stellar year for international rugby, but don't denigrate what was a very good All Black team last year. Our Super teams have been fairly average again this year, but our top 15 look in pretty good nick right now. Link might do better than Deans did last year, but I don't know if that is a fait accompli.
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I think you've gotten your years and games mixed up mate. The first Bledisloe last year, Beale had a shocker, Barnes was terrible, the backline was pathetic and we were well and truly trounced, by a disjointed and seemingly uninterested AB team.
 
Dam0

Dam0

Dave Cowper (27)
Not the game or the year mixed up, but perhaps we are looking at it through different coloured lenses. Anyway, moving on.

I would think that Link will be a much better fit for this Wallaby team, but you never really know until he takes over. What has worked for him at the Reds may be totally useless at international level where opposition teams have more detailed and team focussed plans. I have often wondered if that is partly to blame for Deans' issues.

I think in all honesty it is the right decision, if only because it is the decision that I, and most Kiwi fans I know were dreading.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Brumbieman - I think you're well and truly in hyperbole territory when you're describing the All Blacks' 2012 as being terrible.

Their record was 12.5 from 14.

Considering that win/loss record is superior to most years for them it's hard to argue it was terrible.

When exactly are these mythical years in the past when the All Blacks played error free football?

There seems to be an opinion held by many people on this forum that every team is getting worse and the All Blacks are only the best because everyone else sucks more. I just don't see that as being a realistic reflection of what is actually happening.
 
Bowside

Bowside

Peter Johnson (47)
Braveheart81 said:
Brumbieman - I think you're well and truly in hyperbole territory when you're describing the All Blacks' 2012 as being terrible.

Their record was 12.5 from 14.

Considering that win/loss record is superior to most years for them it's hard to argue it was terrible.

When exactly are these mythical years in the past when the All Blacks played error free football?

There seems to be an opinion held by many people on this forum that every team is getting worse and the All Blacks are only the best because everyone else sucks more. I just don't see that as being a realistic reflection of what is actually happening.
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I think there was some truth to it upto about 12 months ago. The South Africans went off the boil for a good few seasons there and so did we. England and France under Johnston and Liervermont were hardly examples of best practise. The Irish have been calling for their coaches head longer than we have. And Wales, although 6N champions, are still weak at 9 and 10, and that can be exploited be any team good enough.

But in the last 12 months England have got better, the South Africans have definitely got better and the Welsh were able to turn something like a 7 game losing streak into a 6N victory. The Wallabies and the Irish have recently changed coaches and both teams still have a good core of quality players. The french are the french.

So yes I think the All Blacks are going to lose a few games over the next few seasons, especially if they are without any of McCaw, Carter, Read, Smith or Nonu, as the AB's are a different team when these blokes are on the field.
 
Braveheart81

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Bowside - I think that is a perfectly reasonable explanation of how things have gone since the 2011 RWC.

I just think we're bordering crazy territory if we accept that the All Blacks winning 12.5 out of 14 games in a given year was a terrible year.

They had one really bad game against England.
 
Pfitzy

Pfitzy

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Fuck is this thread about McKenzie or not?

First things first:

O'Connor - do yourself a favour and Matt Giteau yourself the fuck overseas. Thanks for proving every point I've made about entitled little dickheads who never had to work a day in their lives.

Beale - no more Wallabies jersey for you until Cheika has had 6 months of pre-season to beat some sense into your idiot skull.

After that we should be all good.

I've been critical of Quade - and justifiably so because I'm ace - but if Link says he's grown up and installs him as our 10, then by fuck I'll back him.

The rest of the backline right now picks itself based on what I said earlier, depending on how we want to play, and the forwards are practically sorted.
 
Dan54

Dan54

Tim Horan (67)
Just wonder, I agree that QC (Quade Cooper) seems to have behaved himself a lot better the last year or so, is it because Link has finally got him to listen, or it also because he seems to have changed mates fron JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale and been kicking around a bit with Soony Bill. Before you all froth at mouth, name me someone who has turned his behaviour around better than SBW!
 
L

Loki74

Ward Prentice (10)
Dan54 said:
Just wonder, I agree that QC (Quade Cooper) seems to have behaved himself a lot better the last year or so, is it because Link has finally got him to listen, or it also because he seems to have changed mates fron JOC (James O'Connor) and Beale and been kicking around a bit with Soony Bill. Before you all froth at mouth, name me someone who has turned his behaviour around better than SBW!
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It will be interesting to see how QC (Quade Cooper) behaves in the next little period. He certainly appears to have settled down a bit, applied himself to improving his rugby at the reds and otherwise stayed out of the media glare for a while. Hopefully, being back in the Wallabies fold does not go to his head and lead to any overinflated sense of worth. I think Link will have that in hand though. Keeping To'omua around the squad would probably be sufficient.
 
cyclopath

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
Rob42 said:
So the ARU has apparently managed to interview Link and Jake as part of a process to replace Robbie, since Feb this year, and it would appear that it didn't leak to the media. Are we forced to think this was an impressive effort by the ARU?
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Given the ARU's general resemblance to a colander, I am led to think this is an almost incredulous effort.
#inconceivable
 
It is what it is

It is what it is

John Solomon (38)
Anyone else notice how McKenzie uses "I" instead of "we" when talking about important issues.
"I will be the one who decides who gets selected in the team"
"I will sit down with each player and....."
"I can't wait to pick a team to take on the All Blacks"
"I think Quade Cooper..."

It speaks of accountability and moves away from the politically correct and anonymous "we" bullshit we've been fed for too long by people who don't want to and/or can't make calls that matter.
McKenzie's task will be helped immensely by him having Cheika and White sharing his philosophy on accountability. Players will get the message.
Let's support and encourage him.
 
Rob42

Rob42

John Solomon (38)
It is what it is said:
Anyone else notice how McKenzie uses "I" instead of "we" when talking about important issues.
"I will be the one who decides who gets selected in the team"
"I will sit down with each player and..."
"I can't wait to pick a team to take on the All Blacks"
"I think Quade Cooper."

It speaks of accountability and moves away from the politically correct and anonymous "we" bullshit we've been fed for too long by people who don't want to and/or can't make calls that matter.
McKenzie's task will be helped immensely by him having Cheika and White sharing his philosophy on accountability. Players will get the message.
Let's support and encourage him.
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The evidence of the last few years suggests Link thinks very carefully about what comes out of his mouth, well noted. He was discussing last season about how he has gone away from the concept of "leadership groups" and the like, and back to having one captain as the clear leader of the troops. Obviously here he wants to make sure everyone knows that he is new boss - witness the flurry of articles about how he will be dealing with the ill-discipline within the team.

By the way Link, please use the word "team" rather than "group" or "playing group". I am so over those phrases.
 
Mr Doug

Mr Doug

Dick Tooth (41)
Pfitzy said:
Fuck is this thread about McKenzie or not?

First things first:

O'Connor - do yourself a favour and Matt Giteau yourself the fuck overseas. Thanks for proving every point I've made about entitled little dickheads who never had to work a day in their lives.

Beale - no more Wallabies jersey for you until Cheika has had 6 months of pre-season to beat some sense into your idiot skull.

After that we should be all good.

I've been critical of Quade - and justifiably so because I'm ace - but if Link says he's grown up and installs him as our 10, then by fuck I'll back him.

The rest of the backline right now picks itself based on what I said earlier, depending on how we want to play, and the forwards are practically sorted.
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Pfitzy, I made the same comments to my son yesterday. These two are examples of players who regard the Wallabies as a "group", rather than a "team"!!
 
Mr Doug

Mr Doug

Dick Tooth (41)
Braveheart81 said:
You told your son to fuck off overseas?

Harsh.
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Nice one Braveheart81! Unfortunately, our daughter did that (went to live in BC Canada) 5 years ago. After this morning reading about JOC (James O'Connor) and KB (Kurtley Beale) being 'spotted' at Kings Cross at 5:30 am on Sunday, that only reinforces my feelings. Interesting that W Force seem reluctant to have JOC (James O'Connor) back, given their creating of a good 'culture' over there.
 
jay-c

jay-c

Ron Walden (29)
i cant help but feel mckenzie will pick horwill to captain the wallabies
but i dont feel he is up to it
i dont like his decision making and feel its often clouded by his emotions
pococks injury is horrible timing as i feel he is the man for the job, failing that genia is first choice
 
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