Brumby Runner
Jason Little (69)
So, no good grace displayed by Cheika and no need for it in any case.
I think it's an unreasonable expectation that a head coach who wants that job would resign with two years left on their contract.
Mr Wobbly
Alan Cameron (40)
True but doesn't change the fact that very few of the Japanese players, as individuals, would make the Wallabies starting side and they are over achieving relative to their player quality. It will be interesting to see if they can sustain this over the next few years though.
I probably should have included some more examples of a good/great coach making a team better, like Lorenzo did.
Jagman
Trevor Allan (34)
Why would he resign two years ago anyway? the Wallabies came within a botched restart of bringing back the bledisloe cup in 2017.
dru
David Wilson (68)
Would that make the difference as we look back on his achievements?
If we'd won the second test though, I don't think you could assume the third test would have played out exactly the same. We would only have been a botched restart away from winning the Bledisloe if it was 1-all and this happened in the third test.
If he'd won a Bledisloe Cup it would have made a huge difference to his legacy. I don't think it would have changed the fact that his tenure was over after the 2019 RWC though.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
I would take Matsushima over Beale, Fukuoka over Hodge, Mafi over Naisarani and all of their halves, just as a start.
Think you are doing the team a disservice saying they overachieved. Many of them are genuine talents.
Edit: on reflection it's really only the tight five that wouldn't make the Wallabies, and even then the super saiyan guy would be in with a shout.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
So? That was two years ago and they are way betterer now.
I'd be inclined to take Horie over any of our hookers too; at least on World Cup form.
Nakajima would push Slipper for a bench spot too, I don't think there was a better impact forward in the group stages.
On form shown at the RWC, the entire Japanese backline were better than the Wallabies.
Jagman
Trevor Allan (34)
Australian Super Rugby teams win % for 4 years leading up to RWC against non Australian teams (excluding Sunwolves), in season only.
1999 - 58%
2003 - 62%
2007 - 48%
2011 - 51%
2015 - 43%
2019 - 27%
Froggy
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
I'm not a Cheika apologist, in fact I firmly believe he is a three year coach. He can improve motivation and culture, fitness, and have some success with a particular game plan if he has the right cattle, but that's about it.
However, the figures presented by Jagman suggest he didn't have a lot to work with!
However, the figures presented by Jagman suggest he didn't have a lot to work with!
Mafi wasn't even the starter. I thought Himeno was super impressive in that starting number 8 role. Combined good ball running with an offloading game which would put him ahead of Naisarani in terms of RWC showing.
Koroibete was the Wallabies best back but it's hard to go past Matsushima and Fukuoka for their RWC performances so you'd have to favour them in that argument.
Both Japanese centres were really good.
Koroibete was the Wallabies best back but it's hard to go past Matsushima and Fukuoka for their RWC performances so you'd have to favour them in that argument.
Both Japanese centres were really good.
Froggy
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
BH, I think Koroibete on the end of that Japanese backline would look better than both of them. For mine, Petaia's defence would land him a spot.
I agree re Himeno's all round skill, but if we look at the role you would want an 8 to play in that pack, it's the big hard ball runner, and that's where Mafi comes in.
All of which is pointless speculation, but a bit of fun anyway.
I agree re Himeno's all round skill, but if we look at the role you would want an 8 to play in that pack, it's the big hard ball runner, and that's where Mafi comes in.
All of which is pointless speculation, but a bit of fun anyway.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
We'll we wont have any rugby to discuss for quite some time so may as well have some fun.
The lights are coming on
Coaches get too much credit and too much blame
This generation of players have been poor
Over rewarded and protected. They seem to have neglected that the implication of being a professional is delivering a show for paying spectators and doing so in a manner that invites loyal support and return customers. In short , winning.
May be that they are the first to have been born into a wholly professional game. Most have gone from school to
Pro systems. All have been “managed” for their whole career.
Lets hope the next crew up have seen the gap and do something about it
Lorenzo
Colin Windon (37)
Bizarre remarks. Want to talk about prioritizing winning? How about Cheik literally saying in his final presser that he would actually prefer to lose than to play a more defensive gameplan?
How can anyone even begin to defend that? This guy was so pigheaded that he wouldn't even consider modifying his approach EVEN IF DOING SO WOULD IMPROVE OUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
Am I the only one that sees him as endlessly selfish? That sees all the comments about his passion to he a bit stomach churning, in light of his extreme abstinence even in the face of constant failure?
Also, you're saying the players aren't motivated....didnt we supposedly hire the master motivator? If the players weren't suitably focused on delivering, what was the master motivator doing for the last 5years?
My take is that a decent number of wallabies had the best parts of their career pinched from them, at least as far as winning trophies goes, by someone on a personal crusade to prove he was smarter than everyone else. I actually feel for the wallabies that won't get another shot.