Thanks Topo. Time line for assessment: Marseilles October 2007....Cardiff November 2010. Major scrum improvements during 2008: yes. 2009 just OK in scrum/forwards land, but no further core improvement that were sustained by any of forwards depth, technique or better w-l results clearly driven by forwards or scrums excellence. 2010 - Pocock aside, have our forwards and scrum quality+consistency really advanced as they should in our national team with substantial funding and technical resources?
This uneven, poor trend over 3 critical years cannot just be put down to the ever-convenient 'we lack depth and cattle in Oz'. We have cockily brushed Baxter and Weeks, and not even toured (for example) Douglas this year. It seems we are happy with Chisholm and Brown (now bench), but consider Simmons and Humphries and Higginbotham and Hodgson extraordinary risks suitable for mid-week games only.
As Topo says, surely, with the above track-record over 3 years, where a 5/10 achievement score would be generous, it is time to evaluate the adequacy of our forwards and scrum coaches? There can be no question that Foley contributed hugely in 2008, then, by all recent accounts, resigned back to NSW as he perceived Deans would not take the right counsel re selections and tactics. Whatever, have Williams (and Robbie in this area) actually delivered in this crucial area of the team's development? The facts would tend to indicate not, and that urgent specialist coaching change is needed in the forwards and, potentially, scrum specialist as well.
PS: Many posters attest that all will be well in forwards land once our 'top talent' is fully back from injury. But does the return of Robinson, Alexander and Moore confirm that theory?
