Looking at some of the posts in this thread I fear that we are falling into the trap again of nitpicking about this player and that one, and worse: about this back or that, when it's not the main point. The main point is that the backs aren't getting a good platform of quick clean ball.....
The forwards look poorly coached. They are going from game to game, and squad to squad, and year to year with a revolving catalogue of problems....
The backs look poorly coached also even taking into account the weak forward platform on Saturday night.....
Sure, there is only so much one should expect when the deckchairs are switched on the Titanic but I expected the Oz backline to be more modular by now under this coaching regime....
Lee, thanks again for a thoughtful post we non-rugby-experts (i.e. me), but passionate fans, learn from and enjoy!
I think you and Bob D are coalescing somewhat on an assessment of these Wallabies, yes?
As mentioned, I am not someone who can plan intricate back line moves, assess props with knowledge, advise on kicking skills, or design optimal counter rucking ploys. I am certainly a long way from picking the ideal Wallaby team!
But I work a lot with business leaders and other leaders, and I think I can make some assessments about the role of leadership in sport and the specific demonstrable (or otherwise) impact of coaching as a leadership and 'winning by design, knowledge and intelligence' function in our elite sports.
And drawing upon your analysis above, and the shocking inconsistency, poor skills, rudimentary repeated errors, 'soft mind', weak or unclear game plans, restart debacles, totally uninspiring back line play (bar Perth), unsure captaincy, etc, etc, it is for me completely obvious - after 7 2010 Tests - that Williams as forwards coach and Graham as (apparently) back line coach are, at best, woefully unable to do their jobs with these Wallabies or, at worst, simply incompetent at Test level. (And btw, I think all their coaching experience was NH based, this may well be relevant). It is almost certainly the case IMO that they require urgent replacement under RD, and that other specialist coaches are required in addition: namely, mental skills and defence, at least.
Summarily, whatever we think of RD, the whole coaching infrastructure beneath him appears badly broken, and is not delivering on the ground where it matters. The ARU and its politicised Board are often poor at facing core problems, and publicly admitting mistakes is virtually unthinkable at St Leonards. I suspect they know all too well there are real problems in the coaching mix, and that is why it has been revealed that 'extra (unnamed) coaches' will be employed for the EOYT on the spurious declared grounds that such is required for the extra 2 mid-week games. But I say, why wait that long with the RWC beckoning?
