JRugby2
Ted Thorn (20)
Because like a lot of abuse victims, one of my mental injuries I've sustained over the years is a flicker of hope that my abuser can turn it around.
Wallabies 2024
- Thread starter rugbyAU
- Start date
Because I'm not sure he'll still be here in year 6.
I wouldn't say I'm lowering my expectations. I just don't think our playing group is potentially the best in the world and just needs the right coach.
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
TT From a theoretical perspective I agree, but we have worked through all the players and put pressure on them by bringing them up to compete and sometimes they were either too soon or they couldn't step up.
Failure is a mixture of many things and this demise has been happening for a long time. Getting rid of currently 'average' players when there is nobody behind who's better, is not the answer. The answer is better skills training, and better coaching at the school level, club level and Super Rugby; players coming up from Super Rugby need to be able to show they can play at international speed and execution and we don't have many of those.
Tizzano is an exception but in a position we are strong in.
Slim 293
Stirling Mortlock (74)
So, they'll win more games if we just tell them it's not ok to lose... and if we will them with our minds?
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
BH, until we address the skills teaching we are going nowhere, you can have all the guts and bluster you like but if the guys are poor in passing/catching and tackling. Then we are bound to lose. The best thing Schmidt can do is review our defence training and drill these guys hard until tackling becomes second nature to them and some of them actually enjoy it.
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
If you don't have a stick then carrots are wasted. We have tried dropping players almost continuously and the current players know there is mostly nobody better than them waiting in the wings.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
We may play like ass against Scotland (more ass) but England tend to choke us out at the moment. At Twiks I see them just rattling up points every time they get inside the 40m. Might only score 1 try but they'll put at least 25 on the Wallabies. Can they score more than that? Hopeful but doubtful. They also gave a pretty showing v NZ in NZ during the year.
While Scotland are about as good as theyve been for a very long time I think the Wallabies will have a chance to score more points and play their own game. I don't see them being overpowered.
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
It's pretty likely Scotland will have run into injury/depth issues after four tests in a row as well (acknowledging they should be able to rest some against Portugal). They don't have the depth to deal with that.
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
England are in a weird spot where they are clearly better than teams like ourselves, Wales or Italy but are not quite at the level of the top 4. I'd say England and Scotland are on a very similar level and both would be strong favourites to beat us as the home sides.
Strewthcobber
Simon Poidevin (60)
Of all the possible test matches I could watch, Australia v England at Twickenham is the one I least look forward to.
We will inevitably lose, not because England are good, but because they relentlessly target where we are not good
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
You could be right but they may just put us down as a win before the whistle goes and we may be up for a real battle. That would make it a very interesting game to watch. As an ex-pommie, I enjoy watching Aus beat them.
Tomthumb
Chilla Wilson (44)
No, but mindset and expectations (both inside and outside) do play a factor in a team building a better & winning culture
These guys are humans, they read the papers and watch tv like anyone else. To act like outside expectations don’t affect players is naive
emuarse
Chilla Wilson (44)
Give Schmidt a break. We lost games against Springboks, All Blacks & Argentina, all semi finalists in the world cup.
The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
Favourites to knock us over for sure. Especially at home but I think mentally England still hold a bigger presence than Scotland do.
Fuck it Wallabies to go 2/2 on the Tour. They’ll beat Wales and I reckon jag another. They will then be pumped by a team like the Argentinian game and leave us all as confused as before.
stillmissit
Peter Johnson (47)
TT, We should put competence 1st and then build confidence and self-belief naturally follows on that strong foundation. Skills, skills, skills, fitness and guts.
Jimmy_Crouch
Peter Johnson (47)
Hopefully the Scotland game that'll I'll be attending
Tomthumb
Chilla Wilson (44)
This is exactly what I'm talking about. He's a highly experienced coach making a lot of money working in elite sport, treating him like some poor child is being disrespectful to his coaching ability
Derpus
Nathan Sharpe (72)
You can just treat him exactly as he is. An experienced coach in charge of a very bad team.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Working in an elite sport with a non-elite playing pool
KOB1987
John Eales (66)
I've said this before but I am sure Schmidt was appointed purely to try to build a team and game plan that is competitive against the Lions. I'd normally be largely on board with TomThumb's thinking, but these are not normal times. The start of his tenure was a line in the sand and we need to see progress from where we stood at that time. It's hard to guage where we are really at as we are 1-0 against a much lower ranked team, 3-1 against similarly ranked teams, and 0-4 against two of the best teams in the world. Overall we are 4-5 and if we come away from the NH tour 6-7 with a world ranking 6th/7th, and not get walloped by Ireland and/or England then I would put that down as progress, and that is what I am hoping for.