Wallabies 2025

[Cole]

Chris Whitaker will be the coach, no word on what assistants he will have. He was at Reds Academy training 2 days last week running a spot camp for U20s. Not sure why there hasn't been a formal announcement, maybe finalising assistants first

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yeah not sure why we aren't keeping Brad Thorn involved... He may not be the next Wallabies coach but he clearly has something to add.

But would he be just holding up someone else who might go on to higher and greater things. I wasn't looking for suggestions in my post above but wanting to know if any announcements had been made.

 

[Adam84]

Is Whitaker destined for higher and greater things? Is Thorn's coaching career written off?

I would hope the two aren’t mutually exclusive; too serve as a development pathway for coaching by hiring the best coach ‘available’ to get the most out of the U20s playing group.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Thorn I understand and I do think he has more to offer. My comment was in response to Derpus who suggested he might not have the wherewithal to coach at test level, and could apply to anyone who might be described in that way, eg, Chris Whitaker? What evidence is there that CW is the man who could get the most out of the U20s playing group?

 

[Cole]

My understanding of what the selection process was, is that they were down to 2 candidates and due to announce at end of 19s, i believe Shannon Fraser from NSW and someone from QLD, pretty certain not Thorn, but then all went quiet and now still no announcement still but seems Whittacker has the job. If true doesn't exactly feel right, but hopefully he gets the best out the side

 

[Derpus]

But would he be just holding up someone else who might go on to higher and greater things. I wasn't looking for suggestions in my post above but wanting to know if any announcements had been made.

No? We have a terrible dearth of coaching talent.

 

[stillmissit]

There are always people who are knowledgeable and focused but fail to get results for whatever reason. It really doesn't matter, if you don't produce results you are in the wrong game.

 

[Derpus]

Maybe. But we don't have a pathway for professional coaches so there won't be anyone behind them to step up. Not with professional level skills, anyway.

These guys would naturally get pushed out by actual talent if we had any.

 

[Froggy]

Whitaker had a pretty indifferent time with the Tahs as attack coach, however it's always hard to know if you're not immediately involved how much of that can be put down to Whitaker and how much goes back to Coleman.
I think being an assistant coach with a specific function is quite different to being a head coach, with somewhat different skill sets, so I don't think success as an assist necessarily translates into success as an HC, and possibly vice versa.

 

[Yoda]

My understanding was Whitaker was hamstrung by the out of depth and inept Coleman calling the shots. We can now see how he goes in charge of a side.

 

[stillmissit]

Always liked Whitaker as a player, he seemed pretty grounded in more ways than the bench.

 

[Tomikin]

Narrr, too many Reds... I think you have the best squad ATM. What does that actually mean don't know

 

[Wilson]

Wallabies vs Fiji locked in for July 6 in Newcastle:

Wallabies lock in pre-Lions Test with Fiji in Newcastle

The Wallabies have confirmed they will face Fiji in Newcastle on July 6 in their only hit-out before the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour.

www.rugby.com.au

This is the day after the tahs v Lions game, so it almost certainly means tahs wallabies won't be available for that.

 

[JRugby2]

Both wallabies and Tahs full strength then?

 

[stillmissit]

A stuff up in organisation?

 

[JRugby2]

Depends how you want to look at it.

Super Rugby final will (most likely as it hasn't been announced) be played on Saturday, June 21 - giving them only a 1 week window between then and when the Lions first game is (v Force on the 28th).

Lions fixtures have been locked in for a while and likely in planning for much longer - so there likely was never a perfect window for the game to be played.

Could be considered a stuff up in organisation if you think that having a warm up test for the Wallabies was a no brainer and built into the tour from the start, but with competing stakeholder priorities (European clubs releasing players for a test match for Fiji and Lions players in time for something genuine to take place, as one of many examples) it was always going to be a massive battle.

 

[KOB1987]

I don't think Wallabies are generally available for the Super sides during the Lions tour anyway are they? It's the best of both worlds for me, I've bought tickets to the Lions game and my son lives in Newcastle so will head up there for the Wallabies game the next day.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Pretty sure the odd squad member gets released, but the likely test teams don't turn out for their Super Rugby teams.

A stuff up in organisation?

Which bi do you think is a stuff up? If Wallabies are going to play a warm-up match it's always going to clash with something in the compressed Lions tour schedule

 

[KOB1987]

Yes, you'd assume the Fiji game will be a full strength dress rehearsal being the only warm up game, and any Tahs squaddies outside the likely 23 plus maybe a couple in positions we lack depth will be released for the Tahs fixture.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Just had a look - in 2013, 11 NSW international players weren't released for the Lions game. 2 were - Dave Dennis and Rob Horne.

Horne was subsequently named on the bench for the Wallabies for game #2