Wallaby Captaincy

[Strewthcobber]

He's not appointed as a Team Manager. It's a similar role to Nucifora's.

Yeah, my understanding is that while he might be there, Howard's role is not to support the players and coach on tour.

Steve Bernard used to do it but he left a few years ago and I don't think was replaced

 

[Scrubber2050]

The most preferable model is to have the Captain on the field for the full 80.

Second best option is to have a Captain, who when "subbed", is replaced by a Vice Captain who can also do the job

 

[formerflanker]

Many Oz representative sporting teams have a "Media Manager" on a full time basis. Their job is to:
1. get positive stories into the media;
2. train the young athletes in media presentation skills; and
3. work like hell when negative incidents arise.

The ARU apparently does not do this. Hence we have a 22 year old captain with no corporate experience or time spent in off-field dramas fed to the lions of the press. An external media consultant has been called in only just now, well after the horse has bolted.
Decision making at ARU level has focussed on cost cutting and a failure to anticipate the downside of their decisions. Hooper's critics may need to look further afield than the young man himself - his education in the arts of captaincy, advice on media management, support for his growth as a a captain through trial and error; all of these aspects need analysis, not outright criticism.

 

[Slim 293]

Moore:

Injured Australian captain Stephen Moore says the Test team needs a clear framework for cultural standards, adding lewd text messages sent from Kurtley Beale to Di Patston were unacceptable and "as a group" the Wallabies had let fans down.

Moore has been called upon to help the ARU devise a structure to find the "optimum set-up" for the Wallabies to ensure under-siege coach Ewen McKenzie has the right support and team culture is addressed.

Moore said players had his full support as the team battles off-field distractions, including Beale's impending misconduct hearing for inadvertently sending business manager Patston a set of messages, and speculation about McKenzie's future.

But he said Patston did not deserve the scrutiny following behaviour Moore did not condone.

"Di did an incredible amount of work for the team and the team was her priority," Moore said.

"I respect the notion that everyone is entitled to an opinion around this. It's unfortunate and unacceptable that this kind of thing happened in a team environment.

"I will always support the players as far as I can, but you can't support that type of behaviour.

"I would like to be part of a team where that sort of thing is not accepted. There's a person involved here who is struggling emotionally and has been questioned from pillar to post by the media.

"She doesn't deserve to be dealing with this kind of thing, we need to keep that in mind. That behaviour can't be accepted in our environment and it's not accepted in any working environment.

"It needs to be treated very seriously, we need to have a very clear framework in place so that our culture doesn't allow for this stuff to happen."

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rug...bealedi-patston-incident-20141016-116z0c.html


Hooper:

Young captain Michael Hooper has bluntly denied a Waratahs-led split has divided the Wallabies.

Media speculation has pointed to a NSW clique unhappy with the performance of coach Ewen McKenzie, but Hooper insisted his embattled team was united and tight as ever.

The 22-year-old, who also led the Waratahs to this year's Super Rugby title, said a besieged McKenzie had strong support leading into Saturday night's Bledisloe clash at Suncorp Stadium.

Hooper stressed provincial alliances had no bearing in the Wallabies camp and they were galvanised to show how much pride they stored in the gold jersey.

"Being on the inside this week, we've seen how tight we are as a group," he said.

"How much good banter there is, and how guys go off to dinner in all different Super Rugby colours, so there's no split."

The denial has been supported by sidelined first-choice captain Stephen Moore who revealed on Thursday night that his contact with players had shown they were tight-knit and completely behind McKenzie.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rug...atahs-split-in-wallabies-20141017-117iip.html


Nothing to see here folks..........

 

[Braveheart81]

Part of what I took from Moore's comments on the rugby club is that the ARU needs another party to help set up the right structures for the team and coach to operate most effectively. A senior player (and captain) who has been out of the squad with injury so has missed all the drama is the right person to do this.

Seemingly McKenzie's idea of the best setup wasn't ideal and likewise, the players having to deal with something different to what they were used to or perhaps not entirely defined was also highly problematic.

Hopefully they can work out an arrangement quickly that works so the EOYT isn't a complete trainwreck.

 

[Quick Hands]

I will say, I think Hooper would be a better captain if Moore was in the team.

I think that's the point really. Hooper (or anyone else for that matter) would be a better captain if there were a lot more Stephen Moore type players in the team.

 

[Quick Hands]

Part of what I took from Moore's comments on the rugby club is that the ARU needs another party to help set up the right structures for the team and coach to operate most effectively. A senior player (and captain) who has been out of the squad with injury so has missed all the drama is the right person to do this.

Seemingly McKenzie's idea of the best setup wasn't ideal and likewise, the players having to deal with something different to what they were used to or perhaps not entirely defined was also highly problematic.

Hopefully they can work out an arrangement quickly that works so the EOYT isn't a complete trainwreck.

Code in fact that the Link framework wasn't a success.

 

[Quick Hands]

Let's be real fucking clear. The Team Manager role came about as a "jobs for the boys" type scenario.

No disrespect to Egerton, I'm sure he did good work. But for people to assume that somebody else who hasn't played the game cannot be competent in the role is a load of shit.

I think we need to get beyond personalities and who did or didn't do a good job in the past.

There needs to be a Team Manager - someone who can take the pressure off the coach in day to day dealings with the players.

 

[Quick Hands]

M
Decision making at ARU level has focussed on cost cutting and a failure to anticipate the downside of their decisions. Hooper's critics may need to look further afield than the young man himself - his education in the arts of captaincy, advice on media management, support for his growth as a a captain through trial and error; all of these aspects need analysis, not outright criticism.

100% agrree with this. It's certainly been a baptism by fire in a set-up which has fallen down around him. Sure he has made the odd misstep, and I'm sure he'll be the better captain, leader and person for it.

 

[Richo]

What was wrong with Horwill? Slipper doesn't play 80 mins and nor should he.

I've never understood the criticism of Horwill's captaincy. He wasn't a 'great' but certainly did a good job! Some folk don't like those that wear their heart on their sleeve but I much prefer that to the strong silent type.

Some just never liked Horwill

I don't think there's anything "wrong" with Horwill as captain, but nor do I think he showed such great leadership that this adds to his case for selection. He was a solid Wallaby captain. If he regains sufficient form to be a regular starter, then certainly he'd be in the running. And it's not about "liking" Horwill either -- I'm sure he's a fantastic teammate and great bloke.
I do think where his captaincy is weakest is in referee management -- my impression from the broadcast is that he has trouble being articulate in the heat of the contest. McCaw, for instance, seems to have a knack for seeming calm and composed whenever he's talking to the ref, no matter how much running he's just done or how tense the moment.

 

[I like to watch]

Part of what I took from Moore's comments on the rugby club is that the ARU needs another party to help set up the right structures for the team and coach to operate most effectively. A senior player (and captain) who has been out of the squad with injury so has missed all the drama is the right person to do this.

Seemingly McKenzie's idea of the best setup wasn't ideal and likewise, the players having to deal with something different to what they were used to or perhaps not entirely defined was also highly problematic.

Hopefully they can work out an arrangement quickly that works so the EOYT isn't a complete trainwreck.

Work out an arrangement quickly?
How about going back to how it was done for decades before this debacle,or how every other touring team does it?
It's not rocket science.
If it is beyond the coach to appoint a manager to do this adequately,then serious questions should've asked about his capacity to fulfil his role.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I think we need to get beyond personalities and who did or didn't do a good job in the past.

There needs to be a Team Manager - someone who can take the pressure off the coach in day to day dealings with the players.

You'd have to think that what the other mobs are doing organisationally probably isn't that bad an idea for the Wobs to follow.

Professional International rugby teams have been around for a while now and all probably face similar challenges as we do with constrained cash flows, precociously talented individuals with little life experience beyond sport, injuries, player managers stroking egos and stoking fires, etc, etc.

Are the conditions surrounding Club Wallaby that different to all the other Tier One Squads that we need to have fundamentally different organisational and administrative structures?

Perhaps some clever Sports Management Student (read unpaid intern) should do their thesis on a benchmark comparison of the various organisational, administrative and logistic structures and processes used in International Rugby Union teams.

 

[Train Without a Station]

@Richo I was more referring to members of the public.

McCaw seems more cool and collected, but how often is he under the same pressure that Horwill has been as a Wallaby captain or in 2013 as a Reds captain? It's easier to maintain composure when things are going your way.

 

[wamberal]

It is the CEO's job to set up the organisational structure, get it approved by the Board, and then staff it.


That is one of his or her most important responsibilities, That is why it looks to me as though Pulver, and/or the Board, have been asleep at the wheel.

 

[Braveheart81]

When was the last time the board wasn't asleep at the wheel?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

There's a wheel?

 

[Braveheart81]

There's a wheel?

There was, but the board agreed that John O'Neill deserved it as part of his golden parachute.

 

[Richo]

There was, but the board agreed that John O'Neill deserved it as part of his golden parachute.

And they'd never learned to use it anyway, so it was easy to give away.

 

[Quick Hands]

It is the CEO's job to set up the organisational structure, get it approved by the Board, and then staff it.


That is one of his or her most important responsibilities, That is why it looks to me as though Pulver, and/or the Board, have been asleep at the wheel.

This is right, the administration and finance roles should be Board appointments. Fobbing these responsibilities off to the coach or allowing the coach (for well-intentioned reasons) to make these appointments are bad organisational practice.

I have no problem with the coach selecting his technical staff and assistants.

 

[It is what it is]

Where has ARU Chairman Michael Hawker been during the ARU crisis?