I am very pleased that Michael Foley got the gig as coach. It was a bit rough on Hickey given that he was the most successful coach the Tahs have had statistically, and by some margin. In 2011 key injuries to players like Palu, Horne, Mitchell, Barnes, leader Waugh, and even TPN at the critical point, did not help his cause, but IMO if there are good candidates available and you haven't won the thing yet, or shown at the end of 3 years that your team is on an irresistible rise, a new fellow may as well be signed up.
Acquiring Gaffney is a coup. His days of being a head coach are long gone, but he will be of invaluable help to Foley settling in and to bounce ideas off. It will make no sense unless Gaff is also the backs attack coach as I don't want Bowen involved in that discipline of the game at all. I have mentioned wanting Gaff as the Tahs back coach many a time, and not just this year. I feel better at the minute at his appointment than at Foley getting his gig: those old Randwick moves will still work, and he will have a bigger play book now.
Foley should also appoint Vickerman as lineout and restarts coach. This may seem a silly idea but nobody who has seen him at Tahs training bossing lineout sessions in past years would dissent. To those who object that a current player should not act in such a capacity: they don't know the gravitas he has with team mates.
Hiring Foley is a good step for Oz rugby also. He will become a Wallaby coach candidate if he is successful at the Tahs, since he has Oz coaching credentials already. It is to early to say that the baton will be passed from Deans to Link to Foley, but it reads well in my eyes right now.
As for the Tahs captain: it's a puzzle supposing that Mumm is unsure of a regular starting position each week. Timani is on the rise and maybe back early in an extended season, Douglas will hopefully step up, and Vickerman should be able to prove himself if they picked him in the RWC. Not much joy there and he will not be a better 6 than Dennis on late season form, albeit at 8 sometimes.
The captain should be a forward unless there is more compelling evidence than is offered for Mitchell. The only back I would consider is Barnes.
But there may be one more candidate. Foley is said to be close to Elsom and it is also said that he will get him back into the Tahs now that he has been appointed. Unlike others I don't think Elsom is a crap player and especially not at the Super level. I thought he was a bit silent as the Wobs captain, but he gave ref B. Lawrence a bit of an ear bashing in Durban. Good signs.
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