Friday’s Rugby News has more Jake White speculation, the Wallabies trying to play it smart, the Champions Cup unsupported and the All Blacks official lineup.
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Reaction to Jake White’s exit
ARU boss Bill Pulver has attempted to set the record straight on the Jake White affair, publically asserting that White was never promised the Wallabies head coaching job, and that his South African nationality was not a factor in his rejection. The Brumbies coach has been quite transparent about his desire to return to the international arena, almost leaving the job for a chance to coach England in 2011.
Supporters of Jake White say the coach was practically assured the job by Pulver in a series of meetings towards the end of the Deans reign. White’s supporters also maintain that Pulver was pressured to pick an ex-Wallaby in McKenzie after the Kiwi-born Deans fiasco, a belief strengthened by the ARU boss consistently lauding Link for coaching ‘the Australian way.’ [/one_half]
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Horwill calls for caution in attack
Wallabies captain James Horwill has emphasised the need for a more patient attacking approach in light of recent Rugby Championship losses. The skipper called for a more field position-based game to keep the ball in the South African half. ‘The way the game is being officiated and so forth, you are just opening yourself up to getting points put on you,’ Horwill said.
Coach Ewen McKenzie also told reporters yesterday that an improved scrum would be key to a victory on Saturday. ‘I’m concerned with the scrums every week, sorting that area out and the quality of the ball we get from there is pretty important,’ said McKenzie. Many commentators expected Benn Robinson to be named in the starting front row as the existing line-up has been bullied during this series. [/one_half]
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Champions Cup rejected
The Unions governing Italy, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have all released simultaneous statements confirming that their respective teams will not take part in the breakaway Rugby Champions Cup without the approval of the IRB or the Unions themselves. IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset has insisted that a Union-run pan European tournament remains their goal, rather than the club organised structure proposed within the RCC. The four remaining Heineken Cup nations remain hopeful of retaining the IRB’s preferred structure.
But Bath Chairman Bruce Craig has recently asserted that the time for compromise has been and gone, a sentiment echoed by Racing Metro owner Jacky Lorenzetti’s blunt assessment on Thursday that, the ‘ERC is dead.’ Both the English and French clubs are optimistic that teams in the RaboDirect PRO12 will join them in the new breakaway competition. [/one_half]
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New Zealand team named
The All Blacks have named their team to play Argentina this Saturday, featuring three changes to the side that defeated South Africa. Aaron Cruden will replace the injured Daniel Carter at five-eighth, while Andrew Hore comes back into the starting side at the expense of Dane Coles. Commenting on the change in hooker, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said, ‘Like a lot of the young players, we are mindful of managing their game time as part of their development.’ On the bench, Jeremy Thrush will provide cover at lock with Matt Todd out of the squad.
Hansen also emphasised the difficulty of playing Argentina on their home soil, making sure his side is not looking past this upcoming game. ‘We know that we will have to be physically on top of our game and strategically smart,’ he said. [/one_half]
