Wednesday’s rugby news has ripped out any positive signs from yesterday’s news, with Cheika talks stalled, Larkham refusing the Test gig, doubts over Cheika’s coaching workload and also, the Welsh squad named.
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Cheika talks stall
Negotiations between Michael Cheika and the ARU have hit a roadblock over the degree of administrative autonomy that will be given to any new Wallabies coach. Cheika reportedly will not agree to a contract before he can bring in his own coaching support staff, a measure which Bill Pulver regretted during McKenzie’s tenure.
The stalled discussions throw a spanner in the plans of the Wallabies, who depart at 4.50pm Friday for the start of their five-game tour of Europe. Until Cheika is announced as the Test coach, the players are also being kept in the dark about the touring squad.
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Larkham turns down Wallabies
Stephen Larkham has ruled himself out of a Wallabies coaching role on the end-of-year tour, preferring to focus on leading the Brumbies in his first season in sole charge of the team. “While I was honoured to be considered, I felt like taking five weeks out of my first solo preparation for a Super Rugby season wouldn’t be fair on the Brumbies, the local community or my family,” Larkham said.
In the absence of Larkham, the leading candidates for (presumably) Michael Cheika are said to be either sticking with incumbent Jim McKay or shifting to Daryl Gibson, Cheika’s attack coach at the Waratahs.
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Questions remain over dual posts
As NSWRU chief Jason Allen has made clear that Cheika could only accept the Wallabies job if he was able to fulfill his 2015 contractual obligations with the Waratahs, there remain doubts over whether the dual responsibilities could be undertaken to an acceptable standard.
While this is unprecedented for an Australian coach, Allen believes that it can be done, saying, “It would be challenging, but with a small amount (four) of inbound Tests, the (NSWRU) board and I think that’s achievable.”
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Surprise Welsh exclusions
Wales have named their 34-man squad for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere tour, and Warran Gatland has surprisingly omitted the British & Irish Lions and 95-Test international prop Adam Jones. While Gatland said that it was a “tough decision” in terms of the experience of the team, he emphasised that the team was not set for the Six Nations or the World Cup.
Another squad regular in the Gatland era, the Gloucester fly-half James Hook, has also been left out. 10 of the 34 in the squad are notably playing their provincial rugby outside of Wales [/one_half]
