Welcome, as soon as once more, to the Weekend Version.
I’ve simply completed a few evening shifts and am presently navigating that twilight zone between vampire and regular human being. So please excuse me if a few of this doesn’t make sense.
I’ve heard for years that “there may be not sufficient expertise to help 5 groups in Australia”. However in case you look throughout the 5 Australian Tremendous Rugby sides, that is clearly not true. Even the Waratahs, who got here final on this yr’s comp, are filled with proficient rugby gamers. I’ve talked earlier than about how I believe the true downside with our Tremendous Rugby groups is teaching and never gamers, and I stand by that.
That’s why I’m involved with among the proposed candidates for the vacant Waratahs head teaching function.
When the Reds turned to Brad Thorn in 2018 that they had big cash points and a coach, like Brad, with no expertise fitted fantastically inside their funds. Thorn was adequate to get a middling consequence out of the crew, however he didn’t have the expertise to take them to the subsequent degree. And his exhausting however truthful method didn’t all the time appear truthful to some gamers, and so they moved on.
In 2023, on the finish of Brad Thorn’s tenure, the Reds have been in a distinct state of affairs. That they had slightly cash. I believe the Reds then did one thing actually intelligent. They regarded exterior the Australian system! And so they received fortunate, when London Irish went broke and dropped some coaches in our laps.
What we received was sort of the very best of each worlds. A born and bred Queenslander, who had spent yr honing his teaching abilities, largely, exterior our methods. It will likely be fascinating to see if the 2025 Reds can step up one other degree.
Which leaves us again on the Waratahs and what coach they’re searching for. After their million greenback losses final yr and assuming they’ve completed comparable this yr, are they trying on the funds possibility. Or are they hoping that their take-over by RA comes with a money injection and a prime degree coach?
I can’t consider a coach the Tahs may name on with the gravitas that Brad Thorn has. I’ve heard Stephen Hoiles identify thrown round although. Hoiles is an efficient rugby man with restricted teaching expertise and he would positively be a left subject alternative.
Nathan Gray is one other coach with out a lot head coach expertise whose identify has been linked to the job. He has assistant coach expertise and is the present below 20 Australian coach.
On the skilled finish of the size are Andy Pal and Michael Cheika. Neither have formally declared any curiosity within the job, and I’m undecided that both would need it. Pal appears to be taking issues straightforward after years of operating packages in Canberra and Eire. Cheika has been the coach on the Waratahs earlier than and has been there and completed that. Why do it once more?
The opposite identify bandied about is the present Melbourne Rebels coach Kevin Foote. The Rebels have by no means reached nice heights and are one loss away from extinction. They enter the finals off the again of 5 straight losses, however he’s accessible.
My query to you is who could be your funds choose and who could be your swing for the hills choose.
Effectively, That’s about as a lot as my sleep-deprived mind can deal with. Have an incredible weekend and I’ll see you within the feedback.
