Welcome, as soon as once more, to the Weekend Version.
I’ve simply completed a few night time shifts and am at the moment 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 should 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 stuffed with proficient rugby gamers. I’ve talked earlier than about how I feel the true drawback with our Tremendous Rugby groups is teaching and never gamers, and I stand by that.
That’s why I’m involved with a few of the proposed candidates for the vacant Waratahs head teaching position.
When the Reds turned to Brad Thorn in 2018 that they had enormous cash points and a coach, like Brad, with no expertise fitted superbly inside their finances. Thorn was adequate to get a middling end result out of the group, however he didn’t have the expertise to take them to the subsequent stage. And his laborious however honest method didn’t all the time appear honest to some gamers, they usually moved on.
In 2023, on the finish of Brad Thorn’s tenure, the Reds had been in a unique state of affairs. They’d a little bit cash. I feel the Reds then did one thing actually intelligent. They regarded exterior the Australian system! They usually received fortunate, when London Irish went broke and dropped some coaches in our laps.
What we received was type of the very best of each worlds. A born and bred Queenslander, who had spent yr honing his teaching abilities, principally, exterior our methods. Will probably be fascinating to see if the 2025 Reds can step up one other stage.
Which leaves us again on the Waratahs and what coach they’re on the lookout for. After their million greenback losses final yr and assuming they’ve completed comparable this yr, are they wanting on the finances possibility. Or are they hoping that their take-over by RA comes with a money injection and a prime stage coach?
I can’t consider a coach the Tahs might name on with the gravitas that Brad Thorn has. I’ve heard Stephen Hoiles title thrown round although. Hoiles is an effective rugby man with restricted teaching expertise and he would undoubtedly be a left area selection.
Nathan Gray is one other coach with out a lot head coach expertise whose title has been linked to the job. He has assistant coach expertise and is the present underneath 20 Australian coach.
On the skilled finish of the dimensions are Andy Good friend and Michael Cheika. Neither have formally declared any curiosity within the job, and I’m undecided that both would need it. Good friend appears to be taking issues simple after years of working applications 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 title 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 finances choose and who could be your swing for the hills choose.
Nicely, That’s about as a lot as my sleep-deprived mind can deal with. Have an important weekend and I’ll see you within the feedback.