On the Wallabies’ Latest Kiwi Coach Appointment: Experts Weigh In

BBC Rugby Union | 20 January 2023

Former Waratahs head coach and outspoken pundit Matt Williams believes Australia has strayed too far from its rugby identity after repeatedly hiring New Zealand coaches. The Wallabies, who were traditionally led by Australians, took a different path in 2007 when they appointed Crusaders boss Robbie Deans as their head coach.

Deans’ six-year tenure, which included a 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final appearance, was criticized for the team’s playing style before he was eventually replaced after their 2013 series defeat to the British and Irish Lions. Australians Ewen McKenzie and Michael Cheika followed, but the trend of Kiwi leadership continued with the appointment of Dave Rennie in 2020. Rennie’s 38% win rate led to his sacking, and his successor, Eddie Jones, fared even worse.

Now, the Wallabies have turned to another New Zealander, former All Blacks coach Joe Schmidt, as their new head coach. However, this decision has not been universally welcomed, according to Williams.

“Australian rugby has suffered from a string of wrongly recruited Kiwis, either as coaches or chief executives, who have disastrously driven the game in Australia so far away from its DNA that players of this generation have lost their understanding of Australian rugby’s unique identity,” he wrote in his Irish Times column.

Despite the scepticism, Williams believes Schmidt can turn things around for the Wallabies.

“Good coaches can learn from their errors and I believe that in time Joe will be a huge positive for the Wallabies,” he stated.

However, the ex-Scotland and Leinster boss acknowledged the significant challenge Schmidt faces, with the lack of world-class Australian halves a particular concern.

“Success will be a struggle for Schmidt because the production line of Australian world-class creative halves has simply stopped,” Williams added. “This has resulted in them losing their understanding of how to play a uniquely Australian style of game.”

As the Wallabies embark on a new era under Schmidt’s guidance, rugby enthusiasts will be closely watching to see if the former All Blacks coach can restore the team’s identity and lead them back to their former glory.

🔗 Source