Matthew Burke
The school term has finished and the report cards have been dispatched.
This makes it as good a time as any to deliver a summary on how the Wallabies have fared since Ewen McKenzie took over the top job 14 months ago.
Record wise, the Wallabies are on an impressive run, winning 11 of their past 12 games, but the goal has to be to win against the top nations, South Africa and the All Blacks.
They have achieved one of those two desired outcomes.
Here is a breakdown of the pros and cons I have observed during the opening stages of the McKenzie era:
SMH
PROS
There was widespread public sentiment that the next national coach had to be homegrown; it was a prerequisite.
So when McKenzie was appointed – or, some may say, annointed – there was going to be a revival of sorts in the rugby ranks.
The new coach brought the credentials of winning a Super Rugby title and, with that, a certain playing style; a ball-in-hand approach that produced exciting, running, flowing rugby.
There was also the knowledge that he, as well as his players, knew how to win; how to grind out games tactically and produce the wins.
Perhaps by far the biggest influence McKenzie has had on the Wallabies is in the culture department. The pride in that jumper.
In previous years, Test caps seemed to be given out a little too easily.
McKenzie says it is a week-to-week contract and players have to earn the jumper.
That’s what we wanted to hear.
The prevailing culture had to be driven out from the players, by giving them the responsibility to represent their country. And, if you weren’t up for it, you were out.
As a part of that cultural change there was a renewed emphasis on discipline, both on and off the field.
All players sign a contract to play, but there are also the team protocols reinforced by senior players; simple things that ensure a smooth running of the team. In previous seasons that had faded.
Now that line is clearly etched for the players to see. A point in case was the 2013 Spring Tour when a bunch of players were dropped for breaching team rules. No one is bigger than the team. Message sent.
CONS
The biggest single mistake in McKenzie’s short tenure as coach was selecting Kurtley Beale at five-eighth for the first Bledisloe Cup match in Sydney.
Having come off a Test series win over the French with Bernard Foley at pivot and playing so well, it seemed a given that he would retain the job.
It wasn’t.
This was the Wallabies’ best chance in the past 11 years to finally get a series win over the All Blacks with two home games and the momentum created by the Waratahs.
A massive loss.
Game plan. Pushing through without a Plan B, with three Tests at home having been played in the wet. I understand they want a ball-in-hand policy but you have to play smart.
Is the game plan too tricky? Do they need to dumb it down little? No variation means trouble.
The campaign started poorly with the loss to the All Blacks in 2013, which culminated in a poor Rugby Championship. We got excited about a seven-try drubbing of Argentina, but it was all too little too late.
A 3-0 loss to New Zealand, 2-0 loss South Africa and perhaps worst of those defeats was the drubbing in Brisbane.
The Auckland disaster; a rout that will scar this team when all, even I, thought they were a chance at Eden Park. There were warning signs.
The pre-match chat was provocation bordering on intimidation. I found this very frustrating as you don’t trash talk when you don’t have the results to back it up.
“They better bring their A game. Not intimidated by history we will create our own.” That’s what we were hearing.
Shhhh! Quietly does it. Get in, get out, job done. There’s no need to wake the beast.
Only one win against one of the big nations, South Africa, this year is some cause for concern. The loss to England on last season’s spring tour, having successive losses previously to the All Blacks and South Africa.
They need to finish season 2014 on a high with a final win in Brisbane against the All Blacks. That will start the healing process.