We've got a report but we've still got problems - Andy Haden
We've got a report but we've still got problems - Andy Haden
By MARC HINTON - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 20 April 2008
We've got a report but we've still got problems - Andy Haden - Rugby news & coverage - Stuff.co.nz
Former ALL Black great and astute rugby observer Andy Haden has labelled the World Cup review a "waste of time" and says he feels sorry for captain Richie McCaw being made a scapegoat for the quarter-final defeat in Cardiff.
The NZRU's much-hyped and overly- produced review of last year's failed World Cup campaign was finally unveiled in Wellington on Thursday, a 47-page document that was six months in the making and cost around $130,000 to compile.
And in the end it was a fairly thorough and honest piece of work, with the finger pointed at Graham Henry and the NZRU for a number of shortcomings, including the failed reconditioning programme, a poor buildup, a lack of on-field leadership and an overblown management and coaching team.
There was also a fairly extensive report on why a dropped goal was not taken late in the 18-20 defeat to France, with skipper McCaw being tagged the main culprit. It was found Henry had sent out a message for an attempt to be taken but that McCaw had made an on-field decision to press on for a try or penalty. But, really, the review produced few findings that the average rugby fan couldn't have come up with hours after the Cardiff capitulation, and given as it failed to reach a definitive conclusion over culpability and it was not part of the reappointment process anyway, it's been difficult to fathom what it has achieved.
This is a view shared by Haden, the former All Blacks locking great who retains close links to the game.
"I think it was a complete and total waste of time," said Haden.
"The rugby union have probably worked hard to get it as far under the carpet as they can. There's a hell of a lot of stuff that I think is radically wrong, and not giving [Robbie] Deans the job is something that was indicative.
"These guys screwed it up and someone had to carry the can. You can't blame your captain and then say 'oh, but he's a great captain'. That's only a symptom of what went wrong, and they should never have been in that position."
Haden is also heavily critical of a culture of arrogance that has developed around the All Blacks and NZRU management, with this report doing little to ease concerns in that area.
"We look terribly arrogant in so many ways," said Haden, who played 41 tests for the All Blacks from 1972-85. "Our apologies look to be delivered with arrogance, our excuses are delivered with arrogance. I just think if as an organisation we at least looked contrite it would help.
"You can say we have apologised to our fans, but you can't say that with a smirk on your face. It doesn't ring true. That's sad.
"The reason why people have been alienated from the game is because we don't look determined to do something about it. With this report and how it's been delivered, and what's in it, it didn't look to me as if they had a resolve amongst them to do something about it."
Haden was also interested to see the Australians are leading the way in the privatisation of their Super 14 sides.
"People say they hear the Australians talking about it and 'oh-oh, they've stolen another march on us. Not only have they got Robbie Deans they've got better ideas as well'.
"This is the sort of thing we're dealing with. They do adapt better to circumstances, they're lighter on their feet and they do get people who get the job done. We've got people who tip-toe their way round the rule book.
"If you have all of it dictated from Wellington, all controlled from the central employer, it's unhealthy, and it's anti-competitive. It's just like what we're getting in schools now where they don't keep the score in the netball game. We've gone down that track."
