Time for a change

[Burgs]

It's only out of respect for the Wallabies that I didn't make the thread title "Rocky has to go".

I have been extremely disillusioned by his suitability and capacity to lead and, following a poor captaincy effort on the weekend, this excerpt from a SMH article has left me unable to contain that frustration any longer.

Rocky isn’t a captains’ butt hole on the field and brings no tangible benefit to the team as he skulks and scowls through media commitments and referee exchanges. He has not performed as a leader for his nation and has to be replaced by someone who will inspire by both word and action.

In reality it would be too great a shock to team stability, unless he was also benched, to enact this weekend, but Sharpe should take over for the trip to the Republic.

A new captain should then be announced for the Spring Clean Tour, with Pocock the obvious choice with Genia his deputy.

The World Cup is now rushing up and if Robbie is now focused on that as claimed then the reality must surely be starting to sink in that we cannot win it with this leadership “team”.

..."In cold, light drizzle at Christ's College, Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom wore a look borne of pressure and frustration. For 15 minutes bibs and non-bibs had gone at it at break-neck pace. It was not pretty as passes went to ground regularly.

And so, beanie pulled tightly over his forehead, the Australian breakaway stood rooted to the spot for a good five minutes as his forwards bungled and bickered through their kick-off receptions. At one stage Elsom kicked the ball away in disgust and when the forwards gathered for a group discussion with the assistant coaches he remained isolated and deep in thought.

Australia had the look of a team in search of answers not readily available on the training paddock. Undermanned by injuries and suspension they face an All Blacks side they have failed to beat in eight matches at the top of their game..."

[oxleymoron]

The captaincy seems to be more of a chore than an honour at the moment for Rocky. Lets not forget that it must be hard to be captain of your country when you aren't captain of your S15 team.

Agree with your comments Burgs regrading the media commitments - especially from what I observed first hand in Melbourne on Friday night (at a wallabies fan session)

[jombi]

Who else can take the captaincy though?

Deans doesn't play Sharpe for 80, Pocock definitely doesn't need the pressure and the rest of the forward pack aren't experienced enough.

Genia was better when he let Higgenbotham/etc in the reds actually do the captains duties on the field and Gitaeu can't do it.

AAC?

[Burgs]

Sharpie is the man, he often does play 80 and almost always does at the Force.
In any case, 60 minutes of leadership is better than 80 minutes of Rocky.

[shasta]

Elsom seemingly does not relish the task. I would not burden Genia with it at this early stage of his Wallaby career, given the current situation. Ditto Bam Bam. I'd probably try to get through this rough patch without making a change unless through injury, try to help Elsom do better and consider Kev for the job in the medium term. But any more performances like Saturday and I'd be handing the job to Sharpe at least for the time being.

[jombi]

Sharpie is the man, he often does play 80 and almost always does at the Force.
In any case, 60 minutes of leadership is better than 80 minutes of Rocky.

Well that's the obvious common sense approach, but Deans doesn't use that.

If you look over the G&GR stats for the game Sharpe was the best tight five forward in the wallabies, and out played Donnolly/Thorn for the time he was on, so subbing him was a pretty stupid move.

I'd rather Sharpe not get it, as someone who supports the allblacks and the force players, do you really think he needs the samething twice in a single year where he is putting his heart on his sleeve for 80mins. He'll be worn out by the start of the S15 season if he has to do it allover again.

[The InnFORCEr]

I'd rather Sharpe not get it, as someone who supports the allblacks and the force players, do you really think he needs the samething twice in a single year where he is putting his heart on his sleeve for 80mins. He'll be worn out by the start of the S15 season if he has to do it allover again.

Is that why Richie has to be "reconditioned" before each season

[jombi]

Is that why Richie has to be "reconditioned" before each season

I'd say he plays the same as any Australian Rugby player. Even if he does miss the first few rounds of Super Rugby, he usually plays in the last 3-5 rounds of the NPC for Canter.

But if I were the allblacks coach I'd drop McCaw and pick Holah.

Re Sharpe I just think he's been through waaay too much this year with the force. You could see the passion in his eyes when he had to do the press conference after every loss. He'd probably have a nervous breakdown if he had to go through that again with the wallabies.

[Sheikh]

Jombi, I think the issue is that the Wallabies might not lose if Sharpie is the captain. Elsom is a good player but if he doesn't suit the captaincy, he shouldn't be captain.

I've said it before, but make Sharpie captain until the World Cup and tell Pocock/Genia/someone else Deans wants to watch and learn. After all, no other Australian Super 14 captain is regularly playing for the Wallabies - you might as well use the one that is.

[jombi]

Jombi, I think the issue is that the Wallabies might not lose if Sharpie is the captain.

I just don't think you have the XV right now to win against the allblacks.

Pretty young front row, Mumm is a better blindside but you have no second lock to pair with Sharpe who has experience and doesn't go missing (Chisholm), Rocky who is basically taking over from Thorne as Captain Invisible (though Higgenbotham or Hodgson could fix that with a decent breakaway who works).

Then you go into the backline! Where does AAC play? Will he ever be left alone to make a position his own? Mitchell is probably gone now, O'Connor seems to be in the position of a player who is too good to drop from the XV, so they'll just shove him anywhere. Barnes is a dud.

IF the wallabies were at full strength you could pull off a win or 2, but right now you don't have the experience around the park to carry it on for 80 minutes.

Sharpe can't change that.

The most pathetic thing was how John O'Neill was doing the rounds saying the team isn't where he wants it to be, well it's his bloody fault for getting rid of the ARC!!!

[beige]

The most pathetic thing was how John O'Neill was doing the rounds saying the team isn't where he wants it to be, well it's his bloody fault for getting rid of the ARC!!!

Hmm, I thought it had been a few months since someone dragged that in to a completely unrelated thread...So you'd prefer we'd be losing AND bankrupt.



Sharpie's been the one rousing the Wallabies players in times of trouble on the field this year anyway, so he'd be the obvious choice if it's decided Rocky's not the man.

[jombi]

Hmm, I thought it had been a few months since someone dragged that in to a completely unrelated thread...So you'd prefer we'd be losing AND bankrupt.

Only a complete moron would scrap a business because it lost money in it's first year. You learn in bloody primary school that you want a plan to see profits by either the 3rd or 5th year.

O'Neill just capitulated to the NSWRU, and now you're seeing the fruits of it.

Does anyone here really think the Shute Shield is helping the wallabies more than the ARC would?

[James]

If you look over the G&GR stats for the game Sharpe was the best tight five forward in the wallabies, and out played Donnolly/Thorn for the time he was on, so subbing him was a pretty stupid move.

You wouldn't be saying that if he'd injured himself in those minutes he was off the field. The game was lost. Protect the talent. Besides we don't know he might have had a bit of a niggling injury.

[shasta]

Only a complete moron would scrap a business because it lost money in it's first year. r.

Jombi, firstlyI agree with your sentiment about a second tier competition (please don't give me too much grief about completely unrelated threads, Beige)

But a competition of teams thrown together with no tradition, after a lock-in brainstorming session is not really a business. Businesses are supposed to have a business plan designed to make money. We just don't have the geography, history, long standing structures or finances to magically create and NPC or Currie Cup.

Some people will obviously not agree with me but that "tribal" niche market is filled, IMO for a considerable number of Australians who like Rugby, by their NRL and/or AFL teams. Most of the athletes who might play in such a format, were Australia a Rugby heartland, play in them too.

My thinking says that the closest the ARU can comfortably come to that in the near term is "second 15" matches (+ a final) in Australian S15 conference fixtures.

[travelling_gerry]

The ARC lost money because the ARU said to NSWRU and VRU "here's a stack of money - don't lose it all, but we'll guarantee it if you do"

So consequently they did. All like all good bean counters when a cost code is in trouble you load up everything else on it so you only have to point with one finger when it all comes out in the wash.

Accountancy 101.