Inside contender for Wallaby job

[Burgs]

Inside contender for Wallaby job

Wayne Smith | August 14, 2007

AUSTRALIAN Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill would not exclude his new high-performance unit manager Pat Howard as a contender for the Wallabies' coaching position if no strong candidate emerges to take over from John Connolly.

Howard has been given the task of finding the next coach to take over the Wallabies once Connolly's contract expires after the World Cup.

And the former Wallabies back and Leicester coach yesterday laughed off suggestions his own name might appear on the short list he draws up for O'Neill and the ARU board.

"I'm out," Howard said. "That would be a terrible conflict of interest."

But it would only take for the leading contender for the position, Crusaders mentor Robbie Deans, to be offered the All Blacks coaching job - which surely will happen if the Graham Henry-led New Zealand coaching team fails to deliver the World Cup in October - for Howard to emerge as the welcome answer to what is becoming a vexing problem for the ARU.

The other frontline candidates, Ewen McKenzie, Laurie Fisher, David Nucifora, Scott Johnson and John Muggleton, are seen as worthy applicants but all have worrying gaps in their CVs.

Howard is a third generation Wallaby whose father, Jake, was on the Australian coaching staff in the 1990s. Howard has just come off a brilliant coaching stint in England with the Leicester Tigers.

"Pat's credentials are outstanding," O'Neill said yesterday. "I wouldn't exclude him for the Wallabies job but that's not why I hired him. I haven't contemplated him coaching the Wallabies and I'm very excited to have him in the job he's doing.

"I asked Pat if he wanted to coach and he told me he would prefer to do something else.

"But you never say never."

Asked whether he would turn to Howard if he felt no other suitable contender had emerged to replace Connolly, O'Neill replied: "We want to find the best person for the job, whoever that person is."

Howard faced his first serious test as high performance unit manager yesterday when he chaired a two-hour meeting with Connolly, Wallabies managers Phil Thomson and Chris Webb and captain Stirling Mortlock to formulate recommendations to put to O'Neill today to ensure there is no repeat at the World Cup of Friday's Lote Tuqiri-Matt Dunning episode in Brisbane.

The two players are scheduled to meet O'Neill later today to be told in no uncertain terms they brought the game into disrepute by inviting strangers back to Dunning's hotel room for drinks around 4am on Friday. Less than 80 minutes later, one of the men drinking with the Wallabies allegedly violently assaulted a taxi driver.

Details of yesterday's meeting have been kept confidential but indications beforehand were that a range of sanctions would be considered, from alcohol counselling for the two players, to individual alcohol bans placed on them during the World Cup, to their expulsion from the World Cup squad.

The final option would surely be an overreaction, given that neither player had anything to do with the assault, but there is no disguising the fact they have angered officials with their behaviour, attitude and dishevelled appearances in weekend press photographs.

Tuqiri is expected to be issued a final warning letter. Although some officials have been dismayed that he appeared relatively unconcerned with being suspended from the Wallabies' past two Tests, also for an alcohol-related offence, the loss of Test match payments would pale into insignificance against the cancellation of his reputed $1million-a-year contract.

Meanwhile, Dunning's stand-by understudy, Benn Robinson, has lost his slim chance of a World Cup call-up. The Waratahs prop will undergo surgery today for a break in his foot sustained in the opening round of the Australian Rugby Championship, with Brumbies front-rower Nic Henderson expected to become the new shadow loosehead.

[Seldom]

They could look over seas???? or is this sacrilege???

[slomo]

the best man should be appointed for the job no matter where he comes from, apart from clive woodward!!!!

[AndyS]

As far as I am aware, Australia and New Zealand remain as the only countries to never have a foreign coach. It would be a shame if we had to go offshore for our coach, but it is maybe the only option to overcome the parochialism and favouritism that seem to currently dictate Wallaby selection. An outsider might be able to take an objective look at all the players, but it is probably questionable whether he would be given a free hand in picking his team. I reckon the backstabbing, undermining and whisper campaigns would reach new heights as well, and I wouldn't be surprised if an outsider looking in just decided he couldn't be bothered with it.

[Burgs]

Seldom, I think the lay of the land is that it's Robbie Deanes first and then all else contend after that.
I for one think that they should be chasing Deanes with more money than they chased Tuqiri!
He is the perfect candidate for the job.
Removed from the politics, a wealth of knowledge of many years of Australian S12/14 Squads and leading into NZ 2011 would know exactly how to win a World Cup in New Zealand.
For mine Pat Howard would be the next best, though he says he doesn't want to Coach at the moment, and then the rest are much of a muchness all with their own pro's and con's and various degrees of baggage.

[Seldom]

I'm with you Burgs. Deans has a wealth of knowledge. Just look at the Swiss America's Cup Team, Lead by NZ'ers and won in NZ. Can see the Aussie public kicking up a stink if he gets the job. Just needs to win all his games as coach, then they wont complain

[Burgs]

Winners are grinners for sure, but I think there would be a (small) majority support for "the best man" rather than "the best Australian" in any case.
We only have to look out your shop door to see an example of that, there was a fair community split at first but I doubt you would find many Western Australians wanting to swap Mitch now!
With Deanes, I like the fact that (apart from being the best Coach anyway) he is totally removed from all the State v State bullshit of the last two to one hundred years and I doubt he is a man that would let political pressure influence his position or decisions.
I've got my fingers crossed we get him anyway!

[Seldom]

GO BURGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[travelling_gerry]

I think one of the strengths of John Mitchell was that he was bale to come into the Western Force and make up a squad without any percieved regional preferences in his selection...and look where its got us....PERFECT...

So I can see some good parallels in this.

[hopep]

I have no problem with Deans, if he wants to apply.
But I can understand where some ex-wallabies are coming from. Come Bledesloe cup games you have to be thinking "something feels odd here" - but that would only be for the first 1 or 2 games.

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Deans may look at his future like this.... Henry and crew choke, Deans gets coaching gig. Looks and susses out his Tarot cards and realises plenty of players have bolted(even though truckloads of excellent players in NZ). RWC 2011 in NZ and if your the main man and dont win. Well imagine what would happen,death threats to loved ones etc. Im more than happy for him to take over as im not real confident their is a suitable replacement on the ground in Oz(apart from Mitch).As mentioned by others he has no baggage and would be a fantastic thing for Australian Rugby.

[JediKnight]

If they appoint an Aussie, he (or she?!) should come from South Australia or Northern Territory so there's no Eastern States bias in Wallabies selection!!!

[brokendown gunfighter]

If they appoint an Aussie, he (or she?!) should come from South Australia or Northern Territory so there's no Eastern States bias in Wallabies selection!!!

why not a Tasmanian,after all ,2 heads are better than 1

[shasta]

It's just unfortunate that Knuckles is leaving straight after RWC. His selections so far have gotten us closer to the AB's than we've been for years and are a realistic chance of causing the choke again. I believe the best candidate should get the job, if all else equal then the Aussie should get it. I'd just prefer the ARU had Connolly for a while longer so they could see where the coaching cards fall before they need to hire someone. Nucifora is still well on my radar.