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It's Knuckles, no holds barred
Greg Growden
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Q YOU'VE followed in the footsteps of Greg Smith and Eddie Jones in not being able to secure a Wallabies win in South Africa, and so far, it's nought out of three against the All Blacks. So is the pressure really on you at the Melbourne Cricket Ground tonight?
A I'm really glad we're starting this interview on a very positive note. You have to remember that this team beat South Africa twice last year, including a record victory, and were involved in two close games against New Zealand. You also have to remember that this team lost eight out of nine Tests 18 months ago. We had to address the scrum, the lineout and a number of other areas. Hopefully, we are doing that. I know sport is about winning, but we are happy with the progress.
Q Considering how exasperated you were after the loss to the Springboks in Cape Town, wanting to win a big game must really be gnawing away at you?
A Not really. Every game is big for us. Personally, I don't single out any game above any other. There's no doubt the All Blacks are the best team in the world. But we try to treat every game the same. I know you can't fool the players. They know a game against Wales with a few players out is not the same as a game against the All Blacks. And you can see the difference at training.
Q Have there been improvements in this team since you've taken over, and if so, where?
A What we are happy about is that a few years ago against England, the Australian scrum really struggled. I think there has been significant improvement there. Michael Foley and the forward unit he has set up has done a very good job. Our lineout has improved strongly. Our breakdown work is good. We are very hard on the ball now. The plus for this team is that all the forwards will be available for this World Cup and the next World Cup. So the goal is to build up a bank of players underneath them. Remember [All Blacks prop] Carl Hayman when he started back in 1998-99. He was nowhere near the player he is now. These guys will keep improving. With the backs, next year we will be without George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, so the challenge is there to replace them. We have a situation where Matt Giteau covers 9, 10 and 12. So it's an issue for us to build proper depth in those three key areas.
Q You have been criticised for being conservative at the selection table, but you have given quite a number of guys a chance. Does it irk you that a lot of players you've given a chance to haven't taken it?
A No. We've taken a view to give quite a few players a go. And many have stood up. I think Stephen Moore and Guy Shepherdson have climbed a bit of a mountain. We've seen the improvement in Matt Dunning this year. So a number of players have taken that chance. Drew Mitchell has played quite well, as has Adam Ashley-Cooper. As for Julian Huxley, the Springboks Test was a tough game for him. But 9, 10 and 12 is a problem.
Q When you returned from England, did you expect the lack of depth in Australian rugby to be as bad as what it was?
A One thing I learnt being with Queensland for 12 years is that you would sit there and sometimes hope none of your team's reserves would get on the field. So I knew the problem. That hasn't changed. Look at the 1991 World Cup. If either Michael Lynagh or Nick Farr-Jones had been injured, we may not have won it. We were also lucky to have a golden era where we had great No.9s and 10s, and had no injuries. Spending 5½ years away reinforced in me the point of just how well Australia has gone. We have always punched above our weight. Compare the number of players here to England. If England ever got their act together, it would be frightening.
Q Despite the lack of playing numbers here, is it is good for the team, or demoralising for the team, that as part of the Australian psyche, the public and the media always demand excellence of the Wallabies?
A The Australian psyche is that they demand winning all the time. That makes it hard. Under that pressure, it can be difficult at times for the players. And I think a lot of the criticism is unfair.
Q In what way?
A I don't think we give enough credit to the opposition. For example, Wales sent a side out here and it was a lot better team than a lot of people portrayed them. The rest of the world has caught up strongly.
Q But surely that demand for excellence can also help you as a coach, because it forces the players to consistently perform to the best of their abilities?
A The players certainly know their responsibilities. But sometimes we can be very negative. Having worked with newspapers for some time, I know it can be very easy to take the negative view. But what upsets me is that some stuff which is not balanced does cause damage to the game.
Q What is the most gnawing problem in Australian rugby?
A The most important thing in Australian rugby, for us to survive in the top level, is building a squad of 30 top players. European sides have them, and of course the All Blacks have it.
Q How close is Australia to having a strong 30-man squad?
A We're evolving in the forwards, but we are a fair way off in the backs.
Q So out of the 30, you reckon you're around the 22-23 quality player mark?
A Less than that.
Q About 19-20?
A Yeah. We need 30 players so when Larkham falls over, someone comes in. We haven't got that. We need more world-class players. There has to be a thread of gold through the team. But thankfully there is again in Australia a real awareness of the importance of scrum play. When Australia has been strong, the foundation has been a good scrum and lineout. In 1984, you had Lawton, Rodriguez, McIntyre. In 1991, you had Daly, Kearns, McKenzie. In 1999, you had Foley, Blades, Harry. Alan Jones changed how we focused on the set piece. Before he came along, we went away on tours with blokes who couldn't scrum or couldn't win a lineout. Jones came in and said this was the platform we need. And we've gone away from that a bit. You really do have to focus on the scrum and lineout.
Q What about the demands of the job? Is it stressful?
A It is. Once you don't feel stressed, you probably shouldn't be doing the job.
Q What are your thoughts about the World Cup?
A I think the biggest issue for rugby going forward is that priority must be given to Test matches. We are obsessed with the World Cup. But we are too often using that as an excuse for not putting the best team on the field. We should work the other way. For every Test, the best team has to play. And if guys do want to have an extended break, they should miss Super 14 games. You don't rest them when tours are on.
Q Are Australia a chance at the World Cup?
A Yes we are. We are in a similar space to 1991 when we won it. In 1999, we were pumped by the All Blacks before the tournament, and again we are in a similar position now. But you do need a bit of luck.
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