0
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
Reds only team to ban coach Foley
By Bret Harris
April 12, 2008
AUSTRALIA forwards coach Michael Foley has been prohibited from working with Queensland at training despite having a hands-on role with the countries three other Super 14 teams.
As part of the ARU's "unity of purpose" among the states, Foley regularly works with the Brumbies, Western Force and New South Wales to help prepare the forwards for the Wallabies.
But Foley is only allowed to watch the Reds train at Ballymore. He is not permitted to have a hands-on role because he has different views on scrummaging to Reds forwards coach Mark Bell.
"We are extremely keen to get him (Foley) along," Reds high performance manager Ben Whitaker said.
"He sees up close how the guys are working. He is as involved as he needs to be. We have a forwards coach in Mark Bell. They have different philosophies on scrummaging.
"Mark is employed to do that job. Michael understands that and he is supportive of that."
For his part, Foley tried to play down the situation. "It's not an issue at all," Foley said. "I've worked with the other three states for the last 12 months.
"Queensland have a new coaching team and they are the only team with a full-time scrum coach.
"I've known Ewen McKenzie (Waratahs) for a long time and I introduced myself to John Mitchell (Force) and Laurie Fisher (Brumbies).
"I did the same in Queensland. I've presented myself to Queensland and offered my services, but they haven't taken me up on it at this stage.
"I'm working with three of the four states this year. Hopefully, next year I'll work with four of the four states."
But former Wallabies scrum "doctor" Alec Evans described the Reds' decision to exclude Foley from training as "narrow-minded".
Evans, who turned the Wallabies pack into a force in world rugby in the mid-1980s, said: "It is not in the spirit of Australian rugby when the Wallabies forwards coach is basically sidelined.
"Every front-rower who has aspirations of becoming a Wallaby should have the opportunity to work with the Wallabies forwards coach.
"Foley should be able to assess the players in Super 14 games and at close range at training. A lot of selection is done at the Wallabies by watching training sessions.
"The national forwards coach should have contact with the provincial sides and the players want the national coach working with them. It's schoolboy rubbish."
One of the reasons for New Zealand's success at scrummaging in recent years was the work of scrum coach Mike Kron, who works with players at every level of the game.
"Mike Kron doesn't have a magic wand, but everyone in New Zealand is working off the same page," Evans said.
"Australian rugby isn't working off the same page if Queensland isn't allowing the national forwards coach access to the players."
The Brumbies' Fisher said Foley was always welcome at the team's training sessions.
He said Foley had made a tremendous contribution to the team's set piece play.
"We are trying to encourage an Australian scrum philosophy which will be of benefit for the long term," Fisher said.
"Michael's analysis of South African and New Zealand scrummaging is great. He has been tremendous with our guys.
"I had never met the bloke until he became the Wallabies assistant coach. He has been super professional and enormously helpful.
"He has a real vision of where he wants to take the scrum and his passion for scrummaging is tremendous. We are happy to have him on board.
"It seems strange to not allow the Wallabies forwards coach to access your players. It doesn't make a lot of sense."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html
I really am finding it hard to appreciate Foleys input into the game, simply because since he has taken the reins of the forward pack Australia's scrums have consistently looked crap, with his continuous selections of Baxter and Dunning bewildering me, as both players wouldn't know a bind if they were in an S and M show and they collapse like a house of cards at the first shove... I am with the Qld guys here, and believe me, that is a rarity, but i too wouldn't hold any value to Foleys opinions... He was a great player, don't get me wrong, but i don't rate him as a coach...
Proudly bought to you by a brewery somewhere....
FR what is your opinion on how our Force Lads are going - one of the big things about tonights clash is the match up of the forwards - everyone expects our lighter more mobile pack to collapse.
I personally don't as I suspect that the Bulls and Stormers will have exposed them to better techniques etc.. and the scrum seems stronger than at the start of the season - the other half keeps saying it's all technique and attitude not size
61 years between Grand SlamsWas the wait worth it - Ya betta baby
I've gotta say I'm pretty confused here, I'm with FR regards Michael Foley,scrums have looked like paper tigers ever since he has taken over.....on the other hand, the Queensland pack isn't doing any better, so It's very interesting to me that they are the two coaches having differences! Maybe the other coaches are only letting Foley in to show him the quality of the players there and don't really pay much heed to his advice!
C'mon the![]()
![]()
Qld pack at set piece is actually very strong. On this basis alone, I wouldn't want Foley to screw this up. Qld's main problems at the moment are inexperience in key positions, which is causing really good raids to break down at the last minute.
I agree with tic here, and i also agree with gigs regarding the coaches showing off thier players, but i reckon they are not really relying on his input in general...
TQ1, i like the look of the Force engineroom, still a little concerned regarding strength but thier technique has come a long way and as pointed out in another post i just read, tai believes they are negating the effects of the larger more powerful opposition scrums...
Force unveil moves to defy heavier Tahs pack - Western Force Rugby Supporters Site
Lets hope it pays off, but i can say we definately have mobility in spades, and they are great in the breakdowns, so although i am apprehensive at scrum time i feel we are more superior across the ground...That is my view...
Lets go piggies
Proudly bought to you by a brewery somewhere....
coaches dont make scrums crap, the players do. The players are the ones not fit enough or strong enough. Theres not much coaches can do, it really comes down to how strong and fat they are.
dunno, but someone made the force scrum crap tonight, and take the piss out of dunning, bennnnnn and baxter as much as you like, cause they'll be dining onthe memories of chicken terriaki and the lemonade sandwich for another 12 months.
2-0 after 3!!