Former Wallabies captain Andrew Slack says injuries are no excuse

[jono]

By David Riccio and Jamie Pandaram The Sunday Telegraph September 23, 2012 2:36PM


Former Wallabies captain Andrew Slack says injuries are no excuse for Australia's poor performances

"Excuses are for wimps." These four words from former Wallabies captain Andrew Slack point to the malaise eating Australian rugby - and he says it all starts at the top.

When ARU chief executive John O'Neill started to use injuries as an excuse for Australia's Rugby Championship struggles, Slack had heard enough of the spin.


"He told us 24 players were unavailable for Wallabies selection. I'm wondering if that includes 65-year-old hardman Stan Pilecki, who had a nasty occurrence of gout earlier in the decade," Slack said.

"International sport is an excuses-free zone. You can be lucky, you can be unlucky, but excuses are for wimps."

With Australian teams performing below-par at Super Rugby level, the Wallabies failing to prise the Bledisloe Cup from Kiwi hands again and now a gruelling road trip, the time for excuses is way past over.

Sure, Australia have lost captains James Horwill, David Pocock and Will Genia - all key players - to season-ending injuries.

Star five-eighth Quade Cooper and match-winner James O'Connor have also been sidelined.

In total, Australia have 15 players sidelined but, as Slack points out, good teams can overcome adversity.

After losing the Bledisloe series for a 10th straight year - and even struggling to beat Argentina at home - the message should be that we have to lift our game.

Instead O'Neill said: "Name a team that has lost three captains and the X-factor players that were such a formidable part of our renaissance last year."

While you can't hide from the fact that Australia have been hit hard, the bigger issue is why isn't there the depth to cover the injuries.

Slack says O'Neill only has to look at our trans-Tasman cousins as an example.

"I can name you an All Blacks team that lost an X-factor kind of player in Dan Carter and his immediate No. 10 back-up during last year's World Cup, but still managed to nab the prize," Slack writes in his column for The Sunday Mail in Queensland.

"As for the 'renaissance' O'Neill referred to, I'm not sure Michelangelo would be thrilled at any thought the Wallabies' efforts in 2011 and his dabblings in the Sistine Chapel are going to live side by side down the ages.

"The Tri-Nations win and the outstanding victory over the All Blacks were commendable but, despite O'Neill's overly generous pass mark for Australia's World Cup campaign, the code's biggest occasion was more noteworthy for a near complete absence of Wallaby highlights."

Besieged Wallabies coach Robbie Deans didn't escape, either, with Slack insisting he made a tactical blunder by publicly announcing the All Blacks were too good for us.

However, World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer said the ARU should seek advice from those who have guided the Wallabies to World Cup victory in a bid to reignite the code.

"We have two former World Cup-winning coaches [Dwyer and Rod Macqueen] and two World Cup-winning captains [Nick Farr-Jones and John Eales]; the ARU might have spoken to Eales but the four of us have never been part of a discussion together," Dwyer said

"That might be a starting point."


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it all comes back to not having that third tier competition to identify and develop talent

[Ralto]

[QUOTE=jono;330080]By David Riccio and Jamie Pandaram The Sunday Telegraph September 23, 2012 2:36PM

"We have two former World Cup-winning coaches [Dwyer and Rod Macqueen] and two World Cup-winning captains [Nick Farr-Jones and John Eales]; the ARU might have spoken to Eales but the four of us have never been part of a discussion together," Dwyer said
"That might be a starting point."

Totally on the money, Bob Dwyer, and the ex Villanova teacher, (Mr Slack). I had the great fortune to grab a quick chat with Bob Dwyer recently, If the ARU don't use him in some shape or form for the Wallabys, then they need to keep looking for that mirror.

[DinkyDi]

Finally someone willing to go to print with the way it is - JON is killing this great game and when does the ARU accept mediocrity so readily. The changes need to happen now starting from the top.

One also needs to ask why we have so many player injuries? maybe if the ARU was not paying JON $1.5 mill a year to watch over the demise of Australian rugby, we might have bigger super rugby squads allowing players to be rested when recovering from injury instead of having to rush them back against sound medical advise. Shame JON Shame

[jono]

JON did what he had to do when the ARU when they brought him back. You can't really argue that. But fresh blood and new ideas need to come in. His contract is up at the end of next year. And he has stated that he will be retiring after that. So we can almost see the light as it were
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[GIGS20]

Andrew Slack you bloody legend!

Rip in mate, somebody's bound to listen!

[DinkyDi]

JON did what he had to do when the ARU when they brought him back. You can't really argue that. But fresh blood and new ideas need to come in. His contract is up at the end of next year. And he has stated that he will be retiring after that. So we can almost see the light as it were
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Fair Call Jono... however enough now - he should fall on his sword and retire early.... please. But then again pigs and wings

[Stone Cold]

National rugby competition anyone?

[jono]

Fair Call Jono... however enough now - he should fall on his sword and retire early.... please. But then again pigs and wings

No chance. He is too arrogant. And he has taken it upon himself to see the ARU through to after the B&I lions tour.
Best I can Manage is to take it with a grain of salt and wonder who his replacement will be. And hope they can do what he hasn't found a way to do
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[The Man]

Has turned into a raving idiot Andrew Slack , anything to keep his job at Channel 9

[Burgs]

There is no doubt that JO'N wears his arse for a beanie, but to dismiss the injury toll out of hand is just Monday expert stuff. Blaming one or two out, that is making excuses. Having 24 out, that is a legitimate factor. However, having 24 out and still selecting the same gumps is just dumb.
As much as I respected Slack as a player, paid commentary from a player of the amateur era has to be taken with a bucket of salt, belongs more at his local bar... "Back in my day..."

[GIGS20]

I hear what you're saying about the manners out, but we always have heps out and never have anybody to reach them with. The AllBlacks never seem to have that problem.

[jono]

I hear what you're saying about the manners out, but we always have heps out and never have anybody to reach them with. The AllBlacks never seem to have that problem.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back to today's episode of "Australia needs a national competition"

On today's episode. JON is still being a tightarse

[James]

Has turned into a raving idiot Andrew Slack , anything to keep his job at Channel 9

Nah. He is applying to be on the Fox commentary team.

[Tonkar]

And we're back to today's episode of "Australia needs a national competition"

On today's episode. JON is still being a tightarse

Jono has got it right here like so many b4 him we need the same after super rugby comp as the SAffas and the Kiwis

[GIGS20]

Nah. He is applying to be on the Fox commentary team.

I'll have to read the article again, I can't remember anywhere him mentioning the need for more tahs, the absolute disaster of a massive injury toll of James O'Connor being the one missing ingredient.

I actually read him saying a whole bunch of stuff which would make sure he never gets a job in the same postcode as fox sports