Wallabies 'don't have much respect for authority'

[The InnFORCEr]

DUNCAN JOHNSTONE
Last updated 11:18 08/10/2014



Outspoken former All Blacks coach John Mitchell says Australian rugby players "don't have much respect for authority" compared to their New Zealand and South African counterparts.

Mitchell airs his views in his autobiography titled Mitch - The Real Story.

Mitchell has vast coaching experience in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and England.

As the Wallabies get set to deal with the latest episode in the troubled career of Kurtley Beale, Mitchell provides a fascinating summation of the Australian mindset, drawn from his time in charge of the Western Force in Super Rugby from 2005 till 2010.

"One thing I picked up is that Australian players like to take ownership quickly," he wrote.

"They don't have much respect for authority and constantly challenge you to relinquish your leadership, even when it involves ideas and strategies.

"This is very different from the ethos I have found in New Zealand and South African rugby.

"It might be because the playing group in Australia is comparatively so much smaller. There are only seven schools in Brisbane where rugby union is played and two private schools competitions in Sydney. The schools in Perth are new to the game.

"So there is a self-preservation instinct, in the sense that they see selection as more important than their development. Australian players always need to be selected to play and there is a greater awareness or rival codes, such as rugby league and Australian rules football.

"The players' association in Australia is also extremely influential, and the player unions that exist within the teams are much more prominent in Australian sides than elsewhere."

Mitchell coached in England, including a stint as England's assistant coach, before coaching the Chiefs' Super 12 side for 2001. He coached the All Blacks from late-2001 until the 2003 World Cup when he was axed after their semifinal exit.

He subsequently moved to Perth, but left the Force job prematurely.

He moved on to South Africa where he now lives.

He coached the Golden Lions in Johannesburg from 2010-12 before making a widely publicised exit amid reported concerns over his player management, although he was subsequently cleared.

Mitchell is now involved with university rugby in Durban where he also does TV analysis and is chief executive of Egli, a manufacturing company in Pietermaritzburg.

He has been linked to the Sharks Super Rugby job vacated by Jake White.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/i...-for-authority

[Alison]

I think that's reflected in the respect for the national jersey too. There seems to be much more of an aura around the All Black and Springbok jersey than there is around the Wallaby jersey. It seems to me that the kiwi and Saffer players regard is as more of an honour too. Vast generalisation I know, but it's definitely my observation over the years.

I note too that when the Saffer players first arrived at the Force they did not address Foley by his name; only by his title (coach)

[Jules]

Maybe I'm to soft hearted but I feel sorry for the wallaby players at the moment. They are maligned wether they win a close match, or draw the number one team in the world and when they loose it's just doom and gloom! They just can't seem to do anything right! I don't think looking in as an outsider a young bloke would even want to play for the wallabies with all the negativity in there own country!!

[Tazzmania]

I think every one above has a valid point.

Another issue is that the ARU through its NSW centric approach is isolating a lot of supporters like myself.

When I see the Force players being ignored for higher honours when it is deserved like Hodgo, I do not feel the pain of a Wallaby loss as much and think of it as karma, which should not be the case.

If the playing fields where more level and each team had more representation I think the support would be there with the genuine supporter base as the Sea of blue has show over the years irrespective of results.

ARU needs to realise we all need to feel part of the team.

Hunt v Badger classic case of alienating not only Force based supporters but the first genuine cult figure world wide for the sport in the past xx amount of years.

[Alison]

Cannot agree with you more Tazz. That's precisely how I feel about the Wallabies at the moment too. I don't want to spend any more of my hard-earned cash travelling the country to see the Wallabies anymore. Would far rather put my time and money into following the Force and the Spirit instead.

I guess I would sum it up by saying I feel far more Western Australian than Australian. And that makes me quite sad really.

[Invictus]

Not good research for a biography - there are more that 7 schools that play rugby in Brisbane. There are 7 GPS schools. There are also the TAS schools. The reason that I find this annoying is that John Eales came through the TAS system (IIRC).

[Rex Messup]

It would be better if we farked off the schoolboy culture and started picking age teams from club rugby. There are so many talented players in this country that never get a sniff because they didn't go to a private school in Sydney or Brisbane.

I think the model of player idnetification and development needs o be looked at.

There needs to be more emphasis on age teams picked from club land. State age and national teams can be picked from the clubs and get rid of the schoolboy comp at national level. I'm not saying don't have school comps but make them play club rugby to get picked in representative teams.

That would get rid of all this sheltered workshop schoolboy teams that get @ss raped by the kiwis every year.

If the system don't work it needs to be changed.

The Oz schoolboys is a national embarrassment

[brokendown gunfighter]

any hard boys down red neck mountain way,Rex?

[Tonkar]

I also agree with all above statements and would like to add the media are much to blame also as they always refer any player who has once been selected as a Wallaby as a Wallaby.. So players think they are a shoe in.. The All blacks dont pick a team till 1 week out from a test during the mid yr break.. This means all positions are up for grabs.. But yes some are in the main core but no one is confirmed an all black... The wallabies take 36 in to a camp and do some training and weed out a few ( and mostly the wrong ones ) and still loose...
Definately something wrong with the process... I think this yr with injuries we have seen some good talent come thru... Drop all wallabies and have a reselection on stats and merit... and send them on the tour and see what comes and I reckon they will do well...and Hodgo as Captain so he can give then the force belief

[G_Beard]

How about school scholarships for rugby union???
Offer boarding, offer the whole works.
Having looked into it a little, there doesn't seem to be anything offered along those lines.
Heaps offered for music, feelings and professional victims.....very little in terms of head kicking, angry, ruck monstering forwards.
Interesting times ahead for Union.

[Tonkar]

It seems to me to be a relatively internal minor incident and yet longer than a week after the event we're still talking about it and still don't know anything and it's dragging into a big Test week."

McKenzie is due to announce his extended squad for next week's third Bledisloe Test against the All Blacks on Friday, possibly before the investigation is complete.

The Wallabies will then head into camp in Brisbane on Sunday.

Despite Beale's lengthy rap sheet, Kafer defended the game-breaking utility back and said Australian rugby couldn't afford to lose a player of his ability for such a small alleged offence.

"It's not like Kurtley has necessarily done any damage or done anything illegal," he said. "You have got to feel 'Is the process really right here? Is it a sledgehammer on a mosquito?'"

Just what I have said above another camp for a week and then a lose

[Reds81]

How about school scholarships for rugby union???
Offer boarding, offer the whole works.
Having looked into it a little, there doesn't seem to be anything offered along those lines.
Heaps offered for music, feelings and professional victims.....very little in terms of head kicking, angry, ruck monstering forwards.
Interesting times ahead for Union.

Not really new, been happening for many, many years in Sydney and Brisbane. In fact in SA, England and NZ fairly common for a long time.

[Reds81]

Cannot agree with you more Tazz. That's precisely how I feel about the Wallabies at the moment too. I don't want to spend any more of my hard-earned cash travelling the country to see the Wallabies anymore. Would far rather put my time and money into following the Force and the Spirit instead.

I guess I would sum it up by saying I feel far more Western Australian than Australian. And that makes me quite sad really.

And therein lies the difference, support your country. Don't be under any illusion that all is rosy in WA Rugby.

[G_Beard]

Not really new, been happening for many, many years in Sydney and Brisbane. In fact in SA, England and NZ fairly common for a long time.

Looked at the rugby playing schools here in Perth and there is very little along these lines.
Agreed though, the rugby schools in SA offer huge things in the line of scholarships and the results speak for themselves.

[Reds81]

Looked at the rugby playing schools here in Perth and there is very little along these lines.
Agreed though, the rugby schools in SA offer huge things in the line of scholarships and the results speak for themselves.

Not necessarily,lots of angst in the recruiting market in SA.. From my contacts there, very much over the top. No sporting scholarships to that degree in PSA sport in Wa in comparison.

Rugby the number one sport, all aspire to be a Bok! So different here in Australia.