Foley rapt as Cheika drops old pals act

[The InnFORCEr]

Nick Taylor
March 11, 2015, 7:05 am



Western Force coach Michael Foley believes the Australian Rugby Union is finally heading in the right direction after ditching its jobs-for-the-boys mentality.

He thinks some former coaching and management staff were appointed despite not being the best people available and is pleased the ARU is following New Zealand's lead by not putting people in charge just because they are good mates.

ARU general manager Rob Clarke said it had revamped its processes before approving coach Michael Cheika's appointments, because of the fall-out from controversy involving staff of former coach Ewen McKenzie.

Cheika has named Stephen Larkham and Nathan Grey as his back and defence coaches, Dean Benton as athletic development manager, Simon Roberts as teams operations manager, and friend and journalist Patrick Molihan as team manager.

Foley, a former national assistant coach and a favourite to take the set-piece role under Cheika, admires the All Blacks' set-up.

"As a footballer you aspire to play in the best team in the country, doing justice to the position you've been given," Foley said.

"The ARU in recent times has just allowed so many things to cloud that fundamental understanding of this.

"The Wallabies are the flagship of our sport.

"You are looking to resource the national team with something that is going to represent Australia in the best possible way.

"How can you possibly say you're looking to do that if you're not trying to put together the best people?

"Michael Cheika has come in saying: 'let's not just appoint people who are good mates or whatever, let's try and get a good teaching team together'.

"Anybody who loves Australia loves the idea of us getting fair dinkum about that."

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...-old-pals-act/

[UNCLE BOOG]

fair dinkum!

[Alison]

Now they just have to ditch the Tahs-for-the-Wallabies mentality!

[Rex Messup]

The Tahs won the super 15 last year. I dont have a problem with them being well represented in the wallabies. Cheika is the messiah

[Burgs]

Might want to have a look at your own arrangements then Foley...

[GIGS20]

The Tahs won the super 15 last year. I dont have a problem with them being well represented in the wallabies. Cheika is the messiah

Can you explain why there are so many Reds then?

[Rex Messup]

Which Reds do you think shouldnt be there?

[GIGS20]

What does that have to do with your original statement of the Tahs ladder position justifying their inclusion in the team, the Reds' ladder position would indicate that they should have fewer Wallabies than the Rebels (let's leave the Force out of the discussion after last night) so answer the question rather than deflecting the argument.

[DazloT]

I wonder if the Godwin at 13 experiment is due to Cheika wanting him there for the wallabies?

[Rex Messup]

Since the Tahs won the super 15 last year, I thought it reasonable that they had a lot of players in the wallabies. There is also some very good players from QLD. Small minded parochialism wont make the wallabies strong. Happy Gigs you ninny?

[Rex Messup]

I wonder if the Godwin at 13 experiment is due to Cheika wanting him there for the wallabies?

Id say Kuridrani is pencilled into 13. Godwin wont be in gold based on 2015 form. Has he gone EMO on us? He needs to go into 12 or 10.

[GIGS20]

Since the Tahs won the super 15 last year, I thought it reasonable that they had a lot of players in the wallabies. There is also some very good players from QLD. Small minded parochialism wont make the wallabies strong. Happy Gigs you ninny?

Can you name those "very good players" from Qld?