"Lookin' for answers in all the wrong places..."

[Burgs]

"Lookin' for answers in all the wrong places..."

Gibson cut in NSW shake-up

Thursday, May 24, 2007, the Herald

NSW Rugby has dismissed its commercial and operations manager David Gibson, the Herald has learnt.

It is understood that members of the NSW board were advised of Gibson's fate in an email sent to them late on Tuesday night.

NSW Rugby would not comment on the issue when contacted by the Herald yesterday.

Gibson's exit is believed to stem from an ongoing internal review of NSW Rugby affairs after its union suffered their worst ever Super 14 season.

Rupert Guinness

[Sagerian]

Ok, that was kinda unexpected. During the review I wonder if they realised they never got around to replacing attack coach Brian Melrose last year?

[frontrow]

I can see a lot more 'Knee Jerking' in the coming months sage, it seems to be the only remedy for poor onfield form, cull the people who aren't in the spotlight, ie coach and team safe, everyone else fodder...

[The InnFORCEr]

It is understood that members of the NSW board were advised of Gibson's fate in an email sent to them late on Tuesday night.

Sure it wasn't from a call on loudspeaker

[Goldmember]

cull the people who aren't in the spotlight, ie coach and team safe

Not just safe, the NSW team all got made Wallabies at the expense of better players

[chook]

Not just safe, the NSW team all got made Wallabies at the expense of better players

'' Tell 'im he's dreamin' ''

[Sagerian]

Not just safe, the NSW team all got made Wallabies at the expense of better players

*looks at Goldmember's avatar* Like you can talk Oregan, at least the coach and selectors got to pick the Wallabies team.

[Goldmember]

Yeah, in a discussion on the speaker phone with Lote at the pub

[Sagerian]

That doesn't even make any sense Oregan. Take a lesson from the fishing experts on here.


*insert random non-sensical comeback here*

[Burgs]

Coaching ranks due for a shake-up

Greg Growden
Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Changes to the Waratahs' coaching panel are inevitable, but the NSW Rugby Union administration will not be restructured - despite claims leading officials were about to leave its Moore Park head offices.

The NSW rugby scene has been swirling with suggestions that, following the dismissal of Waratahs commercial and operations manager Dave Gibson last week, several other prominent administrators were about to leave the organisation.

NSWRU chairman Arvid Petersen said yesterday there was no truth to claims that other major Waratahs officials - including chief executive Fraser Neill - were departing.

Neill said yesterday he had no intention of leaving the Waratahs and was preparing for a series of meetings with Petersen to discuss strategy for next year's Super 14 campaign.

There have also been persistent rumours of divisions between NSWRU staff members, prompted by the Waratahs' poor Super 14 season in which they slumped from semi-finalists in 2006 to second-last this year. Failure on the pitch has also had a dramatic impact on the Waratahs' finances.

Petersen is eager to bolster the team's coaching structure, recently calling for the return of an attacking coach. While the position of head coach Ewen McKenzie is not under threat, he has been urged to build a stronger support team.

Petersen said a sub-committee, headed by NSW board member Ed Zemancheff, had been set up and was "conducting a pretty thorough review of Waratahs rugby".

"The coaching staff has simultaneously been conducting their own review, and are ready to report - hopefully by this week - on how they saw the season and what their recommendations are," Petersen said. "I want to wait to see what the coaching staff think the changes need to be before we decide what to do."

Petersen added that because of a dramatic slump in Waratahs home attendances, NSW were planning to "at best break even, or have a slight deficit".

"There is no doubt we have had quite a significant loss in revenue from the Waratahs," Petersen said. "You just had to look at the drop in crowd numbers, and we're probably $1.5-2 million off in revenue. So we were behind the eight ball.

"We have made cuts and changes, and some of the sponsorship money is coming in a little better than we hoped. So it's not going to be as bad as we may have thought three or four months ago. But we have to fix it."

[Burgs]

Waratahs about to be overhauled

Peter Kogoy, June 18, 2007

NSW RUGBY is in for a major shake-up not seen since the advent of professionalism a dozen years ago.

A report prepared by a NSWRU sub-committee headed by director Ed Zemancheff recommends a major overhaul with speculation rife yesterday that the positions of chief executive Fraser Neill and high performance unit general manager Tony D'Arcy are under threat.

The review was ordered by chairman Arvid Petersen a month ago and it comes in the wake of the Waratahs' disappointing Super 14 season.

It saw the Waratahs slump from a semi-final side returning a surplus of $1.6million in 2006 to second last this year and a haemorrhaging balance sheet.

When contacted by The Australian yesterday, Petersen refused to comment.

Last month Petersen was quoted saying: "It was a pretty thorough review of Waratahs rugby."

Petersen added that because of a dramatic slump in Waratahs attendances, NSW was planning to "at best break even, or have a slight deficit. We are probably $1.5-$2million off in revenue. So we are behind the eight ball."

Key staff to have departed the embattled Waratahs include Peter Colquhoun, the general manager of youth rugby, while Dave Gibson, the general manager of commercial operations, was sacked in May.

But it seems certain Ewen McKenzie, coach since 2004, will survive.

Speculation of former Wallabies assistant coach Allan Gaffney returning from England, where he is in charge of Saracens, was dispelled by the Watford-based club.

McKenzie will not only have his contract extended but will be granted his wish of having a specialist backline coach from next season.

[Burgs]

Todd’s back, no bull

Bulls attack coach Todd Louden is set to return home to Australia and join Waratahs coaching staff

THE Super 14 champion Bulls’ Australian attack coach Todd Louden is the favourite to take over the same role with NSW Waratahs.

Louden, who coached Randwick to the Sydney club grand final against premier Sydney University last year, received much of the credit for the improvement in the Bulls’ back play this season.

The Bulls has always been known for their dour, forward play, but Louden gave the Bulls’ talented back s such as five-eighth Derick Hougaard and winger Bryan Habana the freedom to express themselves.

The Waratahs are crying out for an astute attack coach after their backline malfunctioned in the Super 14 series and the team finished second last on the table.

After the depatures of attack coaches Andy Friend and Brian Melrose in recent years, the Waratahs had defence coach Les Kiss take on both roles this season.

The poor performance of the Waratahs’ backs prompted NSWRU chairman Arvid Petersen to call for the appointment of a specialist attack coach.

[Sagerian]

An attack coach? Such things were only in the dreams of mortal men last year...

[frontrow]

The times, they are a changing...