Better Rugby Rules

Source: All Black coaches need to step up or walk away – Richard Loe

God Bless him…has he a coaching whistle !
(NOTE: These comments were after the 1st test against the Boks, not the second, still relevant dont you think!)

Extracts..

The issues are:

Selection – why was Brendon Leonard playing? Answer, according to Graham Henry: To give him a game. But this was a test. Against the world champions. Leonard had a nightmare. If he needed a game, there was the Waikato club final and then the Air New Zealand Cup. You don’t play test rugby unless you are ready for it. This has happened time and again. Jimmy Cowan had to play.

Tight five – I felt our tight five simply weren’t aggressive enough and, for much of that match, seemed as though they were awed by the physicality of the Springboks. That’s mental toughness. Yes, the players involved have to wear some of the blame for that but it is also a coaching basic – to provide the environment from which that belief comes.

Lineouts – we are still (still!) having huge problems at the lineout. Our throwers are not finding the mark and, for some reason that escapes me, our jumpers do not contest the opposition throw. I have spoken to ex-All Blacks and coaches up and down this country and none of them knows why we are not contesting. Jason Eaton must have been the worst sub in the last decade but he at least jumped and won one ball – probably against orders.

Basics – we are still struggling with basics like restarts and kick-offs and, when the All Blacks lost the test last weekend, it was down to organisation (or lack of it). Piri Weepu took an age to organise players and then threw a shoddy pass. But this is the All Blacks. Weepu should not have to organise players like that. All Blacks should know what to do in such situations – they should not have to be organised. Not when they are paid that much and when they are coached by so many coaches.

The backs – our back three looked hopeful, at best. Mils Muliaina has had two or three very quiet tests now and Joe Rokocoko just isn’t doing the business. Their confidence looks down. Conrad Smith was really the only back to shine although Stephen Donald did okay.(BLOG: What are you smoking ?)

If the three coaches can’t do it, maybe it’s time to sever the links. Many people have said that Colin Cooper and Ian Foster aren’t up to the job but I am beginning to think that they would at least bring in some new thinking – they couldn’t do much worse.Or … I hear Warren Gatland is on holiday in Waihi.