Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB coming up ten past one. If it's
out for Jorgensen, Max Jorginson.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Max Jorginson, No, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Oh my goodness me.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Oh, it's unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
It's one of the greatest moments in Wallaby's history and
it belongs to Jorganson.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
They have stunned England here. That was the Wallaby's beating
England at Twickenham as part of the end of year
tour last year. But of a bright spot and what
was another challenging year for Australian rugby. Joe Schmidt of
course was at the Helm, but still no real clarity
over Joe Schmidt's future as Wallaby's coach. He has committed
to guiding the side in this year's series against the
(00:56):
British and Irish Lions, which is mid year. Beyond that,
even into the Rugby Championship, things are unclear. Rugby Australia
want them to stay. They want them to stay on
until the Wall's host the Rugby World Cup or Australia
do anyway on home soil in twenty twenty seven, but
that seems to be very much in the hands of
Joshmitt himself. Let's bring in rugby editor at the raw
(01:19):
dot com dot Au, Christy Dooran Christy Good to get
the chance to chat to you about this. Joshmitt was
supposed to let Rugby Australia know of his plans in December,
but he didn't. Do you think that means that he's
more likely to stay on beyond twenty twenty five or
do you think it's it's more likely that he will go.
What does this delay in the announcement actually mean.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Yeah, very good warning to you. It's a really interesting
question because it's at a journey. You're constantly trying to
make phone calls and work out what's happening, and it's
really just swung with it every passing week almost what's
he going to do? And you're right, put him He
put this timeline on himself and a Rugby show weren't
expecting him to come out in a paper and say,
(02:05):
you know what, Yeah, by December, I'll have a decision.
So they've actually put it back on him and gone,
you know what, we don't min you know, he can
take as long as he wants. They're not trying to
put any pressure on him because they know that he's
the man that they want to guide through to the
twenty twenty seven World Cups. So it's a fascinating one
(02:26):
I think, and I've been even throughout the last week
thinking what way is this going. I still think that
he's very unlikely to be the head coach beyond twenty
twenty five. I wrote just recently that he could go
throughout the Rugby Championship, starts just two weeks after the
third British and Irish Lions Test, two weeks in South Africa.
(02:49):
We know how difficult it was for New Zealand to
go over there in twenty twenty four and try to
come away with a win, let alone the Wallabies, who
of course haven't had a winning year since twenty fifteen.
So yeah, so much writing on this, but I think
the decision will come in the next week or so.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
It has to come soon, doesn't it. Christy and Joshment
can't just keep you know, Rugby Australia hanging on. Kenny
can't keep them on tenterhooks. As you've written, you know,
he has to allow them to come up with a
contingency plan if he decides to call it a day
either after the Lions or after the Rugby Championship this year.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Yeah, that's exactly right. Like it's fascinating though as well
because in twenty thirteen Robbie Deans was sacked after the
Third Test in Sydney and a couple of weeks later
new and mackenzie was there and he walks straight into
it and everyone was the worst kept secret that new
and McKenzie is going to become the next coach to
all of his So look, these decisions can happen on
(03:45):
a whim very quickly. So in many respects you go, well,
why do you have to make a decision seven months beforehand?
But I think given what Joe Schmid has said about
his coaching future, with obviously the health of his son,
that there's probably a little bit more expectation that this
is why it's going to come out out quicker. The
the rugby words moved on a little bit as well.
(04:06):
Think about all the pressure that clubs that overseas clubs
are putting on Australia and New Zealand clubs to try
to get their players, their top players, even their middle
tier players up into Japan, into France. There's million dollar
contracts being handed out left, right and center, so players
want clarity. And the other thing about this is Robbie
James was coach for what fast six years between twenty
(04:28):
and eight and thirteen. The Wall of Hes have had
three coaches in three years. So if Joe Shmit moves
on in August this year, it will be a fourth
coach in four years coaching the Wall of You. So
for a nation that desperately needs stability, that's why this
is so important because there's been none of it. All
the players have had ever since they've come on to
(04:50):
their professional careers, with the exception of James Slipper, who's
still ticking along. Is instability is negative, headlinves And finally
it seemed like there was a bit of a pulse
on the end of season two last year when the
worll of Hiss beat England Twickenham. It had the nation
really came with the Wallabies and that's why it's important now.
And I found it really surprising last week where Lannie Gleason,
(05:15):
young kid, twenty three year old, he's played thirteen to
fourteen Test matches, he signs with Montpelliger. It's not yet official,
but he does so, and as a result, the Wallabs
and Rugby Sha say thanks, but no thanks. He's not
now welcome at the preseason camp where he was included
as one of pretty players. I found that really surprising,
(05:35):
especially given the fact that Joe Smith's been noncommittable about
what his own future is. He's not going to stand
himself down, is he if he decides to go after
the Lions tour. But that's what you're defectively doing with
other players if they don't kick on beyond this year.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah. I read with interest your article or your your
peace on that. Yeah, about the ruthless message, but yeah,
the slight hypocrisy around players and coaches. Christy, is there
any chance that Joe Schmidt will do a one eighty
year and say, you know what I will state twenty
twenty seven?
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Look, you have to think there's a slight one. You know,
why has it taken this long? You know we're into
the third week of January now, well, second, they're just
about the third Anyhow, Everyone that you speak to from
that's worked with him in Ireland, those that know him
very well, know that rugby is Joseph's identity, isn't it.
(06:30):
You take that away and then where's the meeting in
life that you get the excitement, the desire to get
up out of bed And they think that, look, why
wouldn't he You know, he hasn't taken a coach, sorry
a team as head coach to the World Cup and
gone past the quarterfinal. Obviously it was with You All
Blacks last year and they go through to the final.
(06:51):
But he's an assistant coach, so you know that maybe
there's a bit of a legacy but that he wants
to rewrite there. But that's probably looking from the external view,
isn't it. Joshmi has got a decision about with his
family whether or not he can do it himself just
fire and if he can, then then Rugby Australia will
be desperate to have him and I know that the
(07:13):
nation will as well, because he's not unassuming kind of
guys and he's got a lovely smile. He's a nice bloke.
But I don't know if the media they don't know him.
He didn't do an interview when he was with You
All Blacks. He's not like a Dave or any will
go out of his way to have, you know, with
(07:33):
a bloke or go to the pub to catch a apple,
come over during training and say good guys. He's he's
very much himself and I've seen him in a sense
going you know what, I've got a one and a
half year mission in Australia. I'm going to do it myself.
I'm going to kick on now. I'm going to have
my head dan how I'm going to try to turn
the fortunes around of the Wallabies because the world rug
(07:53):
you desperately needs it. That's been my gap feeling right
for me, the outset and what sources have told me
as well. I'd be surprised if he kicks on to
twenty seven, but jeez would love it if he would.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I find it if he does finish. Who are the
candidates to take over post the Lions or post the
Rugby Championship.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Well, Let's Kiss has been the favorite for a long time.
He's got a great working relationship with Joe, having spent
time with him in twenty thirteen fourteen fifteen with Ireland.
Let's Kiss are only just returned to the Reds. He's
going into his second years. Princeland Rugby want him to
continue on, but he's definitely one and there'd be an
arrangement that could be made, which would be pretty easy,
(08:36):
I think, or easy enough. Dan mckel has just returned
after a stint at Lester and we know that he
had some successful relative success the Brumbies anyway, consistent, disciplined,
hard working, lots of great characteristics for a coach. I
still think it's perhaps a year or two or two
premature for Dan, but Michael Checker, you can't rule him
(08:59):
out that. Whilst Phil wall is the rugby shot to see,
I'm not sure if he's the sort of person that
they'd be looking at, because he's a guy that does
things his way, but at the moment he's not despite
the faith that less the Tigers are going very well,
having a great win at home right now at the
moment in the European Champions Cup, and I don't think
(09:22):
that Phil will have him come back, and it's set
up perfectly for him a one to two year hit
and run job. He's done it everywhere. He did it
with the Wallas in twenty fourteen fifteen, turned around their fortunes.
But he's the sort of guy that Rabia Shaw is
still a little bit spooched by by how things ended
up under raylank Castle in twenty eighteen twenty nineteen where
(09:44):
he was somewhat out of control when Phil will was
a board member there at the time of twenty eighteen
and nineteen, so it's really fascinating. The real left field
one to finish up is Leon Donald. He's clearly finished
up with the All Blacks at the start of the
Rugby Championship. He's got a great relationship with Joe Schmidt.
(10:05):
Does him on board at the moment this year there
was only four assistant coaches like a four man coaching
team this year with Judgment, so they can definitely have
space for another person. Schmid was doing the attack with
Liam McDonald's at the attack and then perhaps they're very
a bit of a transition period for Leon, so there's
(10:27):
definitely scope and coaches out there. It wouldn't be all
doom and gloom if Josement left, but for his consistency
and what he's done and his detail around the game,
that's the thing, the missing element of Shane Roby's needed
for some time.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Leon McDonald in charge of the Wallabies, well, we'll watch
with interest from over the side of the Tasman Christy,
thanks so much for joining us and giving us your expertise.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, it's a lot of postal on cheers now.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Thanks man. That's Christy Duran. You can read him at
the raw dot com dot au. He's rugbieda to there.
Leon McDonald in charge of the Wallabies. Tell you what
stranger things have happened? It may well happen. Is a
good coach without a job gets on well with Joe Schmidt?
Is this the reason for the delay? Are they starting
(11:11):
to just put these things together? How would the Australian
rugby public go I've already got one or they've had
plenty of New Zealand coaches, haven't they, Dave Rennie, Robbie Deans,
now Joe Schmidt. Would they tolerate another one? And Leon
McDonald I think they probably would. The another interesting storyline
last year we had Joe Schmidt coming up against his
(11:32):
former team and the All Blacks as Wallaby's coach. Who
knows what the future might hold As far as Leon
McDonald is concerned, could he also be there singing as
advance Australia fair against the All Blacks? Looky, they could
do worse than Lionill McDonald. They could do a lot
worse the Wallabies.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio