(French Rugby Club columnist and former
international referee Carl Collett this week talks with
former Australia coach Rod Macqueen)
Rod Macqueen and Bob Dwyer are regarded as
the two best Australian rugby coaches of all time. To have a
discussion on rugby with Macqueen provides a clear
perspective of where Australia is in today’s competitive
world rugby matches.
I spoke with Rod about the new challenge he
has given himself as coach of the next regional rugby team
in Australia, The Melbourne ‘Rebels’, to start in the Super
15 competition in 2011.
It's
been ten years since Rod vacated the role as Australian
Coach in 1991 but his appointment is still a huge coup for
the new franchise. And while it’s no surprise to see Rod
back in the coaching seat, his role with The Melbourne
Rebels seems tailor made for a man of his character and
ability.
As
well as his impeccable coaching pedigree, Macqueen also has
valuable experience in starting up a Super rugby franchise
as he
was the foundation coach of the ACT Brumbies.
With the Rebels joining the new Super
15 next year, Rod and the team at the Rebels have a vision
that will make them competitive from game one and a greater
force over the next few years
Rod stated clearly that it’s important The
Rebels are competitive from the first game on day one.
"It’s
not possible in this competition to have a goal that allows
you to develop a team over a few years. We will need to be
able to score well from that first game and to better
achieve this we will take a lot from the standard set by the
Brumbies in the ACT.
"The
Brumbies led the way and took their competitive spirit and
ability to challenge the opposition that took the game to a
new and exciting level, and you can see the impact that
ability has had in improving Rugby throughout Australia.
"The
Brumbies developed players who have achieved much and I look
with pride at the number of Brumbie players who have
contributed positively for Australian rugby at the
international level both on and off the field,” he said.
"That
competitive spirit and a vision our management team has will
bring the Rebels to a level where we believe they can win
from game One and lead the way as the Brumbies have," added
the former Australia coach.
Macqueen has also been quoted as saying that despite
being allowed 10 international players, he is unlikely to
fill that quota and wants to focus his efforts on recruiting
Aussies - an impressive
attitude that has you listening closely to what he has said
and making notes for the first match of the Rebels, and for
the future.
It
would not be possible to leave an interview with such a
remarkable coach, who is one of our great thinkers of the
game, without seeking a comment on Australian rugby and the
attempted recruitment of rugby league great Mark Gasnier who
has been playing union for the French side Stade Francais
since
October 2008, and of Australian rugby generally.
Interestingly, upon joining the Paris club, Gasnier was
coached by former
Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie,
himself
an obvious future candidate for coach of Australia's
national side.
The
possible recruitment of Mark Gasnier
“Well,
he certainly was considered to form a part of the team but,
as you know, rugby on many occasions looks beyond the money
side of a contract and it became clear to us, and Mark, that
he would be better of with league, which would provide him
with a comfort zone with family and friends in a game he
truly excels at. And of course he and his family have a
history in league, so mutually it was seen that Mark should
return to league and we agreed with his decision,” said
Macqueen.
The future of Australian rugby
“Australian Rugby and its culture is changing
rapidly. We have always had the culture of having a go
against any and all odds and that will remain with the
Australian Wallabies, but I think that we will be
challenging other countries right to be the best. We know we
can be the best, we’ve been there before, and we now have a
right to believe we can be there again,” he reasoned.
It will take a strong management and playing
team to bring the Melbourne Rebels up to a competitive level
by the start of the Super 15 in 2011 and my discussion with
Rod on how competitive the Rebels will be shows that the
Melbourne management team has their first winner in securing
him as head coach.
Footnote - Rod Macqueen and Carl
Collett first met on the field in Sydney grade rugby with
Carl as the referee and Rod the indomitable forward for
Warringah, neither realising they would remain friends on
the national level as Wallaby Coach and Test referee.
The Rebels playing squad: Peter
Betham, Adam
Byrnes, Alister
Campbell, Danny Cipriani, Sam
Cordingley, Tim
Davidson, Gareth
Delve, Adam
Freier, James
Hilgendorf, Luke
Jones, Richard Kingi, Hoani
Macdonald, Lachlan
Mitchell, Stirling
Mortlock, Jarrod Saffy, Greg
Somerville, Heath Tessman, Laurie Weeks, Julian
Huxley, Micheal Lipman, Cooper Vuna.
Do
you agree with Carl, or have a comment. If so you can email
him direct on
collett.rugby@gmail.com
Previous columns:
07.07.2010:
'Jouer
l'advantage' - Who’s calling the shots, the ref or the IRB?
27.06.2010:
Robbie Deans sitting uncomfortably as a Kiwi in the Wallaby
camp
**
Carl Collett is an Australian journalist now based in France
for six months of the year. Having played district rugby in
Australia he joined the referee's ranks and moved to Test
status in 1981 - taking charge of teams including England,
France, Argentina and New Zealand - having already refereed
more than 200 first grade games.
