Wobblies’ World Cup challenge
2 Feb 2006
Rugby’s worst-kept secret was made public on Thursday when John Connolly was named as the new Wobblies coach.
The 54-year-old coached Queensland from 1989 to 2000 before guiding leading European clubs Stade Francais, Swansea and, most recently, Bath.
Connolly said was looking forward to next year’s World Cup in France.
“I don’t mind a challenge and they don’t come bigger than winning a World Cup,” he said. “It’s a great privilege to coach the national team. We’ve got 20 Test matches to get the team in a winning position.”
After their nightmare 2005 season, the Wobblies have become the laughing stock of Aussie sport, but Connolly refused to dwell on the past.
“I am focused on the positives,” he said. “I will have the benefit of a new coaching structure and what will be an excellent coaching team around me.
“Super 14 provides the opportunity to look at more players than we have in the past with greater competition for places.”
“We do need to think about the game differently and I think the coaching structure we are looking at is innovative. Importantly, with the right people in place it will address the key problems.”
16 Comments
2 Feb 2006, 07:19 am
“the laughing stock of Aussie sport”
There were a couple of contenders last year:
1) Losing the Ashes was pretty funny
2) Getting hammered by NZ in the final of the Tri-nations RL final tickled my funny bone
But the winner had to be the Wallabies performance verses Wales. I was rolling around the floor of a Brisbane pub laughing. Funny, the only people laughing with me were a few Kiwis, one Saffa and a few Welsh fans.
I support two teams: South Africa and anyone playing Australia.
2 Feb 2006, 08:30 am
What are you doing in Australia, then. Go on pack your bags and leave
2 Feb 2006, 08:47 am
I would but then the wife gets half.
2 Feb 2006, 09:43 am
Don’t forget that those outrageously weak 2005 Wobblies still managed to kick Springbok arse to all four corner in the test in Sydney!
2 Feb 2006, 09:50 am
Tackler, that was the strange thing about last season. The Wallabies started off well last year playing great rugby to beat France and the Boks at home. The Cape Town nightclub incident was the bad turning point of the season.
2 Feb 2006, 09:58 am
give it up brumbie iv, tackler does not listen to reason, he also fails to respond to intelligent posts or statements, just tell him:
4 more years………….
and he usually pisses off
2 Feb 2006, 10:06 am
Piss Ant, there isn’t much time left on the 4 more years that Gregan gave to Kelliher.
2 Feb 2006, 11:07 am
GhostShark,
Mate, I reckon you’d be better off going back to SA with half your stuff than staying here and supporting anyone who plays against Aus.
You’re a sad case, mate.
You weren’t one of the blokes making racist remarks at cricket, were you?
2 Feb 2006, 11:26 am
Ian, go easy on the guy. dyslexia is difficult to get over.
2 Feb 2006, 11:43 am
eh, remember when we were the laughing stock in 2003, we recovered pretty quickly. they can too, these aussies are a cunning bunch and manage to perform in all sports even though they have a fraction of the players compared to other countries.
lets not get too windgat boys, we may live to regret it come 2007.
2 Feb 2006, 11:58 am
Hey, the historical scoreboard is an unforgiving swine, not so?
The absolutely crappiest 2005 Wobbly side about since when Pontius was still a Pupil Pilot still saw them clout the number two ranked Boks to defeat in Seedney! Easy as!
How tragic is THAT?
2 Feb 2006, 12:13 pm
TT: remember Cape Town…
Aussies beat SA, SA beats NZ…NZ loses to a side that lost one out of four tests to the Aussies… How tragic is THAT:-)
2 Feb 2006, 12:47 pm
Tackldoos LMFAO, and wasent this a Sprinkbok teakl that got beaten by thge Wobblies, yet went on to whoop NZ at Newlands and run them so close in NZ? what does that say about the NZ side LMAO.
2 Feb 2006, 14:43 pm
2005 was a great year in Rugby. Order has been restored to the IRB World Rankings (1 and 2 will hopefully swap) To watch the Wobblies crash and burn like they did was hilarious. And this is coming from someone who was born in Perth, WA.
Like GhostShark – I support two teams, South Africa and anyone playing Australia. I love to see the Aussies getting beaten.
My background goes back to the beginning with British and Dutch settlers in South Africa. My father got me into supporting South Africa as a kid. I love South Africa, and just got my RSA Citizenship and Passport.
OLE OLE OLE OLE OLE!!
OP DIE BOKKE!
EK BLY ‘N HAAI!!!
3 Feb 2006, 11:24 am
Anyone who knows about World Rugby would not write off the wobblies. 1997 and 1999 is a case study of possibility. They have done it before and that gives them the confidence to do it again. A bad year 2 seasons to the World Cup is not an insumountable challenge.
3 Feb 2006, 13:21 pm
Groen piss off then if you love SA so much.
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