The Wallabies door has re-opened for Quade Cooper with the appointment of Ewen McKenzie. Source: Chris McCormack / News Limited
AUSTRALIA'S new coach Ewen McKenzie is convinced Quade Cooper is ready for Test rugby again and has been given the charter to use him in a creative overhaul of the Wallabies.
The "Dingo cull" yesterday put an Australian drawl to the Wallabies bark for the first time since 2007.
"We have the players. Get the head space and the tactics right and we can put a lot of pressure on the All Blacks, not once but twice (next month) because we want the Bledisloe Cup back," McKenzie said.
Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.
"I don't want to ease into it. There's no better job, no better coaching assignment, than to pit yourself against the All Blacks. To get another crack at the All Blacks is terrific and from that good things can flow."
It all points to Cooper playing flyhalf against the All Blacks on August 17 in Sydney and wayward Wallaby James O'Connor going into the lottery for a wing or bench role.
McKenzie was more diplomatic with his words than the Reds tie he wore to yesterday's Wallabies coaching announcement.
"Quade has matured and is ready to play Test rugby again. I know it will have hurt him watching the Lions series when he would have backed himself to make a difference," McKenzie said.
Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.
"When you miss out, absence focuses the mind. Quade is in a good space, but it's not a matter of one player. I haven't made any calls yet and I don't have a closed mind."
McKenzie has the stamp of approval from the top because Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver said "re-energising" the game was a top priority in the thorough process that selected the new coach.
"Arguably the most important variable of all is that Ewen has the capability of coaching the way the Australian public want to see the game played...smart, creative running rugby," Pulver said.
The All Blacks won't be shaking in their boots at Cooper being redeployed because his roles in two wins are balanced by his poor 2011 World Cup semi-final and numerous flawed moments behind beaten packs.
It is McKenzie who holds the key to unlocking the 38-Test wildcard's best, as he has at the Reds for four seasons, by allowing Cooper a big buy-in on game strategy.
High workrate Reds prop James Slipper is another heading for a role upgrade for the August 17 Test.
Those who had grown stale with axed coach Robbie Deans gambling too little on attack will be buoyed by McKenzie promising a transfusion of innovative, risk-taking intent for the Wallabies squad.
After 51 Tests as a Wallabies prop, time as a Wallabies assistant coach and more than 20 years in Australian rugby at all levels, McKenzie thinks he knows what makes Australian rugby tick.
"The Australian team has done well, from a cultural point of view, when skills are to the fore and we play with intelligence. We've done our best work when those are in play over the last 30 or 40 years," McKenzie said.
McKenzie, 48, knocked back the Wallabies job for the 20-month run to the 2007 World Cup.
"I was offered this job once before and declined because I wasn't ready. All the work I've done in rugby has channelled me to this point and I feel I can make a difference," McKenzie said.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Cooper ready for return: McKenzie
Dengan url
http://sportfoxer.blogspot.com/2013/07/cooper-ready-for-return-mckenzie.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Cooper ready for return: McKenzie
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Cooper ready for return: McKenzie
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar