Aussie fans can now look to the future with hope
The Wallabies got their man.
After a little forethought and planning for Michael Cheika’s departure after this year’s World Cup, Rugby Australia has confirmed Dave Rennie is the man to lead them into a new era.
It seems that, unlike a certain other organisation, a proactive approach to identifying the man they wanted and pursuing his signature early was a smart play. Who would have thought?
With Rennie’s arrival, Australian rugby fans can look to the future with some hope.
The 55-year-old has been known to come into an organisation and work wonders from the outset. Just look at the 2012 Chiefs. In the club’s first 16 seasons, they had a 46 per cent winning record with just two appearances in the playoffs. Enter Rennie.
In his first year at the helm of the club he led them to the Super Rugby title — becoming the first coach to win the title in his first season in charge. What’s more is he didn’t take over a team that had been playing with one another for a while.
Only 13 of the 34 players in the Chiefs’ 2012 squad featured in the 2011 campaign, the new recruits playing important roles in the starting squad including Aaron Cruden in the No 10 jersey and Sonny Bill Williams in the midfield.
When Rennie took over, the Chiefs’ all-time Super Rugby record was 88-96-5. When he left in 2017, it was 159-126-8, with a winning percentage of 68 per cent during his six seasons in charge and they never missed the playoffs during his tenure.
Leaving the Chiefs for a stint in the northern hemisphere with the Glasgow Warriors, Rennie continued to have success as he led the side two the best record in the
Pro14 competition in his two full seasons in charge.
That makes for happy reading if you’re a Wallabies fan.
Yes, Cheika probably won’t be a hard act to follow. With just 34 wins in 68 tests which included multiple losses to Scotland, Wales, England and South Africa, and just three wins in 14 attempts against the All Blacks, it’s been a tough five years for the Australians.
But there’s a reason Rennie was the man Rugby Australia wanted.
Rennie is a highly respected manager and his coaching philosophy focuses equally on the game and the culture of his team.
With Rennie’s arrival, Australian rugby fans can look to the future with some hope.
Rugby fans in New Zealand will have heard the term “Chiefs mana” over the past few years. This was an ideal brought into the team by Rennie and remains a key pillar of the franchise.
From an on-field view point, Rennie’s teams play a positive brand of rugby that utilises the various skill sets within his side.
In an era where the attacking side of the game is free-flowing, Rennie will be looking at the talent in Australia and rubbing his hands together with excitement.
With Rennie’s contract taking him through to the 2023 World Cup, he has plenty of time to work his magic across the Tasman and find a squad that can not only perform at the highest level in the sport but also buy into the culture he demands in the team.
While other nations remain in the hunt for their next head coach, Rugby Australia has reeled in the ideal candidate to lift them to their once great heights — or near enough to them.