Edinburgh: It was Andrew Kellaway who delivered the one-liner of the week before Australia’s Test against Scotland on Saturday (Sunday morning AEDT).
“I haven’t seen Dave Rennie miss a tackle,” the Wallabies winger dead-panned regarding his coach.
“So there’s no doubt we need to front up more.”
The 27-year-old wasn’t born the last time Rennie laced the boots as centre for Wellington in the late 1980s.
There is a view that, put simply, Wallabies players just aren’t delivering on the game plan expected of them.
It became a talking point again this week after comments Nic White made just before Australia departed on their European tour.
Dave Rennie talks to his players during training at the team’s base in France ahead of a clash against Scotland. Credit:Andrew Phan/Wallabies Media
“We’re still playing catch-up,” White said. “He [Rennie] drives high standards and as a group we haven’t met them.”
There are all kinds of pressure, external and internal, for this Wallabies side to start delivering after nine defeats in 12 Tests stretching back to last year’s spring tour.
Ultimately, the buck stops with Rennie and he is very aware of that.
But despite a 37.9-per-cent win record from 29 Tests in charge, and despite a playing group that isn’t the finished product, Rennie is standing firm and has told the Herald he wants to remain at the helm of the Wallabies beyond next year’s World Cup.
In the New Zealander’s mind, the job’s not done.
“Yeah, sure,” said Rennie when asked if his preference was to stay as Wallabies boss in 2024 and beyond. “I’m enjoying what I do but I’m also realistic that you’re judged on results. We’ll see how things pan out over the next six months.
“We’ve all got skin in the game. You know as head coach, if we’re losing games, you’ve got to step forward and take it on the chin because that is the way it is.
“You understand that when you come into a role. I’ve been involved in professional footy for a long time. You accept that and I understand the expectations. If we fall short of those expectations, it often falls on the head coach. It’s nothing new.”
Given what’s at stake on this tour, Rennie was in a relaxed mood on Thursday at Saint-Etienne airport, near the team’s French base this week.
Dave Rennie consoles Rob Valetini at Eden Park following a 26-point defeat last month. Credit:Getty
The Wallabies arrived in Edinburgh a few hours later, ready to face the music — in this case, bagpipes — at Murrayfield against a Scotland side boasting three wins on the trot against Australia. Wallaby No.909 Jack Dempsey is ready to show Rennie, courtesy of a cameo off the Scotland bench, why he shouldn’t have been overlooked in 2020.
“He’s always been a really good athlete and great with ball in hand,” said Rennie, before delivering the quote Scotland coach Gregor Townsend ought to cut out and stick on Dempsey’s locker. “We always felt he lacked a bit of physicality and we gave him that feedback. I know he’s worked hard on that.
“He’s a really good player. I know he’d be keen as to get amongst our boys.”
The key question Tests against Scotland, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales will answer is whether this Wallabies crop has the capacity — technically and mentally — to execute the grand plans of an eclectic Wallabies coaching group featuring Scott Wisemantel, Dan McKellar, Laurie Fisher and Petrus Du Plessis.
“I reckon our staff are as good as anyone in the world, if not better,” Rennie said. “What we’re trying to do is keep challenging ourselves to make sure we get the best out of this group and keep growing.”
Rennie, like his predecessor Michael Cheika, is fiercely loyal to his players and would never consider blaming anyone for the team’s shortcomings.
He understands the importance of this tough tour, just over 10 months out from a Rugby World Cup opener against Georgia on September 9 in Paris.
“As far as accountability goes, we’re constantly challenging the players,” Rennie said. “They’re great men, they’ve got a great attitude and want to get better. We want to see evidence of that on the weekend.
“The big thing for us is it’s more Test footy. It’s a chance to find out more about guys. The more footy we can get into them, the better.
“It’s been frustrating because we’ve had elements in games where if you turn pressure into points, maybe we get a different result. We’re growing. That’s why this tour is really important.”
Two weeks ago, Rennie made it clear he wanted his future sorted by early next year. He has the potential to do so by the end of next month if he can get his Wallabies side humming.
“I know we’ve got a lot of good young men,” Rennie said. “I reckon, by a [British and Irish] Lions series [in 2025] and home World Cup in 2027, a lot of those guys are going to have played 60 or 70 Tests and be quite an experienced group.
“It’s massive for these guys and massive for the country. It’s exciting times ahead for rugby in Australia.”
Watch all the action from the Wallabies Spring Tour with every match streaming ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport. Kicks off this weekend with Japan v All Blacks (Saturday 4pm AEDT) and Scotland v Wallabies (Sunday 3.10am AEDT).
