Wallabies legend David Campese ain’t mincing his words when it comes to Australia’s head honcho Eddie Jones and England’s big boss Steve Borthwick.
He’s giving ’em a right earful about their fancy-schmancy micro-managing and stats-obsessed coaching methods.
“The biggest problem Australia face at the moment is no one in our country really has a clue who the Wallabies are and who their players are,” he told Planet Rugby’s James While.
“Since Jones left England in tatters and re-joined the Aussies, it’s all been about him. The Jones Media Machine has been powering away in full throttle with no desire to reference, respect or promote the actual team itself, something I find quite remarkable and utterly concerning.
“For Eddie, it’s always been about self-promotion. I played with him at Randwick, and he’s never gotten over Phil Kearns, our second-choice hooker to Eddie, leapfrogging and getting the Wallaby shirt Jones so dearly desired.
“It has always been his way or the highway; it’s about him proving a small man is big enough to mix it with the behemoths of the Test game, and at times, that leads to self-promotion that characterises his press conferences and soundbites.”
He added: “It’s all about suffocating control, whether that’s in the media or on the training paddock and that controlling mechanism, not only from Eddie but from others too, like Steve Borthwick, is killing our sport and, in particular, both the Wallabies and England.
“The game has become controlled by stats. Paralysis by analysis is a hackneyed term, but it’s deadly accurate. Both teams are playing rugby by numbers, a prescriptive pre-planned approach to a sport where the best players are defined by brilliant and intuitive decision-making. It’s bloody ridiculous.
“An elite Test player is making maybe 20 to 30 micro-decisions a minute. That’s something near 3,000 in a match, on the hoof, under pressure and in reaction to what’s unfolding in front of them.
“Why then, do coaches like Eddie and Borthwick spend their lives trying to micro-manage something they themselves are not in control of?
“Imagine you’re an opening batsman in cricket, and every time you play and miss or fail to middle one, your coach runs on with a spare pair of gloves and tells you how to play the next delivery? What would you say to him? I know what I’d say, and it would be short and sharp with a few four-letter words slung in for good measure.
“To extend that cricket analogy, great coaches coach skills, structure and situations. They don’t micro-manage the delivery of outcomes – they equip the players with the knowledge, skills and support structures they need, and they identify how to deal with scenarios, but they certainly don’t try and affect the execution themselves.”
Read David Campese’s full interview with Planet Rugby here.
NIGEL OWENS DREAM XV:
Fullback: Israel Folau (Australia)
Owens said: “For me, it’s nip and tuck between Halfpenny and Folau, next to nothing to choose between them. Leigh is brilliant because under the high ball and with his kicking at goal under pressure. He may not always break the line when running but puts his body on the line in defence and is a top-notch match-winner.
“But I go for Folau – only just, I should stress – because of his ability to seemingly beat his man every time he gets the ball in his hand. He’s such an exciting player and like Leigh he is one of the best under the high ball.
“It’s a toss of a coin for me… and it’s come down in Folau’s favour.”
Winger: Stuart Hogg (Scotland)
Owens said: “How can you fail to be impressed when watching Hogg play. He’s so exciting as he burst into that line and, of course, was named Six Nations player of the tournament.
“I know he’s a full-back for Scotland, but he is so quick and direct he could easily play on the wing. He reminds me a bit of Shane Williams with some of the things he does.
“When you see who is on the other wing in my team, you’ll see how they would work brilliantly in tandem.”
Outside-centre: Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland)
Owens said: “Not only is he one of the greatest centres in the history of rugby union but he’s a fantastic man off the field as well. O’Driscoll has been a wonderful ambassador for the sport and a real leader. He always respected referees and set the right example for others to follow.
“A legend of the game who conducted himself superbly, on and off the pitch.”
Inside-centre: Ma’a Nonu (New Zealand)
Owens said: “He’s another brilliant player and after every game, win or lose, he would come up and give me a hug. Ma’a has always found time at after-match functions or at breakfast if we’ve been staying at the same hotel to come over and have a chat.
“What a player, mind, too. One of the stalwarts of the New Zealand side for so many years.”
Winger: Shane Williams (Wales)
Owens said: “When people ask me who is the best player I have refereed it’s pretty much an impossible task to pick one because I’ve been lucky enough to take charge of so many greats.
“But if I’m pushed, I would pick Shane for what he achieved after coming from football at 17 or 18 years of age.
“He was in the mould of Gerald Davies in how he left defenders gasping for air as he beat them with those dazzling sidesteps. Nobody would fancy defending against a back three of Shane, Hogg and Folau, I can tell you that.”