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Joe Schmidt talks 'fickle' nature of talent, unlocking Australia's potential
By AAP
It's how you bake the cake, according to Joe Schmidt, who has offered a different spin on how he plans to revive the Wallabies' flagging fortunes.
Despite many pundits believing Australia no longer boasts the talent pool to compete with the rugby-mad power nations like world champions South Africa and trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand, Schmidt is adamant he has all the ingredients to make the Wallabies great again.
It's just that the Kiwi deems talent the least important ingredient.
"Talent to me is an untapped potential. It sits in a potential sort of bracket," Schmidt said as tickets to next year's three-Test series against the touring British and Irish Lions went on sale this week.
"Talent can be quite fickle as well.
"What we need to be able to demonstrate is that we can be really consistent.
"A lot of the things that you do in rugby don't take a whole lot of talent.
"They take a whole lot of effort, they take a little bit of intelligence and IP in the game, and then the talent tends to be the icing on the cake.
"And we've just got to make sure that we bake the cake in the best possible manner."
While he wants to see more before he starts throwing out individual names who he expects to form the basis of his first Test team to face Wales in Sydney on July 6, Schmidt hopes the "promising" start from Australia's five Super Rugby Pacific sides this year proves they are closing the gap on their New Zealand rivals.
That has always been the key to the Wallabies succeeding at international level and ultimately winning back the Bledisloe Cup, which the All Blacks have held since 2003, and competing for world supremacy.
The Wallabies also host the British and Irish Lions next year, before staging the 2027 World Cup on home soil for the first time since 2003.
Schmidt, who has only committed to coach the Wallabies for two years, believes the Lions series against the best of the best from England, Wales, Scotland and his old Ireland team, will provide a good barometer of how Australia is tracking for the next global showpiece.
The Lions only travel to Australia once every 12 years and legendary two-time World Cup winner John Eales hopes the lure of a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity unless you're George Smith" inspires something special from the Wallabies.
"With a full year under Joe and getting used to the way Joe wants to play the game, there is no doubt we will be competitive," said Eales, who captained the Wallabies to their historic 2001 series win over the Lions.
"Without doubt, it's enough time.
"I don't think we have a talent issue in Australian rugby. We're seeing that in Super Rugby (Pacific) and there is certainly not an enthusiasm issue."
The Wallabies, coached by another Kiwi in Robbie Deans, lost the most recent Lions series in Australia 2-1 in 2013.
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Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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