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L'Ecosse se prépare à un retour de bâton des Bleus

CARDIFF, PAYS DE GALLES - 03 FÉVRIER : Gregor Townsend, entraîneur principal de l'Écosse, pendant l'échauffement avant le match du Tournoi des Six Nations 2024 entre le Pays de Galles et l'Écosse au Principality Stadium, le 03 février 2024 à Cardiff, au Pays de Galles. (Photo par Warren Little/Getty Images)

Les Bleus se rendent à Édimbourg après une cuisante défaite 17-38 à domicile contre l’Irlande, plus que jamais favorite du Tournoi des Six Nations et du Grand Chelem.

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Cette défaite fait suite à celle subie en quarts de finale de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2023 face à l’Afrique du Sud. Les Bleus doivent maintenant se mesurer à Murrayfield, où l’histoire récente ne leur est pas favorable.

L’Ecosse en maître chez elle

L’Écosse a remporté trois des quatre derniers matchs du Tournoi des Six Nations à domicile contre la France, et elle vient de remporter sa première victoire contre le Pays de Galles à Cardiff depuis 22 ans.

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Six Nations
Scotland
16 - 20
Temps complet
France
Toutes les stats et les données

Le match ne s’est peut-être pas déroulé exactement comme prévu, le Pays de Galles ayant marqué 26 points sans riposte pour menacer de réaliser la plus grande remontée de l’histoire du Tournoi des Six Nations.

Mais l’Écosse a réussi à s’imposer 27-26, mettant ainsi fin à une série de 11 défaites consécutives dans la capitale galloise.

« Nous sommes très heureux d’avoir gagné, mais il y a encore des choses que nous devons corriger si nous voulons continuer à progresser », a déclaré Huw Jones, le trois-quarts centre de Glasgow.

« C’est une excellente occasion d’apprendre de nos erreurs, car on se sent toujours mieux quand on a gagné. Nous pouvons profiter de cette dynamique pour le week-end prochain.

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« Nous attendons une réaction de la part de la France et de nous-mêmes. Nous avons regardé leur match et l’Irlande a très bien fait son travail.

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« Nous devons continuer à jouer et à gérer tout ce qu’ils nous envoient. Nous voulons avancer. »

Un défi totalement différent pour Townsend

L’Écosse devrait pouvoir compter sur son co-capitaine Rory Darge, qui a manqué le match contre le Pays de Galles en raison d’une blessure au genou, tandis que le deuxième-ligne Grant Gilchrist a purgé la suspension d’une semaine qui l’avait écarté le week-end dernier.

De quoi rassurer Gregor Townsend, le sélectionneur de l’Écosse, qui cherche à pallier les absences du deuxième-ligne Richie Gray (biceps) et du troisième-ligne Luke Crosbie (épaule), tous deux blessés au Principality Stadium.

Townsend anticipe : « Nous savons que le week-end prochain présentera un défi totalement différent.

« Une équipe qui a été l’une des meilleures au monde pendant un certain nombre d’années et qui sort d’une défaite sera donc une grande menace pour nous et nous devrons être meilleurs.

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« Il faut se remettre en question et si l’on parvient à bien faire les choses et à pénétrer dans les 22 mètres adverses, les occasions se présenteront, surtout avec les joueurs dont nous disposons.

« Si on arrive à mettre le ballon plus souvent dans les mains de Finn (Finn Russell), des joueurs qui sont autour de lui en profiteront, comme ça quand on aura des un contre un et de l’espace pour attaquer, on arrivera à passer derrière la défense.

« En deuxième mi-temps (à Cardiff), nous n’avons tout simplement pas eu assez de ballon. Nous n’avons pratiquement pas eu le ballon jusqu’à la fin du match. »

Six Nations

P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Ireland
1
1
0
0
5
2
England
1
1
0
0
4
3
Scotland
1
1
0
0
4
4
Wales
1
0
1
0
2
5
Italy
1
0
1
0
1
6
France
1
0
1
0
0
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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

Why is Joe Schmidt the best option for Australia? (LONG READ)


An essay for @OJohn with love from South Africa.


OJohn keeps banging on about kiwis and Saffers and everyone else seeking to undermine and bring down Australian rugby… Blah, Blah, Blah. It’s boring and not worth responding too 99 days out of 100.


He misses the point completely that Australians either are or are not the masters of their own destiny. So to blame anyone else but themselves for what the state of Australian rugby is in - is hypocritical.


But recently, Australia has shown signs of life. Personally, I always believed they would be back at some point. At the beginning of this year I predicted that the wallabies would bounce back this year. I predicted that they would overtake England in the world rankings. I am predicting that they could finish second in the RC, could win the Lions series and could make it to a RWC final at home.


I tend to get ahead of myself when I’m excited... Ask my wife. But forgive me for getting excited about the Wallabies looking good! Is it so bad?


Like OJohn, I believe that Australia’s lands abound with natures gifts, including athletic specimens across any sporting code the Aussies compete in. It’s one of the reasons most of us don’t like Aussies. They win sh1t. Regularly. And look smug when they do...


But back to OJohn. And his banging on about the need for Australia to have an Australian coach. Here are a few highlights of his argument:


Several times I've given a list of half a dozen Australian coaches who would be more Australian than Schmidt and just as successful.

Tell me which Australian coaches would be acceptable to coach the All Blacks ......?

Because South Africans and Kiwis and Welshmen and Scotsman are all s.... scared that if an immensely talented and athletic team like Australia is ever able to harness nationalistic Australian passion with an Australian coach, you'll all be s.c.r.e.w.e.d.


And then finally – the list of 6 🥴:


Ewen McKenzie, Less Kiss, Stephen Larkham, Jim McKay, David Nucifora, Scott Wisenthal, Ben Mowen, Rod Kafer, Mick Byrne, John Manetti, Jason Gilmore, Dan McKellar.

Plus, a special request:


Keep in mind Rod MacQueen never won a Super Rugby title before he was appointed Wallaby coach but he ended up the greatest rugby coach the world has ever seen. Better than Erasmus even. Who is probably the next best.

Right. I don’t care about the tinfoil hat theories. I want to assess OJohn’s list and determine whether any of them fit the mold of a Rod Macqueen.

 

Like Rod Macqueen the following world cup winning coaches never won a Super Rugby Title:


·       David Kirk, 1987 (17 appearances for New Zealand)

·       Kitch Kristie, 1995

·       Rod Macqueen, 1999

·       Clive Woodward, 2003 (21 Appearance for England)

·       Jake White, 2007 (School Teacher)

·       Graham Henry, 2011 (School Teacher)

·       Steve Hansen, 2015 (Policeman)

·       Rassie Erasmus, 2019 (36 Appearances for South Africa)

·       Jacques Nienaber, 2023 (Physiotherapist).


I couldn't find out what Rod or Kitch did other than coach.


The only coach who has won a Super title and a World Cup?

·       Bob Dwyer, 1991 (A Tahs man wouldn’t you know!)


In fact coaches that have won super rugby titles have not won world cups. Robbie Deans. Heyneke Meyer to name just two.


I know I’m being childish, but I needed to bring this list in somehow because it’s quite obvious that whatever these coaches did before they became international level coaches is largely immaterial. Or is it?


Interestingly Ewan McKenzie (A Tah Man!) has won a Super title. And despite being a Tah Man made it into OJohn’s list. That’s two strikes for Ewan Mckenzie based on OJohn’s criteria so far. Not to mention his 50% win rate as head coach of the Wallabies between 2013 and 2014 (and the laundry list of off the field fcuk ups that swirled around the team at the time).


So Ewan is out.


I find it interesting that, as we speak, eight out of the ten top ranked men’s teams are coached by former international players:

1.      South Africa, Rassie Erasmus (36 appearances for South Africa)

2.      Ireland, Andy Farrell (8 appearances for England)

3.      New Zealand, Scott Robertson (23 appearances for New Zealan)

4.      France, Fabien Galthie (64 appearances for France)

5.      Argentina, Felipe Contemponi (87 appearances for Argentina)

6.      Scotland, Gregor Townsend (82 appearances for Scotland)

7.      England, Steve Borthwick (57 appearances for England)

8.      Australia, Joe Schmidt (School Teacher)

9.      Fiji, Michael Byrne (Aussie Rules Player)

10.  Italy, Gonzalo Quesada (38 appearances for Argentina).


It would appear as though we have entered an era where successful international coaches, largely, have played rugby at international level in the professional era. Or are ex school teachers. Much like Jake White and Graham Henry! Or a policeman.

 

Back to OJohn’s List. That leaves us with:


·       Less Kiss, (I like the look of)

·       Stephen Larkham, (I like the look of)

·       Jim McKay, (Very little to write home about)

·       David Nucifora, (Too old)

·       Scott Wisenthal, (I literally can’t find anything on him on the Google).

·       Ben Mowen, (Too young, no coaching experience)

·       Rod Kafer, (No coaching experience)

·       Mick Byrne, (He’s coaching the Fijians, Aussie rules!)

·       John Manetti, (Can’t find him on the google)

·       Jason Gilmore, (Seems to be working through the ranks, coaching Wallabies A)

·       Dan McKellar, (Not much to write home about, but could be an option).


Applying some logic, I would say the following are viable options based on age, experience in coaching AND the fact that they have played rugby for Australia in the professional era:

·       Less Kiss, (I like the look of)

·       Stephen Larkham, (I like the look of)

·       Jason Gilmore, (Seems to be working through the ranks, coaching Wallabies A)


After having done all this research, I think it’s fair to say that none of these three have the same pedigree as Joe Schmidt, the teacher. Who took a sh1tty Ireland team to no.1. Won a few 6 Nations and helped get the All Blacks to a world cup final in 2023.


Joe’s the best option for now. But if Kiss, Larkham and Gilmore are the business for the future for Australia get them in now as assistants to Joe and stop moaning!!


And, for the record, NONE of the above are good enough to coach the All Blacks. The All Blacks have the guy that hasn’t won a single Super title. He’s won 6.


Errors and Ommissions Excepted. Mispelling of names is OJohn's fault.

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