• Fixtures
• Results

Top judges sing McKenzie's praises

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:47

Ewen McKenzie's success in transforming the Reds from Super 14 strugglers to a team taken seriously by all opposition has top judges singing his praises.
 
According to AAP, highly respected coach Alec Evans, former Wallaby centre and selector Michael O'Connor and players' union president Rod Kafer on Monday all lauded McKenzie's efforts with the rejuvenated Reds.

Under the guidance of McKenzie, a former World Cup-winning prop, the Reds are enjoying their most successful start to the season in some years, highlighted by upset victories over the Chiefs and Crusaders and a record 50-10 thumping of the Western Force.

And this has been achieved without three of the Reds most influential players of last year, with skipper James Horwill injured and out for the entire competition, Berrick Barnes having moved to the Waratahs and Hugh McMeniman to Japan.

Were Robbie Deans to be tempted back to New Zealand or anywhere else soon or, as is more likely, after the 2011 World Cup, McKenzie would be the obvious successor as Wallaby coach.

McKenzie was in line to take over the Wallabies in 2006 following the firing of Eddie Jones but ultimately decided to re-sign with New South Wales for a further three seasons.

He was available for the job in early 2008 but was beaten to the appointment by Deans, who signed a four-year contract through to the World Cup.

Renowned scrummaging coach Evans,who has worked as an assistant to Wallaby coaches Alan Jones, Rod Macqueen and John Connolly, is currently working as McKenzie's forwards' coach at the Reds and he ranks McKenzie as among the best with whom he's worked.

"He's as good as anyone," Evans told AAP.

"I don't want to be jumping the gun here and Ewen wouldn't because he's fairly established with the Reds and that's all that's on his mind, but he's got the credentials to step up to the next level.

"I think he was ready [in 2006] and it was probably a missed opportunity for him. And he's grown a lot as a coach in the last three years.

"If Robbie Deans went back to New Zealand he's at the top of the [Wallaby coaching] list."

According to AAP, McKenzie had the inside track for the test position before Deans was overlooked by the New Zealand Rugby Union for the All Blacks coaching job after the 2007 World Cup.

Since then he has led the Waratahs to the 2008 Super 14 final, where they lost to Deans' Crusaders, and then had a sojourn at Stade Francais in Paris.

Former Wallaby Kafer believed the time in Europe added a dimension to McKenzie's coaching.

"Ewen has all the characteristics you want as an international coach," Kafer told AAP.

"What better resumé and he's had success everywhere he's gone. There's not a better example of genuine coaching skill than turning an under-performing team to an over-performing team in a short period of time. It is a rare skill."

O'Connor took his hat off to McKenzie for immediately improving the squad he inherited.
 
While the Reds have exciting talents like Will Genia, Quade Cooper and Digby Ioane at their disposal, all of whom have been fostered by the likes of Deans at international level and Phil Mooney at the Reds, they can also attribute their rise to their development of players like Saia and Anthony Faingaa, Ben Daley, Jake Schatz and Luke Morahan.
 
"He's picking younger players and reputation means nothing; [it's] how you go and your attitude at training," dual international O'Connor told AAP.
 
"Those forwards are just going forward and getting over the advantage line, no nonsense, and there's a hard edge about them this year."

Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Advertising

This site requires cookies to be enabled!

Send Feedback on Rugby365!

News | Tournaments | SA Schools

Copyright © 2009 Primedia Online. All rights reserved. Developed by Primedia Online