On the weekend Robbie Deans made a clear decision based on his selection policy which, put simply is to give everyone a chance to impress and then select on form. This selection policy is obviously a process based policy rather than a results policy.
What I am referring to here is the selection of Quade Cooper in the team to play England. In short term this is a huge risk, however, a step forward to the big picture of building a positive culture. All players now know they have a chance to make the team through performance and the best players will be on the field at all times.
Cooper has been knocking on the door for the past weeks and put his hand up in the midweek game against Glouster, where he had a hand in all the points scored. Yes due to injuries the timing might have been right to bring Cooper in, however, it would have been easier to stick to conservative centre pairing.
This decision is based on the long term objective of winning the World Cup. The result went Deans’s way in more ways than one. It puts all players on notice that their position isn’t a given and it gives hope for the fringe players hoping to break into the team.
Is Deans’s obvious focus on the World Cup correct? I suppose the answer comes back to the age old question of process vs results based coaching. Should he concentrate on the results while slowly bleeding players into the team or should he throw results to the wind with the focus of giving all a chance and hoping in the year of the World Cup the players select themselves.
In terms of culture an open selection policy will always create a competitive and vibrant atmosphere. Selection based on reward will also add a positive reinforcement and promote the player buy in factor. At the junior levels this attitude will increase the player desire and enthusiasm to give their best for the team and sooner rather than later the results will start to flow.
I suppose time will tell when the Wallabies face up to their ultimate test at the Rugby World Cup in NZ.Process Vs results based selection
On the weekend Robbie Deans made a clear decision based on his selection policy which, put simply is to give everyone a chance to impress and then select on form. This selection policy is obviously a process based policy rather than a results policy.
What I am referring to here is the selection of Quade Cooper in the team to play England. In short term this is a huge risk, however, a step forward to the big picture of building a positive culture. All players now know they have a chance to make the team through performance and the best players will be on the field at all times.
Cooper has been knocking on the door for the past weeks and put his hand up in the midweek game against Glouster, where he had a hand in all the points scored. Yes due to injuries the timing might have been right to bring Cooper in, however, it would have been easier to stick to conservative centre pairing.
This decision is based on the long term objective of winning the World Cup. The result went Deans’s way in more ways than one. It puts all players on notice that their position isn’t a given and it gives hope for the fringe players hoping to break into the team.
Is Deans’s obvious focus on the World Cup correct? I suppose the answer comes back to the age old question of process vs results based coaching. Should he concentrate on the results while slowly bleeding players into the team or should he throw results to the wind with the focus of giving all a chance and hoping in the year of the World Cup the players select themselves.
In terms of culture an open selection policy will always create a competitive and vibrant atmosphere. Selection based on reward will also add a positive reinforcement and promote the player buy in factor. At the junior levels this attitude will increase the player desire and enthusiasm to give their best for the team and sooner rather than later the results will start to flow.
I suppose time will tell when the Wallabies face up to their ultimate test at the Rugby World Cup in NZ.
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