Eagle uncertainty as 90-day mark nears

Primary elements of the 2009 national team program remain uncertain as the season's start draws to within 90 days.

Virtually all of the test schedule is unsettled, including the venue for the May 30 opener and question of whether the Churchill Cup will be staged in North America or England. Separately, for the second consecutive year the domestic season is underway without an Eagle coach.

The World Cup qualification year features a pivotal home-and-away series with Canada, slated for July. The winner earns preferable seeding at the 2011 finals and can begin focusing on the New Zealand tournament, while saving the effort of further qualifying rounds with South American hopefuls.

In 2009, USARFU's incumbent management has had unprecedented money and time to ready for the major stepping stone in the four-year World Cup cycle, but seems little more organized than the discredited leadership of 2006. Also like three years ago, the union has kept mum on the subject of Eagle budget allocation, this time amid calls to bring national team spending more in line with the organization's scale, or even return to 'self funding'.

For players, not only have promises of semiprofessional salaries have dissolved, but a 3d head man in 15 months makes continued turnover highly likely. During the worst recession in three decades, the athletes cannot be certain whether and when they will be asked to compete for the test squad.

If the coaching vacancy has meant this year's player pool could not be announced in January, as had been the case for the most of the decade, the reasons why the calendar has not been set have been less intelligible to clubs, fans, and business partners.

Senior executives are at work siting the May 30 Ireland match, the Churchill, and the July 4 home leg of the RWC qualifier. The Irish fixture has irritated several senior clubs, which had understood that weekend's club finals would not compete with the international calendar. The difference could be resolved by playing both Ireland and Wales, set for June 6, in the Mile High city, according to people familiar with the matter.

But some have questioned whether USARFU's interest in bringing a Bledisloe Cup match to Denver has overshadowed the entire US program. Chair Kevin Roberts was formerly director of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and is known to aspire to a grander international role. Over the weekend, Roberts was conspicuously unhappy as it emerged that Japan had won rights to stage the match, unsurprisingly due to the JRFU's offering a superior financial guarantee to New Zealand and Australia.

On the coaching front, South Africa's Business Times yesterday reported Jake White would prefer coaching English Premiership club Leicester to the United States.

Related:
    Johnson resignation reopens past chapters
    Melville: USARFU pro strategy scaled back
    Johnson succession reveals USARFU dilemma

Comments

[question]

In Ireland they are talking about this being an Ireland 'A' team, do we have confirmation this is a full test?

Also, I thought Roberts was asked to leave from his Board of Director seat with the NZRFU. If this is true, it should be noted.

[Flynn Hagerty]

It will not be 100% full strength due to the Lions, but caps will be awarded. It's a test and counts for ranking points.

Melville offering Jake White the job is kind of embarrassing. It's like hearing about the Kansas City Royals coming in for Manny Ramirez with a one year, $5 million deal.

[BlagoRugby]

USArFU (little rugby - big FU) is intentionally undermining our top comps. Our leaders aren't sleeping with the enemy, they are the enemy.

If it wasn't Ireland it would have been someone else on that date. They are punishing us for our insolence lol.

This is once again a slap in the face, by the people who have had lots of experience with their the open hands and soft handshakes.

[Gerry M.]

How many more posts will Kurt Oeler have to write before USAR gets it together ? For the love of God.

I can't think of another national governing body where there is incompetence so widespread.

To add to the misery is that fact the the CEO/President of Rugby is paid far more than we can afford for such a poor performance.

I read earlier that the commissioner of the NFL is taking a voluntary pay cut. The NFL is a printing money and this is happening.

We are so upside down it isn't even humorous.

Add to this that a woman who knows nothing about our sport, has no prior management experience, is now calling the shots in Boulder as the CEO is out conducting random coaching clinics instead of leading the organization.

It is unacceptable that a Eagle coach hasn't been hired and announced. What a frickin joke !

It is nothing short of a bad made for television movie.

[Victory]

With only 90 days to go - Hire the former Canucks coach. He would sure know how beat his former side and get us in the 2011 World Cup.

[who cares]

Friends,

With all the reasons to be outraged at USAR, this upcoming match with Canada and the international season isn't one of them.

This is what these punks want, for us to forget that a complete administrative meltdown and waste of $8m has occurred over their term. All the while the membership focuses on beating Canada! No really, who cares.

We are so screwed-up under this administration (Board, CEO, HQ office staff,and Congress) that we don't even deserve to play in a test match, much less care if we win.

It's all a house of cards. What if we win? It means nothing, it won't move the "real" ball forward an inch. The work in moving the real ball forward is work in HS and college rugby. We also need to focus some on the RSL, this competition needs to improve and grow into a US rugby asset.

If we were half as angry over the waste of time and money this administration has delivered, as we are about who the next overpaid coach (to our scale) will be, we'd be on our way to recovery.

Don't play into their hands. Stay focused. Toss these foreign asses out on the street. Start with "we the AB's" and his hand picked board, then replace the CEO and his $275k salary with someone who really is a CEO. Finally when someone tells you they are a member of the USAR congress laugh your ass off at them. Shame these deserters into resigning so we can clear the way to a new motivated, well-meaning congress.

[Doug Lyons]

If US Rugby made an offer to Jake White can one infer that Eddie O'Sullivan chose not to accept the position (if it was offered in the first place) or the US chose not to pursue EOS?

Rick Suggett certainly makes sense in terms of targeting Canada.

[TH]

Kurt - do you have any further insight into what is happening with the US coaching position? I am confounded not so much by the fact that we still don't have a coach as by the complete lack of information about it. Granted rugby isn't a big deal in this country so we don't expect our media to be all over it, but it is a big deal in other countries - I would expect if the Eddie O'Sullivan hire has fallen through then we would read about that in the Irish press if not here, as we read about the "offer" that was supposedly made and accepted by Eddie in the Irish press. But there's nothing -- just frustrating bits and pieces of supposed info like this Jake White tidbit. Why in the world is this so bizarrely secretive and unreported? I actually left a comment on Nigel Melville's blog begging for an update on behalf of US rugby supporters - fat chance he actually answers that, though.

[Kevin Federline]

I'm afraid to think what will happen to this Union after another bad hire.
The only safe hire is E O. The best hire would be a North American Coach, preferably American who is innovative and uncompromising. The opposite of our last two coaches. If E O were here 4 years ago, we be slightly ahead of where Billups would have taken us. (Billups would have not been an IRB fave).

Good luck to Nige in his quest for a new job and 6 month paid holiday, courtesy of CIPP dues and Chairman K-fraud.

I am the real K-fraud, not that douchebag.

[in gear]

I couldn't agree more with you Doug. If we can not hire a high priced coach then Melville should cut his loses and approach Suggit from Canada. He sure built a solid mens and womens programs up in Canada. This is what we all want, a solid foundation that drives our national program. He did it up in Canada so why couldn't we use his experience in our own back yard?

[Doug Lyons]

Here is Nigel's answer on his blog regarding the next Eagle coach:

"I know who he is and we are going thru the usual negotiations with his representatives etc..hopefully we can conclude this before the weekend."

February 25, 2009 1:14 PM

He would save himself and USA Rugby a lot of grief had he NOT given a specific date to begin with. Since he did that he should have put up a post in a timely manner keeping the rugby community informed.

Anyhow, it looks like the search is over and the i's need to be dotted and the t's need to be crossed. Hopefully a lesson was learned from the Johnson affair and the new coach is coming in with eyes open. The revolving door has to close!

[Harvey Milk]

The Eagles can not beat Canada regardless of who is the coach. Canada has been improving since the 2007 WC with a tough set of Fall internationals their U20 side touring NZ, majority of their players in European professional clubs and a stable coaching staff implementing a 4 year plan leading up to the 2011 WC. The Eagles are in disarray, without a coach and no 2011 WC plan in place. Do the math on this one and it is Canada by 15 points over the Eagles.

[Lactose&Harvey intolerant]

Mr. Milk,
I disagree.
If you assemble the pool from Super League and USA internationals (only). Then implement simple patterns, innovative lineouts and stress defense - we beat Canada.

If we allow palyers to drive this thing forward and rely on them - we lose by 30 points.

How much did we lose by last time?

[Harvey Milk]

You need a coach to do any of that, and I don't think the side is mature enough to stick to simple pattern. Look how long it took Al Caravelli to get the 7s squad to adopt what he was been preaching from day 1. It took almost 3 years with a lot of assemblies. Now that they tasted success they are on board in total.

[sick&tired]

How about needing to go to NM's bullshit little blog to find out our union business.

It perfect for these jokers to only say what they want and never have to answer an unapproved question.

[roaming gnome back in the garden yet?]

This pool is going to be another cesspool. Another coach who is not here during our top comp.

Is Tyrone getting invited again this season?

That guy would have trouble starting for Highland High.