Former Wallabies fullback Greg Martin has slammed the decision to appoint another New Zealander in Joe Schmidt as head coach over an Australian.
On Friday, Rugby Australia announced that Schmidt had agreed a deal to coach the Wallabies until at least the end of the British & Irish Lions Series in 2025.
The former Ireland coach is the latest in a line of New Zealanders to take on the job, following Robbie Deans and, most recently, Dave Rennie.
Deans coached the Wallabies for five years between 2018 and 2013, but was heavily criticised towards the end of his tenure and he resigned after the 2013 Lions series, which ended in a record 41-16 loss for the hosts.
Rennie, meanwhile, was appointed in 2020 to succeed Australian Michael Cheika after a disastrous 2019 World Cup ended in a quarter-final exit. However, the Wallabies’ results were inconsistent and Rennie was sacked months away from the 2023 World Cup, to allow for the return of Eddie Jones.
While Schmidt’s appointment has largely been celebrated, after he coached Ireland to the number one ranking and help turn Ian Foster’s All Blacks around to make the World Cup final, former Wallaby Martin feels New Zealanders should not be in charge of Australia’s national team.
“Robbie Deans was appointed as the Wallaby coach about ten years ago then Dave Rennie only about five years ago and was sacked for Eddie Jones,” said Martin on his Triple M Breakfast with Marto, Margaux & Dan show on Friday.
“So, we’ve had two Kiwis, and both times it’s ended in tears and we’re about to go down the same track.”
Three Australians – Cheika, Stephan Larkham and Dan McKellar – were in the running for the job. Martin feels that the 1999 World Cup-winning flyhalf should have been appointed, after a successful start to his coaching career with the Brumbies and Munster.
“We needed Stephen Larkham, we needed a bloke who has won a World Cup who is an Australian,” Martin said.
“We’re going to overlook another Australian … for another Kiwi to coach Australia, bad move in my mind!
“We’ll get beaten by the Kiwis in July and August and everyone will go, ‘Oh well, that was a dud!,’ we’ll sack him (Joe Schmidt) and we’ll be back in the same position again.”
Photo: EPA/DAVE HUNT