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Monday September 8, 2008
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About John Connolly

About John Connolly

A stalwart of the Brothers club in Brisbane, John Connolly was the Wallabies coach from 2005 until after the 2007 World Cup. He first coached Queensland in 1989 and remained in the top job for more than 10 years leading the Reds to championship victories in the Super Six (1992) and Super 10 (1994 and 1995). Under his stewardship Queensland also claimed the minor premiership in the Super 12 competition in both 1996 and 1999.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Wallabies in need of tough love

Robbie Deans and the Australian selectors will have to make some tough decisions before the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup decider.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Time to stay positive

I bumped into Peter Cosgrove, the former chief of the Australian Defence Force, after South Africa's Francois Steyn had sunk the Wallabies with that magic field goal from the touchline last year. Even though we lost, he said to me: "This team has belief - it has turned the corner."

Sunday, August 3, 2008

League's grey days as Sonny shines

Rugby league and rugby union used to be so different, they were black and white. Now there's a real shade of grey.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

They did us proud

Outstanding. A classic Test. Robbie Deans and All Blacks coach Graham Henry have played down their individual battle all week, but coaching is personal.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Why the Wallabies will win back the Tri Nations

The first thing that struck me when I became Wallabies coach a couple of years ago was the lack of depth in Australian rugby.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Bigger challenges lie ahead

ROBBIE Deans will be delighted with last night's win and the confidence it will give the Wallabies. But he'll also be realistic enough to know it's nothing compared to the Tri Nations.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Let's get into bed with the Kiwis

I bumped into All Blacks legend John Hart at a recent New Zealand Warriors rugby league match and he floated an idea that could help the development of the game on both sides of the Tasman.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Pass, but we must improve

After a scratchy first half in which we would have been behind if not for some Matt Giteau magic, we finally saw what the Wallabies are capable of in the first 15 minutes of second half.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

We need off-field judiciary

It's that time of year again.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Warning for Dan Carter wannabes

Just because it works for Dan Carter doesn't mean it will work for Australian rugby.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Rusty start, but give him time

That was not a gale force wind that hit the east coast last night - it was a huge sigh of relief from our new national coach, Robbie Deans.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Crouch, touch, charge

One of the greatest challenges for any rugby coach is managing the depth of talent at his disposal. During my time with the Wallabies I liked to keep a 30-man squad to ensure there would always be someone to step into the breach should a player lose form or suffer injury. So I'm extremely pleased to see new coach Robbie Deans has the same policy.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

NSW to dominate home front again in '09

With the international season about to start, the Super 14 coaches will be busy reviewing their teams' campaigns. I've followed the four Australian teams closely. This is how I viewed their seasons.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Why McKenzie saga won't end here

The Ewen McKenzie coaching saga has highlighted a real flaw in the contracting system in our game at provincial level.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Possible Gasnier switch no shock

I must admit I wasn't surprised when I heard that Mark Gasnier was contemplating a switch to France.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Pink jerseys and high stakes for Ewen

If Ewen McKenzie gets the coaching job at Stade Francais, he'll join a rugby club as flamboyant off the field as it is on it.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Pound for pound we're struggling to match up

Nick Politis said recently that sport is all about passion, not profit. I believe the Sydney Roosters boss makes a valid point, but it's hardly music to the ears of potential investors in a Super 14 franchise.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Lote's a better back for us than a league grunt

Had the ARU lost the battle to re-sign Lote Tuqiri last year, I believe he would have become one of the most damaging back-rowers in rugby league.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Robbie's Wallabies will be hard to beat

With the exception of coach Robbie Deans, Australian rugby fans won't have too many new faces to familiarise themselves with when our international campaign kicks off.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Hickey right man for Tahs

The Waratahs have promised to cast a wide net in search of a replacement for Ewen McKenzie but the best man for the job may be sitting right in front of their noses, writes John Connolly.