Scotland’s defence guru Matt Taylor has predicted the Wallabies’ culture and results will mirror Queensland’s transformation under Ewen McKenzie due to his hardline approach.
Taylor served under McKenzie for three seasons at the Reds and wasn’t surprised to see the new Australian Test coach controversially standing down six players for late-night drinking in Dublin.
He was Queensland Academy mentor before McKenzie arrived at Ballymore in late 2009 and was quickly given the role as Reds defence coach.
Taylor said McKenzie turned Queensland, cellar-dwellers the previous six seasons, into Super Rugby champions in 20 months by immediately orchestrating a better culture.
“This week might be a tough week for them but they will get the results further on down the track,” he told AAP.
“(McKenzie) is trying to set some cultural standards. He did the same thing at the Reds, setting those standards both on and off the field.
“He changed the culture around there and it sounds as though he’s trying to do the same thing at the Wallabies, so good on him.
“When you are the head coach, everything is on your watch so you have to make sure you get what you want.
“You don’t want to be going on a year or two and then at the World Cup, these things raise their head.”
Five-eighth Quade Cooper, highly critical of the Wallabies’ set-up 14 months ago, was one who had referred to a poor culture at the Reds, before McKenzie arrived amid a QRU cleanout.
At the time, an unhappy Cooper described the Wallabies as a “toxic environment” which was largely seen as a shot at former coach Robbie Deans but was aimed at the entire team culture.
Cooper, back to top form and appointed vice-captain, admitted he had matured and become a better team man since making the comments which almost ended his Test career.
McKenzie has received support – largely from former Wallabies sick of mediocre results – and criticism for issuing one-Test bans to six players and warning nine others for drinking into the early morning before a rest day in preparing for the win over Ireland.
It’s emerged eight or nine players stayed out until 3.30am at a Dublin nightclub, drinking about $2200 of free alcohol. Others went back to the team hotel earlier but were also sanctioned for not returning from dinner at a reasonable time.
While Scotland coach Scott Johnson, another Australian, didn’t want to judge McKenzie’s reaction, Taylor agreed with the firm action.
“Having a bit too much to drink three days before a Test, to me, is a bit disappointing,” he said. “If you are playing for your country, that’s not the best preparation.
“In that first year (2010), Ewen set down standards both on and off the field … and we kept referring back to them.
“You have a measuring stick and you know exactly where you stand, what you are trying to achieve, and that’s important.”
