Eddie and Bernie
Some weekend listening from the horse's mouths.
Podcasts are everywhere these days, but it's great to see Aussie rugby coaches getting on board and I listened to two crackers yesterday arvo.
One was featuring Brumbies coach Stephen “Bernie” Larkham, and the other with Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, and I want to share these because they’re a great way to hear their thoughts unfiltered. Something that I don’t think happens very often when you go through the media.
SPOILER ALERTS!
The key takeaway from Bernie's chat for me was his admission to being exhausted while he last coached the Brumbies. Having played under him during that time, this was something we players experienced, and I believe it held him back as a coach, and consequently hindered the players and team's progress.
But listening to this was great, and the fact that he admits to it showcases the growth he has made not only as a coach, but as a person.
The key takeaway for me from Eddie’s chat was that he had another potshot at journalists, after he said at a press conference in Sydney recently "If the players are reading the garbage you lot write, then they're too dumb to play for the Wallabies."
I couldn't believe it when he said that, and then in yesterday’s episode, he has a dig at English commentator Dewi Morris for his outdated commentary during one of the 6 Nations matches.
Which leads me to ask why do you think he's trying to start a war with journalists? Is he trying to control the narrative? Or does he just enjoy stirring up the media?
I'm not sure it's either of those. Two take aways from his comment for me are 1. Don't read what the media writes and 2. the media publish a lot of shit. He's protecting his players and making it known that what the media say and write is poor form.
The media disappoint me, to sell stories they shame, judge, ridicule and instill fear in people.