Australia coach John Connolly laughed off suggestions he could be sacked before the World Cup if the Wallabies struggle during the Tri-Nations series.
Australia, fresh from a 49-0 rout of Fiji in Perth on Saturday and a 2-0 series win over Wales, open the Tri-Nations when they face South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.
However, the successful start to 2007 has failed to shake off the critics, who say the experienced halfback axis of George Gregan and Stephen Larkham is too predictable to take the Wallabies to a record third World Cup win in France later this year.
That tallied with John O’Neill’s return as head of the Australian Rugby Union and the critics are sharpening their knives for Connolly.
”People will throw those things up but it’s not going to happen before the World Cup as much as they might like it to at times,” Connolly was quoted as saying in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper on Monday.
”That would just be crazy.”
O’Neill sacked Australian soccer coach Frank Farina when he was head of Football Federation Australia and replaced him with Guus Hiddink just four months before the Socceroos’ World Cup play-off qualifier against Uruguay in 2005.
The Socceroos went on to qualify for the finals in Germany, where they reached the second round and boosted the popularity of the sport in a rugby-mad nation.
”It’s not even something I’ve thought of,” Connolly added.
”But that is the life of the coach, I guess. I spoke to John O’Neill yesterday [Sunday]. We had a chat and we’re going to catch up on Friday week in Sydney for coffee.
”He’s totally committed to Australia. I wouldn’t think that commitment is to anyone in particular, but he’s totally committed to getting the team in the best possible shape for the World Cup.”
Connolly on Sunday named his 25-man squad to face the Springboks at Newlands. They next play the All Blacks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 30, two days after O’Neill officially starts his new role. – Reuters