Geoff Parling, the former England lock who experienced World Cup heartbreak at Twickenham when Australia beat England , is now back on familiar turf. This time as a coach for the Wallabies, Parling might be grinning if history repeats itself and England face another defeat at home ground.
Although the Wallabies triumphed in southwest London nine years ago during England’s hosted World Cup, they have not seen victory there since. Since their peak at the 2015 World Cup final, the Australian team has dwindled, having suffered a historic pool stage exit from the tournament less than a year ago.
Subsequently, with Joe Schmidt leading, Parling became an integral part of the Wallabies’ revamped coaching staff.
Having ended his playing days with a stint in Melbourne, Parling chose to stay in Australia and transitioned into coaching. While the team’s current tour in the Northern Hemisphere affords him a brief homecoming, Parling insists it will not be pleasant if Australia doesn’t prevail.
He commented: “It’s great being back, it’s also great seeing people, friends, family, but I’m here to do a job. I’m here to help the team perform for the next four games that start on Saturday. I could say it’s great to see all the places again, but if we don’t perform at the weekend, I certainly won’t feel like that.”
Parling, with his experience in top-tier teams like Leicester and Exeter, and having been mentored by standout coaches such as Richard Cockerill and Rob Baxter, is well-equipped to contribute to the Australian coaching team’s significant agenda, which includes the approaching Lions Tour and a home World Cup within three years. The former lock, who has journeyed from Premiership triumphs to international duties, observed: “Coaching is an all consuming job, especially if you’re invested in it, which most coaches are. In terms of the project, we know we have to graft really hard to keep building. If we get the team going well other things will follow. Next year’s Lions tour and our World Cup are big projects for the country. We’ve got to make sure we’re competitive, and win some games here.”
Moreover, since their defeat at the 2015 World Cup, England have dominated Australia with ten victories out of eleven encounters.
Despite enduring tough times, including a stark 67-27 defeat in Argentina recently, Parling and his Australian squad remain optimistic about the future, bolstered by stars like Joseph Sua’ali’i, a rugby league convert capturing attention in Australia.
Long known as an exceptional athlete from his school days, where he played a lot of rugby union. He eventually chose league but has returned from the Sydney Roosters.
An international debut could be on the cards this weekend with high expectations for Sua’ali’i despite his young age and limited experience. “He’s looking good, been really impressed with him,” Parling commented.
“An incredible athlete. Different in that some guys are fresh into this environment, not used to big games, but he is. I can’t be more impressed with how he’s been so far.”
This is one insight Parling has gained from his time in Melbourne. Having moved from the north to the south of England earlier in his life, he’s now experiencing the Australian lifestyle and recognises the level of athleticism that exists in the country, with his task now being to harness it.
He stated: “There are some great athletes and great players in Australia. If I was going to say is there a difference in the population there and the population here – I’d say the population there move slightly better. I don’t know whether that’s their outdoor lifestyle. We’ve got some good athletes, but can we put them all together as a coaching group.”
With no desire to complicate things for himself, Parling knows his role is simple. “My role is – that player there, can I make him better,” he said.
The first test of whether he’s achieving that goal will come on Saturday afternoon.
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