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Rea blasts Brumbies

Rea blasts Brumbies

05/15/2011 04:32:48 AM

Outgoing Brumbies coach Tony Rea launched into a spectacular post match tirade following their shock loss to the Lions.

Rea seriously questioned his players' mental toughness, and went as far as to say the issues run deeper to the heart of the club's culture.

He said the 29-20 loss to the Lions - their ninth loss so far of the season - was further evidence of the team's mental deficiencies.

"All the stats will tell you that we more than capably dealt with the footy side but we didn't deal again with the emotional side," Rea said.

"We're just a mob without any fight in us when it gets tough - even when we win. That would be from day one of pre-season actually."

"If it's not in you, it's not in you, you're not going to find it under pressure. I think everyone here confuses sweat with working and having a go."

"To perform at the levels you want to get where you want to go you've got to be unconditional and you've got to put yourself in places which you don't to go - we've never been able to do that."

Aside from the players, Rea was also critical of others within the club for their unwillingness to roll up their sleeves and make the tough decisions.

He said they need to be honest with themselves about their issues to move forward.

"It's a charade really, the effort here," he said.

"We've been honest on a lot of things probably one thing we haven't been honest with ourselves is that one."

"Life's about making choices…you keep making soft ones you get yourself the outcome."

"We've just got too many people in an organisation actually that makes too many soft decisions too often now they're the bulk and the norm and it's in the wood now."

"Everyone in the joint's gotta put their hand up, we're a team, we're a club, we're an organisation you know from the top through people are making an environment that's not working."

But Rea was pessimistic about the Brumbies' chances of fixing their attitude issues over the final five round.

"There blokes aren't going to find something that's not there.

"You get a group sometimes that are just comfortable coming second.

"I'm hoping they can prove me wrong by the way - don't think they will."

For acting Brumbies captain Matt Giteau, the loss was made all the worse due to it being his 100th game of Super rugby.

And he echoed Rea's comments.

"No one likes to hear anything negative but it's the reality," Giteau said.

"We can argue it if we want but performances suggest it's true."

"As Sniffer (Rea) said when the times get tough we - for whatever reason - we take easy choices."

"They scored some easy tries out there, with a bit of hard work we could've stopped that."

 
Comments
Posted by george riszko at
15/05/2011 09:58 PM
I suggest that Mr Rea compares his behaviour with tht of the Raiders coach, David Furner. Despite the similar horrible string of losses, he supported and motivated his players. Now that they have beaten Melbourne Storm, they have teh confidence to continue the winning streak. Sahne of your lack of professionalism,Mr Rea.

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