COMMENT:
The Wallabies got their man.
After a little forethought and planning for Michael Cheika's departure after this year's World Cup, Rugby Australia has confirmed Dave Rennie is the man to lead them into a new era.
It seems that, unlike a certain other organisation, a proactive approach to identifying the man they wanted and pursuing his signature early was a smart play. Who would have thought?
With Rennie's arrival, Australian rugby fans can look to the future with some hope.
READ MORE:
• Rugby: Dave Rennie appointed as new Wallabies coach
• Rugby: New Wallabies coach Dave Rennie says interest from All Blacks came too late
• 2019 Rugby World Cup: Dave Rennie approached by All Blacks to become next coach
• Kiwi coaching invasion: All Blacks bungled by letting Wallaby target Dave Rennie go
The 55-year-old has been known to come into an organisation and work wonders from the outset. Just look at the 2012 Chiefs. In the club's first 16 seasons, they had a 46 per cent winning record with just two appearances in the playoffs.
Enter Dave Rennie.
In his first year at the helm of the club, he led them to the Super Rugby title – becoming the first coach to win the title in their first season in charge. What's more, is he didn't take over a team that had been playing with one another for a while.
Only 13 of the 34 players in the Chiefs' 2012 squad featured in the 2011 campaign, the new recruits playing important roles in the starting squad including Aaron Cruden in the No 10 jersey and Sonny Bill Williams in the midfield.
When Rennie took over, the Chiefs' all-time Super Rugby record was 88-96-5. When he left in 2017, it was 159-126-8, with a winning percentage of 68 per cent during his six seasons in charge and they never missed the playoffs during his tenure.
Leaving the Chiefs for a stint in the Northern Hemisphere with the Glasgow Warriors, Rennie continued to have success as he led the side two the best record in the Pro14 competition in both of his two full seasons in charge.
That makes for happy reading if you're a Wallabies fan.
Yes, Michael Cheika probably won't be a hard act to follow. With just 34 wins in 68 tests, which included multiple losses to Scotland, Wales, England and South Africa, and just three wins in 14 attempts against the All Blacks, it's been a tough five years for the Australians.
And when it comes to matches against the All Blacks, it's been a sorry 17 years for the Australians. Since their last Bledisloe Cup triumph, in 2002, they've lost 39 of 50 matches against their Kiwi counterparts.
There's a reason Rennie was the man Rugby Australia wanted – despite the fact he can't join the Wallabies until midway through next year as he sees out the remainder of his contract in Glasgow. Rennie is a highly respected manager and his coaching philosophy focuses equally on the game and the culture of his team.
Any rugby fan in New Zealand will have heard the term 'Chiefs mana' over the past few years. This was an ideal brought into the team by Rennie and remains a key pillar of the franchise.
From a strictly on-field viewpoint, Rennie's teams play a very positive brand of rugby that utilises the various skill sets within his team. In an era where the attacking side of the game is free-flowing, Rennie will be looking at the talent in Australia and rubbing his hands together with excitement.
With Rennie's contract taking him through to the 2023 World Cup, he has plenty of time to work his magic and find a squad that can not only perform at the highest level in the sport but also buy into the culture he demands in the team.
While other nations remain in the hunt for their next head coach, Rugby Australia has reeled in the ideal candidate to lift them to their once great heights – or near enough to them. With Rennie at the helm, there's every chance the Wallabies could get their Bledisloe revenge - almost two decades in the making.