Payto & Panda: Trio linked to Melbourne Rebels after coach Tony McGahan confirms departure

THE battle for the Rebels’ coaching job heats up after Tony McGahan stands down, while the Wallabies will honour fallen Warringah player Lachlan Ward.

NEWS of Tony McGahan leaving his role as coach of Melbourne Rebels was barely an hour old before contenders started emerging for his job.

Frankly, Western Force coach Dave Wessels has been on the radar for some time.

If the Force get cut, Wessels is the heavy favourite to take over, particularly with up to 10 Force players committed to joining Melbourne if their franchise folds.

But the whole ARU saga in cutting a team has become so unpredictably long and frustrating that other big names are now in the mix.

Force coach Dave Wessels has been linked to the Rebels.

Scotland’s defence coach Matt Taylor is one, while Fiji’s head coach John McKee is another.

Taylor is contracted to Scottish rugby until next year and McKee is contracted until 2019 but agreements in sport have a funny way of unravelling as opportunities appear.

Taylor could be a key to snaring Wallabies halfback Will Genia, who is struggling to get a deal over the line with Queensland Reds given they’ve got three contracted halfbacks.

Taylor was defence coach of the Reds when they won the Super Rugby title in 2011, when Genia was man-of-the-match in the final against the Crusaders.

LISTEN: Iain Payten and Jamie Pandaram review Australia’s win over Fiji and look ahead to the Scotland Test in Sydney

There has also been speculation this week that Rebels owner Andrew Cox has set his sights much higher and wants to target an international coach.

The problem is availability - most of the big names won’t be on the market until after the 2019 World Cup.

Michael Cheika was taken aback by news of McGahan’s departure at the end of this Super season, mostly because he’d just spent two days with him and had been given no clues.

Along with all Super Rugby and Aussie sevens coaches, McGahan did a two-day visit inside the Wallabies camp on Monday and Tuesday.

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“I think it is a shame because he has been in a very difficult situation this year, without a doubt,” Cheika said.

“One thing you see about the man is the way he has held himself all season. he has been under different types of pressures.

“It says something about him too, he was up here yesterday and he didn’t mention it at all. We were all sitting together. He has done a good job down there and it is going to be a shame he’s finishing up.”

WALLABIES TO HONOUR LACHLAN WARD

Lachlan Ward running out for the Rats.

THE Wallabies will wear black armbands and observe a minute’s silence ahead of the Scotland Test on Saturday to pay tribute to popular Warringah rugby player Lachlan Ward.

Ward died suddenly on the field last weekend during a fifth-grade match against Gordon, devastating family, friends and the club.

The ARU and NSWRU made available counselling services for all involved and thankfully there is a bye this weekend for the Rats players, most of whom weren’t ready to get back on the field.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend, who played with the Rats in 1993 and 1995, offered his team’s condolences to the Ward family.

Lachlan’s family members and friends remember their son, brother and friend. Picture: Troy Snook

“They are in our thoughts, and I know, having played for Warringah, it is a club with a strong culture, a very friendly, family club,” Townsend told our Manly Daily colleague Jon Geddes.

PRO12 TO WELCOME SOUTH AFRICANS?​

AUSTRALIA’S attempts to remove a Super Rugby team won’t be settled before August, it seems, when the ARU and Rugby WA go to arbitration.

The South Africans, however, say they’ll make a call on which two teams they cut on July 7.

There are reports those two clubs could end up in the Pro12 competition, which features teams from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Scotland coach Gregor Townsend - who just finished up with Glasgow - said he can’t see a problem with it.

“If there was a willingness for the Pro12 to include teams from South Africa, I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work out. It’s a great competition that’s always looking to evolve,” Townsend said.

Time zones work out, sure, but what about seasons? Away games to Bloemfontein in December and January would - according to weather averages - be played in 30-degree summer heat. Excuse us for being cynical on this one.

WALLABIES IMPRESSED BY BLUES

​WALLABIES coach Michael Cheika and players watched the NSW Origin team training at Leichhardt Oval after their bookings overlapped. The teams met up briefly, as well.

“​There ​was a lot of trust there from Laurie, you know, because we have a lot of Queenslanders in our team,” Cheika said.

“But they were pretty impressive at training, very sharp, very slick.”

BANTER AT ITS BEST

A SNAKE on Coogee Beach?

That’s certainly what Scotland fullback Greig Tonks thought after his teammates played a cruel prank on him at their recovery session on Monday.

A toy rubber snake was put under Tonks’ towel during the team’s swim, and when he returned to lift it up he got the fright of his life.

South African-born Tonks admits he is deathly afraid of the reptiles but saw the funny side of it after his heartbeat returned to normal.

NICK GETS THE FROM GEORGE

VETERAN star George Smith said despite Queensland’s tough season, he sees cause for optimism looking at 20-year-old Reds teammate Lukhan Tui rumbling around Wallabies training.

He also backs Nick Stiles as the man to turn the Reds around.

“There is progression,” Smith told us.

“​The big indication is looking at a guy like Lukhan Tui come into the Wallabies set-up. He is the youngest in the Wallabies set-up, you see him over there with Wally (the soft toy mascot), and he’s doing brilliantly.

“You can see the progression there. So it’s taking some time but I feel Nick Stiles is the man to lead the group, and there’s exciting times ahead.”

TUI RUINS PAIA’AUA’S PERFECT SEASON

DUNCAN Paia’aua has Hendrick Tui’s calves to blame for ruining what could have been an incredible record.

The Queensland inside centre has played all but two minutes this Super Rugby season, leading all Reds players.

He only went off in the final two minutes of the game against the Jaguares when Tui got leg cramps. With only hooker Andrew Ready available on the bench, Paia’aua was pulled off so Ready could play as a flanker.

Paia’aua’s position at the Reds becomes interesting now that Karmichael Hunt is playing No.12 for the Wallabies.

Queensland confirmed on Thursday that they’ve signed Paia’aua and young guns Izaia Perese and Hamish Stewart through to the end of 2019.