By Jon Geddes

AS the curtain comes down on his amazing coaching career, Joe Barakat has delivered some harsh home truths about the current state of Australian rugby.

“I think it is horrible,” the highly regarded rugby identity and outgoing Southern Districts coach told Rugby News.

While it pained him to say that about the game he loves, Barakat – who has been involved in rugby from grassroots to the international level – also felt obligated to call the situation as he sees it. 

“In 2005 and 2006 Australian Rugby Union and NSW Rugby Union said they were not going to fund club rugby anymore,” Barakat said. “Every club in the Shute Shield used to get $100,000 collectively each year.”

In a highly provocative statement which incensed the Shute Shield community, then ARU CEO Bill Pulver reportedly said: “I’m not making any money available for the Sydney clubs to p… it up against the wall.”           

And Barakat said: “Have a look at the trajectory of rugby since that time. 

“All we have done since 2005/2006 is go downhill. 

“Am I disillusioned? Absolutely.

“If we start trying to build this game up from the grassroots, it is going to take time.

“If we start trying to rebuild this game from the Wallabies down, we definitely know from the weekend it is going to take time.”                   

A RESPECTED VOICE           

THOSE powerful observations really strike a chord because over the past 56 years nobody has made a bigger contribution to the game than Barakat.

From the time young Joe first laced up his boots as a five-year-old in 1968, the only year he has had off as either player or coach was in 2023.

Through his career Barakat established himself as a distinguished coach in Australia, the South Pacific, over in Japan and up in Northern Ireland.      

HIS AMAZING CAREER

BARAKAT started playing Colts for the old St George club in 1980 and when they merged with Port Hacking in 1989, became the first club captain of Southern Districts.

His first coaching gig was in 1993 when he took charge of the first XV at St Patrick’s College Strathfield in 1993 where he was a teacher.

From there he has built an incredible CV which has included coaching the Australian Under 21s, NSW A, the Waratahs Academy as well as spending five years in Japan and two very successful seasons at Ulster with Les Kiss.

On top of that has been stints in the Shute Shield with Wests and Souths, the Force and the Rebels, as well as being World Cup technical consultant for Fiji and Samoa.

“I always thought I was going to be a better coach than a player,” Barakat said. “I understood the game a lot but my body didn’t necessarily do the things I wanted it to do.

“My motto was about making sure people have a good time – and if they have a good time they are going to come back.

“They have either grown as rugby players or really enjoyed the experience of being around like-minded people.

“That’s what I enjoyed most about it. And if you like doing something you are going to work really hard to do it better.”

FAREWELL TO GREAT SERVANT  

WHEN the fulltime whistle blew in last Saturday’s Shute Shield game between Warringah and Souths at Rat Park, some spectators did not realise that it marked the end of an incredible career.

Barakat not only finished up as Souths mentor, but he also retired from coaching.

“It’s been a magnificent experience, it really has,” he said. 

“But I’m 62, and when you have coached half the other coaches you coach against, it’s time to hang up your boots.”

JOE WON’T BLOW

SINCE last Saturday’s game Barakat is already sleeping better.

“I’m not worrying about losing games or people missing tackles,” he said.

He has always been the most passionate of coaches and when players made mistakes, would blame himself.

“I do take it personally, you are responsible for a program and if that program is not developing, it’s on you,” Barakat said.

The good news for Australian rugby is that Barakat will continue to be involved next year at Souths in some capacity.

“I live around the corner and don’t want to see it fall into bad times again, and if I can do my little bit on the side to help the place keep kicking along, I’m more than happy to do that,” he said.     

And thank you Joe for being a great servant to the game over such a long period.