RUGBY:WALLABIES COACH Robbie Deans thinks something special is brewing in Australian rugby and the New Zealander is determined to be around to enjoy it.
Nicknamed “Dingo Deans” back home, the 51-year-old looks set to forego the chance of succeeding Graham Henry as All Blacks coach after the World Cup and commit his future to the Australian Rugby Union. “First and foremost, we’re doing really well this year and I would like to continue on,” he said recently. “But the priority now is what we’re doing here and now.”
Deans is preparing his side for this year’s World Cup finals, where Australia play Ireland in their second match on September 17th in Auckland. He hopes to lead Australia to a third title at the expense of the feelings of his compatriots.
A master of the dead bat, Deans is not given to the kind of hyperbole that has had ARU chief John O’Neill talking of the dawn of a new “golden era” for Australian rugby. There is little disguising, however, his enthusiasm for young Australian talent at his disposal like backs James O’Connor, Quade Cooper, Will Genia and flanker David Pocock – especially now they have all committed to the ARU beyond the World Cup.
“You build connections, it’s challenging but it’s good fun,” Deans added. “Obviously we’re chasing some outcomes this year but . . . the playing group have all, to a man recommitted. That shows how excited they are to do something. And they’re excited about the opportunity they have in the game and I would love to continue and be part of it.”
Deans played five Tests at fullback for the All Blacks in the 1980s before going on to build his coaching reputation at the Canterbury Crusaders, who he led to five of their seven Super rugby titles.
Even while the Super rugby competition continues and before a ball is kicked in the Tri-Nations, however, you get the impression Deans already knows who he would like in his team when the Wallabies open their World Cup against Italy on September 11th.
“It’s a living document, particularly because of injuries and more so the impact of injuries on those permutations,” he said. “Our picture is becoming much clearer, the front end is often reasonably easy, it’s more where we go to when things don’t go the way we want them to.”
Super rugby has contributed to his selection problems with injuries to winger Drew Mitchell, prop James Slipper, hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, number eight Wycliff Palu and scrumhalf Luke Burgess. But it has also given him more options with fringe players putting their hands up for selection. “A year or two previously, if we’d been asked to commit to a group of 30, it wouldn’t have been nearly as challenging as it is right now,” said Deans.
