Deans: Fighting for coaching future
Australian newspapers said Monday coach Robbie Deans's future was on the line after the Wallabies' shambolic loss to the Springboks in South Africa at the weekend.
The Springboks ended a run of five losses against the Wallabies to inflict a crushing 31-8 win in Pretoria on Saturday and push the Australians down to third place in the four-nation Rugby Championship.
New Zealander Deans was already under scrutiny following comprehensive defeats to New Zealand in the southern hemisphere tournament and hollow home wins over South Africa and Argentina.
The Australian media said Deans was fighting for his coaching future in next weekend's final Test against the Pumas in Rosario.
"The coaching future of Robbie Deans will go on the line in Argentina when a second-string Wallabies side takes on the Pumas," reported the Daily Telegraph.
"The unnerving knowledge that the Broken XV in the casualty ward is a far superior line-up to the Wallabies flying into a wild Argentinian ambush is not how Robbie Deans planned to fight for his coaching future.
"Not after five seasons of triumphs and crashlandings in the big-ticket arenas of Sydney, Brisbane, Durban, Bloemfontein, Twickenham, Murrayfield and, of course, Auckland with that cursed Eden Park patch."
Former Wallaby captain Andrew Slack said the "messiest" fortnight in Australian rugby's professional history had pushed Deans's tenure as national coach close to breaking point.
"Nowadays is it perform or perish," Slack told the Australian Associated Press.
"People will be looking for a scapegoat and rightly or wrongly the responsibility for the performances rests with the coach.
"There will be a lot of pressure on Robbie heading into the (Argentina) game.
"And if it is a game they lose, that pressure will only intensify but I think even if they win that pressure will still be there."
The Sydney Morning Herald said "disruption and decay" were everywhere.
"Australian Rugby has endured the most dreadful of weeks. And next week could be even worse, with the Wallabies heading deeper into the horror tour from hell," it said.
"Disruption and decay are everywhere. (Flyhalf) Quade Cooper dumps on them, the Springboks smash them and now they head to Argentina with the fear that without enough fit bodies they could be decimated by the Pumas."
The Australian newspaper said Australian rugby was deteriorating fast and called on new ARU chairman Michael Hawker to act.
"If he doesn't hit the button for the crash cart now, the game will soon slip beyond the point of saving," the paper said.
"The defibrillator paddles have to be applied and the first jolt needs to shake loose Robbie Deans from the coaching position.
"There is not the slightest doubt that Deans has given his all over the past five years and tried to make the Wallabies work.
"But clearly they're not working and that was obvious at Pretoria long before injuries reduced the team to a shambles midway through the second half."
Comments
Ozinlondon says...
Trader2
I see you still don't understand what a "choke" is. Or maybe you pretend you don't.
1995 not a choke? Please buddy. I guess neither were 1999, 2003 or 2007? The ABs have suffered the tag for years... because it was an appropriate tag. Best team in the world for 90% of the 30 years I've been watching rugby and a pleasure to watch (and always my "second" team) but they choked repeatedly at the critical moment. I'm sorry if you don't like it.
There are plenty of Aussie chokers too. Just not the Wallas who, for 10 years now have not been consistent and never really enter any comp as favourites.
I'm not sure where you got "bitter and twisted" from. I like it when Australia do well but, ultimately, its 15 blokes I don't know being beaten by 15 blokes you don't know... not that much to get exercised about.
In any event, someone who thinks living in one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the World would make one "bitter and twisted", is possibly a little too myopic to have a sensible conversation with. You need to get out more.
Good luck on the weekend. Clearly your self esteem relies on an AB win.
Posted 10:23 04th October 2012
runnrugby says...
@ozinlondon
"one of the most one-sided displays in history"
Is Wayne Barnes 2011 semi reffing another one? Hmmm...
Posted 06:22 04th October 2012
Trader2 says...
ozinlondon
Believe it or not I have Oz's rugby interests at heart, I live here and I feel it is such a shame that the ARU have almost destroyed the game and more importantly seem to quash local talent, it is very easy for an up and coming player to opt for another code when they see the playing field is not level.
My dig at the "choke" was more for Trinats than serious; however it seems to have struck a bit of a raw nerve with you. Yes the Wallabies did not choke (not in the Greg Norman sense of the word anyway) but the same stupid accusations have been levelled at NZ for all those years - 1995 extra time drop goal loss for example, choke? Is this any different to the 2003 final, well yes as the Wannabies had home town advantage, but not a choke. Your comment then digressed into total stupidity, rabbiting on about the 2011 final and the ref etc etc, in fact you were dribbling so much at this stage, descending into total nonsense. So from a promising opening paragraph and taking up the real issues in Oz rugby you proved to be just a bitter and twisted little Wannabie supporter in London (I suppose that can make one bitter and twisted) who cannot get over the fact that your team, at the moment, are absolute crap.
Posted 03:58 04th October 2012
Houston_11 says...
Personally, I don't think Deans is the issue.
Let's think back to last year - all players fit (exception of Drew Mitchell), the Reds playing fantastic rugby and Australia deservedly won the Tri Nations. Move on a year, they have about half a team out injured; the lack of depth in Australian rugby has been made apparent so what is happening now is they're making Deans the scapegoat.
He's past the point of no return however because the general public have lost the faith - very few coaches would be able to turn round the situation he's in.
Some of the tactics haven't been great but I think part of that is forced by the lack of depth that I mentioned.
Regardless of what anyone (including me) thinks, I doubt they'll keep him on after the Rugby Championship.
Posted 21:00 03rd October 2012
ozinlondon says...
Trader2
I agree with pretty much everything you say about Oz depth in rugby. We don't have it. We never did. We can usually muster up 20 players that can just about mix it with anyone. There is just too much competition from other codes (imagine if every AFL player played rugby instead... let alone the Leaguies).
But where I have to pick you up is your silly, petty description of the Wallabies "choking" in 2003. I'm not sure how winning all your pool games, then beating one of the red hot favourites (who beat you by 40 earlier in the year) in the semis, before losing to the No 1 ranked team by a drop goal in the last 2 minutes of extra time, can be called "choking".
You must be a kiwi (or just a goose). The kings of the choke for over 20 years (who, despite being by far the best team in 2011, were saved from a further choke by a terrified ref who gave one of the most one-sided displays in history)... kiwis like to tell themselves that anyone who loses a game is a "choker". I think it makes them feel part of a bigger group.
Not so buddy. If you don't know what the tag means then stop using it.
Everyone keeps telling us how poor the Wallas are... by that reasoning they could never really choke... nobody expects them to win.
Posted 14:09 03rd October 2012
brands says...
@ G Smith
Dunce cap sits clearly on your head fool, have you ever had a thought based on reality? I can be 100% certain you have never played the game!!
Posted 09:25 03rd October 2012
scrumpoacher says...
rugbyforever says...
@scrumpoacher
Mate, your comments are ridiculous. Suggest you stick to AFL
er how and why exactly?- or you just trolling? Funny I dont usually see if there were any replies to my previous posts, let alone respond, however, when some makes a statement with no supporting arguement it leads me to believe you are just looking for a 'fight'.
SO,
@rugbyforever you didnt make an actual comment-but you are still ridiculous. Stick to trolling
Posted 07:10 03rd October 2012
rugbyforever says...
@scrumpoacher
Mate, your comments are ridiculous. Suggest you stick to AFL
Posted 23:51 02nd October 2012
TheRoof says...
The Wallabies had an average record leading up to there 1999 World Cup, only beating Northern Hemisphere teams at home and away. They only really turned it on in 98 when they won the Bledisloe for the first time in a while. They hadn't won a tri nations title yet, had lost to Argentina over there. The record wasn't pretty. After an excellent World Cup that's when they went on to win tri nations titles and dominate World Rugby in the Gregan/Eales/Mortlock era.
I can also remember last year how cocky Greg Martin was on NZ tv before the semi final, saying Aaron Cruden wasn't up to test match footy and Quade would run all over him. Yet he had a blinder and Quade folded.
I think the Aussies play better as underdogs and need to shut their big mouths when it comes to the media. Ricky Ponting said once "Praise in public, criticise in private". The Wallabies need a big dose of this, especially QC.
Also Wallaby victories over the All Blacks tend to happen when all the stars align, All Black errors are massive and Wallaby mistakes are minimal. We simply don't like losing to you and prepare accordingly.
Changing your coach won't improve things for Australian Rugby. Improved player attitudes and maybe less injuries may help
Posted 23:20 02nd October 2012
kiwilad says...
Trinats, still harping on about last century??
Posted 22:05 02nd October 2012
scrumdog says...
Bit of an insult to the Pumas insinuating that the Wallabies at full strength would beat them....Aussies always talk themselves up and it comes back to bite them. They had the RWC won in their own minds before the kick-off !! Ireland took care of that at Eden Park and the Pumas will on the weekend!
Posted 19:56 02nd October 2012
scrumdog says...
Bit of an insult to the Pumas insinuating that the Wallabies at full strength would beat them....Aussies always talk themselves up and it comes back to bite them. They had the RWC won in their own minds before the kick-off !! Ireland took care of that at Eden Park and the Pumas will on the weekend!
Posted 18:13 02nd October 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats2 says who is dumb? well I thought the jury had already decided that one, no contest really. You clinch it for yourself about going on about 2 world cups (won in 1991 and 1999 - boy thats a long time ago) This discussion was about lack of depth in trying to support 5 Super teams. Just for you Trinats, now try and grasp this if you can (i) in 1991 there was the South Pacific Championship (remaned the Super 6 in 1992) Oz had two teams and no problem they could field 50 odd decent players. (ii) In from 1996 we had the Super 12 with Oz having three teams and again no problem in supporting that playerwise.Then the Wannabies choked in the 2003 WC at home, but the ARU made a fistfull of money and went about wasting it over the next 7 years or so adding two more Super teams and guess what Oz could just not find 150 players and so here we are - 2012. Really, you heard the "depth excuse" back in 1991 and 1999, well I cannot remember there being any great debate on that and why would there be with only a few teams to support. This discussion is about depth now not 20 years ago, the proof is there for all to see. I see you have lept on to the Cullen/Deans thing but their falling out had nothing to do with team tactics, read CC's book and try to learn something on your own. There was no Quackey Quade petulance with Cullen. And you still haven't answered who will take over from Dingo, not Link he is a Victorian and has too much nouse to take the poisoned chalice.
Posted 15:03 02nd October 2012
georgesmith says...
'The back door' is the word for clown-coach R. Deans now. The guy should stop behaving like a typical Kiwi and resign with grace because it is clear that Test rugby is not his cup of tea. R. Deans is a failed coach who has a terrible winning record. He is also the worst-ever Wallabies coach.Everything is about producing results nowadays and sadly you have failed miserably in that regard, so the only thing is to have some shame, be a rugby gentlemen, go back to where you came from and resign.
You need to go on a holiday and reconsider the situation. Maybe Crusaders... but i doubt they will give you a chance. Maybe club rugby in Italy if you're lucky. Then there is Japan (so you can make more money without delivering), Fiji and Tahiti.
Posted 09:29 02nd October 2012
scrumpoacher says...
3636 says "Even with a full team (without injuries), the Wallabalies would have struggled against the BOKKE on Saturday. After all the Wallabies have NEVER won a test match against the BOKKE in Pretoria. This is no coincidence, it is because the Wallabies have never played sufficiently well enough to win."
Mate our first XV would have pipped them-the score line really did flatter green-but dont take my word for it-just ask anyone who knows something about rugby.Sure we havnt won in Pretoria, but hey SA have never won in Darwin-its a moot point of little value...Cheers
Posted 07:27 02nd October 2012
vitieddie says...
I don't feel sorry for ARU ... you can tell their priorities with the way the free-to-air coverage in Aus is restricted to Wallabies tests. S15? Yeah we get a one hour highlights package. No wonder they are losing ground to the big two (NRL and AFL). Changing the coach won't make a difference .... good luck to you ARU.
Posted 06:51 02nd October 2012
three6three6 says...
The Wallabies are finally found wanting on the big stage..... it has taken a while, but it had to happen sooner or later this season. Of course Deans will be asked to fall on his sword.... he probably has a performance clause written into his contract... and if so, he is probably well below the acceptable performance level.
Should Deans be blamed for the lack of depth in Australian rugby? Should he be blamed for the injury induced recent performances of the team? The Wallabies were always going to struggle away from home and at home against the All Blacks. The expectations of Australian rugby followers also need to be scaled back. Even with a full team (without injuries), the Wallabalies would have struggled against the BOKKE on Saturday. After all the Wallabies have NEVER won a test match against the BOKKE in Pretoria. This is no coincidence, it is because the Wallabies have never played sufficiently well enough to win.
Posted 04:19 02nd October 2012
passtheball says...
Why do winning sides have less injuries or does it just seem that way? Compare NZ with Aus currently and many other examples through the years.
Posted 04:03 02nd October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Writing was on the wall when Aus second side lost to Samoa. Deans is a one trick pony, he has one team and game plan of 15 players and sticks to it. He thinks a bench is something to sit on in a park. When Cooper was having a shocker in the WC Deans should have pulled him and changed plan, but he stuck with him as he can't adapt during a game. Any other coach would have picked this up.
He can't take players inputting into the game plan, which is why the likes Cullen, Giteau, Cooper have all walked away from him.
I feel sorry for Deans, he has tried so hard to be an Aussie (even learned the anthem) but he is not good enough to be one !!!. He has had a string of injured players, but this is a good thing, otherwise he would still be in the position with heaps of wins, but not when it counts most !!!
As for depth excuse, I have heard this for years, first in late 80s and then in 90s. Funny enough just before we won world cups !!!
(That's two world cups retard2, just like you have, who's dumb !!!)
Posted 00:54 02nd October 2012
scrumpoacher says...
Well said Trader2, however retreating from Perth and Melbourne could be a mistake if we want to grow the game. Canberra whilst it has had success would be the team to be axed IMHO, as the population is far smaller and less chance for growth. Please no hate mail. RD should stay on until at least the end of the spring tour-thats where we will see if he has the managerial and coaching quals to lead the Wallabies in the future, insofar as he needs to 'manage' the first XV players we have left and 'coach' the second/third string replacements...Go Gold
Posted 00:38 02nd October 2012