would you be able to elaborate more on why a number of ABs intensely disliked Deans?

On the Lions tour, Henry didn’t have a good rapport with a lot of the players, it seemed his management skills were limited to telling the players that he didn’t think much of them….similar to what happened with Jerry Collins this year, when Henry basically told him the same thing…Collins might not have made the starting XV for the ABs, but he would have done a hell of a lot better job than Lauaki…Toulon are bloody lucky to have such a decent and down to earth bloke playing for them this year.

I dont think it would have been either Carter or McCaw, otherwise they would have left the Crusaders to go to another province years ago?

The guys record at the Crusaders is peerless, and I get the feeling the Wallabies are loving it playing under Deans, he has given Australian rugby a new shine…my only fear is that after the four years are up, some French club is going to offer him the island of Corsica to coach their side.

As for this ‘sense of invincibility’ various scribes bang on about, just what is it you’re talking about? This average AB’s side will do their best to beat this average Wallabies side this weekend, I doubt auras have much to do with a game of rugby, perhaps you’re confusing rugby with dungeons and dragons?

You posted as I was writing so have just read your contribution about the lack of Rugby resources in Sydney’s west. I couldn’t agree more. What a waste to fritter our nest egg from the 2003 RWC in such a profligate way without making a significant contribution or lasting legacy out there.

Hopefully as OZ rebuilds and more funds become available this “oversight” can be addressed. I know it’s wishful thinking but it’s about time some of our major brands got involved with team Wallaby; forget about political donations – we always get the politicians we deserve anyway – and instead put it into our icon sporting brands such as Rugby. Then again perhaps the equivalent of some of those Nth Hemisphere billionaires who are helping fund Rugby could be found in OZ. Pity I’m not one otherwise I’d be at the coal face. Think of the good will and positive karma it would create towards them. Any takers out there?

OZ scored a great coup in being able to secure the services of Robbie Deans and Australian Rugby will be forever in debt to him. Spiro has written elsewhere and others have expanded on it, just what a thoroughly decent human being he is and how his very positive influence has been widespread, not only with the Crusaders but within the city of Christchurch itself.

I believe bad karma has plagued the ABs for some time and it will take a thoroughly decent human being such as Robbie Deans to right their values and psyche. Hopefully we will be able to utilise his services for as long as he so decides. In the meantime let us enjoy the ride and continue to absorb everything he deems to teach us. Rugby will be the big winner.

If we win at home next weekend, we might stand a chance of retaining the Bledisloe in the November Test.

At least this is happening in 2008 and not 2010. We ought to set our sights on the end of year Grand Slam tour. Hopefully Henry rings in the changes like he did in 2004.

What will be more painful for Henry and company is that when they assess, lost WC, Lost Tri N, lost BC. Well the last two not yet but maybe.

This year they still have the quality of players to score tries but they have major problems with their work at the breakdown and this has been evident in all their tests, there were too many forced and unforced errors and the cover defence isn’t working. On top of this you can sense that the All Blacks mojo has been badly dented with these two losses and it’s going to be not only a matter of correcting players techniques but also rebuilding their confidence in time to take on a resurgent Wallaby side.

One can be fixed within a weeks time, I’m not too sure about the second. The All Blacks and Henry need to win the return match – or we could be looking at a repeat of 1998.

Another point to make about Deans is that although he seems a good bloke I dont believe he is Santa Clause. He has made it very clear to the players that no one is above being dropped and the players have absorbed that as well as his ‘emotional intelligence” stuff. All of the coaches Andrew refers to (above) will drop a non performer without thinking twice about it.

The thing that strikes me about him is his pragmatic straight forward approach. Like a lot of good managers, he can make the very complicated and scary seem very straight forward and ‘do-able’.

Our star rises again after 7 years in the complicated world of failure.

Outside of this trio, the pickings are slim to none, Deans and Gatland are coaching other teams. Colin Cooper and Ian Foster haven’t achieved much with their teams, Pat Lam is too inexperienced although he was touted as part of Deans coaching team if he got the All Blacks job. The mandate of the NZRU states that you have to be coaching within NZ for at least 12 months to be eligible for the All Blacks so you can also rule out any international candidates.

Watching the test last night felt to me like watching the Crusaders play in gold jerseys against the Blues or Hurricanes in a Super 14 game. The Wallabies impressed me greatly with their composure and committment in defence and at the breakdown and really outplayed NZ despite the overwhelming advantage in possession NZ enjoyed. NZ really played like a group of individuals at times and not a team as used to be their hallmark, they were riddled with errors and none more so than Lauaki who made more impact for Australia coming off the bench than NZ. Carter shone like a lone beacon and was ably supported by Muliaina and Sivivatu in the backs and Braid struggled to impose himself on the game. The tight five did their job but it looks like the left hand isn’t talking to the right hand at the moment with their structure and gameplan.

I don’t think it’s time to hit the panic button yet but it’s definitely backs against the wall time and the balance of power in world rugby has shifted to the other side of the Tasman. Australia are a team in the ascendancy while NZs progress has stalled at the moment after some strong performances in their first four tests. Perhaps those early results were deceiving about the quality of this NZ side.

However a great game to watch although not the result I wanted and a great peformance by the men in gold. I do so love Bledisloe Cup matches above all others.

The All Blacks’ game plan was a dud from the kick off. They were headless chickens, trying to run the ball from everywhere instead of playing a territory game, creating a forward platform and working it through the backs.

We could’ve had McCaw, Collins, anyone from Euirope, we still would’ve lost. We’re not going to win Test matches playing that sort of rugby.

the All Blacks being a ‘bunch of talented blokes who thought they could break the Wallaby line’ – very very true, this was apparent in the Dunedin game v the Boks.

Its clear Deans has melded a team together – your body is not your body, it belongs to your team mates.

The continued inclusion of Sione Lauaki baffles me, for being a talented player, he is incredibly lazy. As an example of this, he jersey slung either Giteau or Barnes to the ground, showing his considerable strength, however he made no effort to follow up the tackle, the tackled player was off the ground quickly and was away.

And Im sure OJ cringed when he say Lauaki charge towards the Wallaby line, ball in one hand, only for Peter Hynes to rip it out. Sums it up for the ABs.

I was at Australia A v Maori, and I though Liam Messam did an outstanding job against what I considered an excellent Australia A backrow (one of our strengths). He is the sort of bloke you want in your side, not an outrageously talented by lazy player.

Deans is amazing. Unlike so many business managers, he is not outcome obsessed. By developing the basic skills & encouraging his players to enjoy each stage of the journey, they are developing both as players & people at an extraordinary rate.

If wannabe coaches attend his training sessions looking for an insight into his training drills, they will miss the point. They should instead focus on how he relates to everyone around him. There are plenty of books out there telling us how to be successful in different things. At the end of the day, they key is our ability to relate to each other.

I think the All Blacks need to rely a bit less on individual brilliance and a bit more on strategy and planning – Henry seemed incapable of giving them this.

All Blacks weren’t a team out there – just a bunch of very talented blokes who all thought they could break the Wallaby line and score the winning try. That’s one of the reasons they lost I think.

Deans has a generosity of spirit that is admirable. He has invited coaches to Wallaby training sessions. I just hope that all levels of Australian rugby takes every opportunity to learn as much as we can from him. Deans will not be with us forever. There will come a time when he heads back to his roots.

We are all be better off for knowing the man.