Confidential email from Deans to his boss

 
LeftArmSpinner Roar Guru

By LeftArmSpinner, 7 Oct 2009 LeftArmSpinner is a Roar Guru

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I am in receipt of a confidential email to John O’Neill from Robbie Deans, dated 20th September 2009. Here it is.

Dear John,

I am sitting on the plane back to Sydney after the appalling performance last night. I wanted to give you a heads up of my opinion of the situation. I again confirm that my brief is explicitly to change the culture of the Wallabies, fundamentally and in the long term.

Just to be clear, I know and share your opinion that the Wallabies are or should be Australia’s premier national team. We play in a truly global sport.

In 6 World Cups, the Wallabies have amassed two RWC victories, one runner up and one appearance in the semi finals and quarter finalists in the other two. The Wallabies have invariably done this by punching above their weight and on the back of some very driven, competitive and clever people like Bob Dwyer, Michael Lynagh, John Eales and Rod McQueen.

Further, the Wallabies are a strong and valuable world brand with a long and wonderful heritage. We have a very sustainable, (but not unlimited) financial model.

In retrospect, it has taken me longer than I expected to realise the scale of the problem and hence the challenge you gave me in early 2008.

The Wallabies overall underperformance since the Eddie Jones era, peppered by the odd stand out performances such as the comprehensive defeat of the current world champions in Brisbane this year.

It is now clear to me that I misinterpreted and misdiagnosed the team’s overall performance. In hindsight, and having worked through all the typical sporting team malaises such as lack of fitness, loss of form, rebuilding, re-skilling, lack of concentration or combinations taking time to click, the players words and actions don’t match.

In the past 21 months myself and the coaching team removed all other excuses and now realise that the Wallabies players are simply not behaving or playing like a team that was representing its country. The current players don’t care enough. They are encouraged to take this attitude by the CEO of RUPA.

With two years until the RWC 2011, it is time to return to the basics of national team that is built around an important, common goal, a never say die competitive nature and overwhelming pride in both the jersey and being given the opportunity to represent one’s country.

Assumptions:
1. If a player is not part of the solution, i.e. not adding to the new culture, he will not be selected until he shows that he is part of the solution.
2. New players will continue to be given their chance to show that they have the necessary attitude.
3. You are only as good as your last game.
Finally, I am still of the opinion that we can win the RWC in 2011 but we will only do it if the culture changes. To that end, I am proposing to take what some might consider drastic steps to remove the old culture.

I again confirm my full commitment to the ARU and the Wallabies.

Here is the squad that will most likely step onto the plane to Japan.

Regards,

Robbie Deans
CC David Nucifora

Back three
1 James O’Connor (Western Force), Yes
2 Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs), Yes
3 Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs), Yes
4 Drew Mitchell (Western Force), no
5 Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds), yes
6 Nick Cummins (Western Force), yes
7 Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds), Yes
Centres
8 Ryan Cross (Western Force), Yes
9 Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies), no (Replace with Tom Carter)
10 Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs), Yes
11 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Yes
Fly halves
12 Matt Giteau (Western Force), No
13 Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), Yes
14 Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds), Yes
Half backs
15 Josh Valentine (Western Force), No
16 Will Genia (Queensland Reds), Yes
17 Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs), Yes
18 Richard Kingi (Queensland Reds), Yes
Backrows
19 Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs), yes
20 George Smith (Brumbies), No
21 David Pocock (Western Force), yes
22 Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs), Yes Dirt tracker captain
23 Stephen Hoiles (Brumbies), Yes
24 Matt Hodgson (Western Force), Yes
25 Rocky Elsom (Brumbies), Yes Captain
26 Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs), Yes
27 Richard Brown (Western Force), Yes
28 Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies), Yes
Locks
29 Ben McCalman (Sydney University, unsigned), Yes
30 Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), No
31 James Horwill (Queensland Reds), Yes
32 Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), no
33 Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs), Yes
Props
34 Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs), No
35 Matt Dunning (NSW Waratahs), No
36 Pekahou Cowan (Western Force), yes
37 Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs), Yes
38 Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies), yes
39 Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Yes
40 Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs), Yes
Hookers
41 Damien Fitzpatrick (NSW Waratahs), Yes
42 Stephen Moore (Brumbies), Yes
43 Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs). Yes

PS, it came to me in my dreams!

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