An interview for Robbie Deans
Roar Pro
By Chopper, 1 Nov 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Jonny Wilkinson, Richie McCaw, robbie deans, Spring Tour, wallabies
Watching Greg Martin interview Robbie Deans post-match was just as painful as the 80 minutes of watching a Wallabies team play one off the ruck and get consistently belted.
Martin’s questions were as if the ARU had written them and asked him to respond in a manufactured tone; as if to provoke some form of hope that one day we may score more points than the opposition.
Perhaps it is time we throw out the script, brush off the talcum power, and get to the raw issues.
Given the chance, I would like the following questions answered:
1. What does it feel like to be one of the most unsuccessful coaches to ever coach Australia in the modern era?
2. Do you understand that you are the only coach in 47 years of Rugby in this country to lose to the All Blacks four times in one season?
3. What were you really thinking by not playing arguably Australia’s best player and throwing lambs to the slaughter against the worlds most dominant force in Richie McCaw?
4. What possibly went through your mind when picking a taller, slower, more unskillful version of Australia’s worst backline player, Stirling Mortlock, in Ryan Cross? The guy couldn’t make Sam Harris look silly in the Sydney club competition, let alone penetrate an All Blacks defensive line.
5. Do you think that on your C.V. you should specify which championships you have won without Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter? Are there any? Little bit difficult to coach a team that has the world’s second best five-eighth, Matt Giteau, and the world’s second best flanker, George Smith (oh wait, he can’t even get on the park).
6. How could you possibly pick Matt Tomoua to replace Berrick Barnes on the Spring Tour? Daniel Halangahu stands out week in week out in the Sydney club competition. And Matt has never out played him. Is Matt really going to make Jonny Wilkinson look stupid?
But, I guess this is futile. He won’t lose his job. He is obviously a political genius that has provoked no negative press over his embarrassing results against, lets face it, an under strength All Blacks team that wouldn’t rate against many of their contemporaries over the last 10 years.
But hey, when he brings home a grand slam, everyone will jump on the bandwagon and throw their support behind Deans. Speaking of him in a hallowed tone, about how he has revolutionised the game.
This despite the fact New Zealand have won two in the last two tours of the UK, and the 2009 British teams wouldn’t make the semi-finals of the Sydney club competition. At this stage Martin Johnson will get a start.
But what an amazing achievement it will be?
Take a leaf out of the title of Wayne Carey’s autobiography Robbie: The Truth Hurts.
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Frank O'Keeffe said | November 1st 2009 @ 1:25am | Report comment
The number one question I want to ask Robbie Deans is why he continually plays Giteau at 10? I can accept that the Wallabies have problems that don’t seem to be fixable. But Giteau at 10 hasn’t worked and it’s something he can do something about.
Deans now has a worse record than Eddie Jones. We know Deans is a world class coach because of what he did with Canterbury, but he just hasn’t worked for Australia. Who knows, maybe if he coached the All Blacks (where there are less problems) he’d be a sensation. But something just hasn’t worked with Deans and Australia.
I think the second question I’d ask Deans is how Australia’s defence could falter so much? Under Muggleton Australia had possibly the best defence in the world. Certainly from 1999-2001 Australia had the best defence in the world. And even during the dark Eddie Jones year that was 2005 Australia was at least equal to New Zealand in defence. And when Australia would perform poorly in defence in those days, Muggleton would sort them out quickly.
Robbo said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:13am | Report comment
I dislike Deans more than most people but he doesn’t have any choice but to play Giteau at 10 – especially with Barnes injured. Who could he put there? Kurtley “I can make the Waratahs Bench” Beale? James “Remember that time I scored three tries… against Italy” O’Connor? Quade “I bet I can drop the more more times than I can catch it” Cooper?
Geoff said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:30am | Report comment
Q5. A. 2002 Super 12 – my team won every game and Richie and Dan were not in the squad. Next.
Robbo said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:32am | Report comment
Snap… That said Mehrtens and Thorne were just as good back in the day.
Mick Gold Coast QLD said | November 1st 2009 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
“Q5. A. 2002 Super 12 – my team won every game … Next” and “Mehrtens and Thorne were just as good”
Game, set and match! I could add only “Of course, unlike now, I had players who were capable of earning their keep.”
Jerry said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:00am | Report comment
Bzzzt, wrong.
McCaw started most matches for the Crusaders in 2002, including the semi and final.
Deans did win the 2000 S12 without McCaw or Carter though, and probably some NZ domestic silverware with Canterbury.
cookee said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment
CHOPPER,im with you and jack nicholson;they cant handle the truth
Cattledog said | November 1st 2009 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
Whilst I have nothing against Robbie Deans, it does seem odd that we have experienced one of our worst eras for some time just after appointing an ex All Black as coach of our National side. I was a fan of Deans but I seem to be slipping into the ‘interested bystander’ category rather than fan. I too am somewhat bemused by his selections as are many other Roarers.
Whilst I have joked about ‘Conspiracy Theories’ in the past, I don’t think the NZRU are that organised, although they must be pretty pleased with themselves having re-appointed Graham Henry much to the chagrin of nearly all New Zealanders who appeared to want Deans…maybe the NZRU knew something everyone else didn’t!!
Oh well, we’re stuck with the situation now and I tend to agree with Chopper that if he was to bring home the Grand Slam, it’s really not such a great feat as NH rugby still is a step behind SH. However, I’d wager this won’t be achieved either. The Wallabies seem to be a beaten unit before they start at the moment.
katzilla said | November 1st 2009 @ 2:24pm | Report comment
‘having re-appointed Graham Henry much to the chagrin of nearly all New Zealanders who appeared to want Deans’
By all NZers you mean a small group of people in the south island.
Cattledog said | November 1st 2009 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
Not knowing all NZers personally, I was going off the media hype. Fair enough?
Mark L said | November 3rd 2009 @ 2:57pm | Report comment
OK- I can attest to the fact that a ton of Kiwis wanted Robbie Deans as coach- but not by all means all of us (I’ve just moved to Aus from NZ). I always though his coaching was a tad over-rated (mind you I thought his playing was over-rated too), and in fact he’s a better manager than coach. Basically if you look at his tenures as a coach in NZ he has been blessed with MASSIVE talent in his squads, and it’d take a pretty sad coach to fail when you have the likes of Marshall/Mehrtens etc etc down the years. His success has been based on attracting the best players. Unfortunately as Australian coach he can’t steal better players from other teams as the Cantabs always did.
As to Marto’s interviews, I think a lot has to do with the people he works for. I listen to him as a radio jock in the mornings, and if i didn’t know better I’d have a tough time believing it is the same guy on TV. He sounds like he is following some “party line’ in his TV stuff.
Sylvester said | November 3rd 2009 @ 8:11pm | Report comment
Mark L,
Whatever the issues over Deans’ record with the Wallabies, I think it’s unfair to say his record with the Crusaders was earned only through having the best talent. Arguably, the Canes and Blues have had more overall talent in their squads than the Crusaders in recent years.
Yes, there have been world class players with the likes of Mehrtens, Marshall, Carter, Jack, McCaw, but most teams do. Deans made the players around them better, in my opinion.
Brumbies had the likes of Smith, Gregan, Larkham and Mortlock for years, but one Super title. The Bulls – Botha, Matfield, Du Preez, Habana etc – but only won their two titles in the last three years (came 10th last year).
It’s also an urban myth to say the Crusaders have “stolen” their best players. Carter, Jack, Mauger, Mehrtens – all Canterbury products. Others, such as MacDonald, McCaw and Marshall, were hardly household names when they joined the franchise.
The only first-choice All Blacks player I can recall them picking up was Ali Williams, for one season, which was due to a fallout with the Blues coach Nucifora. There could be more, but not immediately apparent off the top of my head.
chester said | November 1st 2009 @ 6:19pm | Report comment
I think it is time that the journalists got serious and started asking some hard questions of Deans. He is a protected species and can only roll out “we are building” baloney so often. Robbie would make a great politician- the ability to talk in riddles, avoid negative publicity and produce empty promises.
He currently has the worst record of any Australian coach in the professional era and as Chopper rightly pointed out has the worst record against the All Blacks in 47 years. Many people forget that he was assitant coach to John Mitchell in the 2003 World Cup. Obviously the All Blacks were eliminated in the semi finals by the Wallabies and subsequently the coaching staff was sacked. Many All black players were very disillusioned with the coaching staff at this time so the decision to reappoint Graham Henry as coach two years ago is looking more and more like a bloody good call.
His team selections are also very perplexing.
The year got off to a bad start when he decided that Lote Tuqiri wasn’t good enough for the Test squad. While you may question his form at the time, many other players in the Tahs backline can seem to do no wrong such as Lachlan Turner and Kurtley Beale.
His handling of Tuqiri obviously got a number of senior players off side and now it seems along with Tuqiri and Phil Waugh, George Smith and Matt Giteau have now been singled out for Robbie’s special silent treatment
WHich brings me to my next point. Deans’s handling of the demotion of Matt Giteau from vice captain was nothing short of diabolical. For a very experienced coach, he communciation skills are obviously lacking. how you could remove the vice captaincy from a very experienced and world class player then not have the deceny to notify him prior to the press conference is mind boggling. It wouldn’t be surprising if Giteau heads overseas before the 2011 World Cup and if that occurred Deans would have to take the lions share of the blame. The loss of Giteau would be devastating to the Wallabies.
Rocky Elsom was then appointed captain, another baffling decision. This is the same player that happily headed off overseas 18 months ago chasing cash and continually stalled the ARU in their attempts to resign him earlier this year. Not exactly placing the pride of playing for his country at his no. 1 priority. His form on the paddock has been well short of the form he showed in the Heinekin Cup.
The selections of captain and vice captain are pivotal appointments and set the tone for the rest of the team. The internal rumblings that followed these appointments must have created friction and ill will within the squad.
Sure the Wallabies have some personel issues but coach of Dean’s calibre should be able to get the best out of his players.
Some of the other backline selections are also puzzling. Why does Deans insist on playing Ashley Cooper who has played the majority of his football at wing or fullback, at inside centre and O’Connor who has played the majority of his footy at inside centre, at fullback. I know this move was forced by injury but this combination was exposed defensively by the South Africans in August. In fact Deans seems to like to play anyone EXCEPT a specialist inside centre at inside centre. Normally his preferred option is to play two five eighths. I know some experts like this idea but I don’t think it adds anything in attack, just another player who can kick the cover off the ball. On the down side it means there is one less ball runner in the back line and this can only make it easier for the defending team. Surely one decent five eighth can do the job just fine. Also defensively having two five eighths surely weakens the defense. Bruce Ross’s article posted on this website points out that 1 in 4 tackles are missed by the All Black and Wallaby back lines. Some of the worst offenders are Deans’s back up inside centres of choice such as Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale.
It seems that strong defense is almost a weakness nowadays, which is madness considering that the five eighth and inside centre make the most tackles of any players.
It is no secret that Deans prefers agility and speed to size and strength. It seems to be his belief that skill will overcome strength any day.With all these nimble, attacking backs in the side nowadays, surely this should be paying dividends. But the Wallabies have only scored one (questionable) try in nearly 300 minutes of footy, so there goes that theory. Sides such as South Africa have size across the park and whilst the Wallabies have beaten South Africa once this year, i can’t see it happening on a regular basis.
Yes with defense and try scoring on the wane, there seems to be only one option to win games, kick, kick and kick again. Well at least they are getting plenty of practice in that department.
Deans’s saving grace for the Grand Slam tour is that all games are played between 1am and 4am so he may be able to continue to get away with the current game plan and team selections whilst the Australian public is asleep and sneak back into the country in time for Xmas. It seems that the 2011 World Cup and the end of Deans’s contract can’t come quick enough.
Daniel J said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:22pm | Report comment
take a breather champ
The way it is! said | November 1st 2009 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
Everybodies facination with G Smith are living in the past. Did he not drop the ball 5 metres out from the AB try line blowing yet another promising attacking moment. His error count is just these days too high. Deans should not be our national coach because he is not Australian!!!
Dean Pantio said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:40pm | Report comment
I’m certain I replied to this earlier…
Did Elsom not drop the ball cold with his first touch? Are you going to remove him as well?
fred said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:51pm | Report comment
no deans wants him at first slip
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:21am | Report comment
Correct on the Deans issue. We should have an australian as coach. Deans was a great Super coach BECAUSE of the cattle, good for him.
If the argument about the “professional” era recruitment holds up then ALL positions within the team should be up for any coach, manager, physio, media and PLAYER, best man gets the job regardless of where they ae from. Lets se hoe those DH’s at RUPA like that.
katzilla said | November 1st 2009 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
’2. Do you understand that you are the only coach in 47 years of Rugby in this country to lose to the All Blacks four times in one season?’
How many times have NZ and OZ played each other 4 times in the last 47 years?
A better comparison is how may times have NZ whitewashed OZ in a single year in the last 47 years?
I don’t rate him as a coach but if you look at the cattle he has available its not much.
I think you maybe want Harry Potter as your coach, it’ll definately take magic to win the Bledisloe with your current crop.
tarpo said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:15pm | Report comment
Kat,
unfortunatley Harry Potter is not available as we have him as Prime Minister.
Rusty said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:42am | Report comment
booom! thats gold
mattamkII said | November 1st 2009 @ 2:56pm | Report comment
It never stops amazing me how bitter my fellow Wallabies fans can be. ..give the team some fing time and get behind them.
I live and play rugby outside Australia and the sentiment to the Wallabies is 100x better over here than back home. Everyone say the same thing “you guys have a great team, but they are young. In a couple of years I think you’ll be the best side in the world”
So chill lads…sit back and let it happen.
Dean Pantio said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:44pm | Report comment
Anyone who is looking at the current Wallabies squad and thinking they will metamorphose into the best team in the world is either drunk, new to rugby or more likely, having a lend.
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:29am | Report comment
So whats your drink Techila, Bourbon, Single Malt, Sangria, Rum, Schnapps whatever it is, if it keeps you this chilled stay with it.
I like most Rugby supporters in Aust want/need more from our national team than piss poor performances that unfortunately are no different from game to game. I would lay my money down that every australian contributor to the roar attend the tests if they can and wishes the team success every time they play.
cookee said | November 1st 2009 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
KAT,when a team loses continually by a small margin to the same team only the village idiot or the fool on the hill or deans apologist would suggest its a lack of good cattle as the reason for failure.the rational man would question the team culture and selections/combos and tactics.this has nothing to do with the birthplace of the coach just the worst performance of a wallaby coach for many years.so its not the abattoir that is needed just an air ticket back across the ditch.
Steve said | November 2nd 2009 @ 5:24am | Report comment
Well the All Blacks got whitewashed by the springboks for the first time in a hundred years, but you don’t see them dwelling on it.
The truth is as a South African, who worships the Springboks, I can see the Wallabies side will be the team to beat come 2011. South Africa has hit rock bottom before(2001-2003) but we were able to unearth some stars in that period, which helped us become the greatest springbok side ever(john smit, bakkies botha, victor matfield, de wett barry, marius joubert, skalk burger, juan smith). Players like will genia(Luke Burgess should be sent home), berrick barnes, ben robison,quade cooper and co. What Australia sorely lacks is an enfocer, a thug in the forwards that can win the fight and put the opposition on the back foot…..springboks have 3 of them(Bakkies, Burger, Bismark.)
mother teresa said | November 1st 2009 @ 3:12pm | Report comment
KAT
before we send all the wallaby cattle to the abattoir,please tell me if the farmer is feeding them the right stuff;dont think so
katzilla said | November 1st 2009 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
Well you guys can blame him all you want, I don’t see much in him certainly.
But to put this all in his court is a bit too far.
The reason your losing by such small margins to the same team over and over again is because your just not good enough.
You just don’t have the players. Coaches don’t make the ingredients, they just bake the cake. If your given inferior products then your cake will be of inferior quality. With Rocky Elsoms poor showing who now in your team would make a World 15?
AAC might get a showing on the bench as a Utility. Thats it, no one even comes close.
Yet on the other side of the coin are arguably the worlds 2 best players for their positions and those positions being the two most important on the field.
If you go back merely 10 years and look at the Wallabies line up and who was available, then look at your depth and players now. Seriously who from your team would even make that Wallaby team? Wallaby performances this year withstanding even. Giteau over Larkham? Not in a million years. Hyne and Ioane over Roff and Tune? O’Connor or AAC over Latham?
Not one of your tight five would make it, probably wouldn’t have made the Randwick Starting 15 from 10 years ago.
Elsom and Smith maybe get a look in. Although i’d personally go with the Meat Wagon over Elsom. Palu doesn’t even rate a mention in the hallowed presence of Kefu.
Seriously you don’t have the depth and you don’t have the players.
Deans isn’t much and i agree that his success at the Poosaders was more due to the rugby nursery that is Canterbury and the dearth of talent coming from that area over the last 15 years, but this falls into more baskets then just his.
Deans = Tertiary Coach
Wallabies = Players with Primary level skills and rugby nous.
Maybe the problem is hes over qualified?
mother teresa said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:23pm | Report comment
kat ;deans tertiary coach who is great when blessed with a great catchment of players and takes over a winning team and builds well:not so grand when adapting to a new situation with less competitive edge and has makes similar mistakes as he did in 2003 rwc loss to australia.
therefore his tertiary approach is more the bachelor with hons ;not the masterate or phd and his treatment and consequent performance of wallabies doesnt fit the definition of leadership and clearly only over qualified in delusion.
fred said | November 1st 2009 @ 5:46pm | Report comment
katzilla by denigrating the current wallaby team in comparison to yesterdays wallabies you are logically pointing out that the current all blacks are in a similar category struggling to compare
the guru coach can get average teams to succeed thru motivation and skill not manipulation which clearly hasnt worked.
an average coach gets average results.you decide
Cattledog said | November 1st 2009 @ 8:59pm | Report comment
Don’t think Phil Kearns could make the Randwick starting 15 either! LOL
Sylvester said | November 1st 2009 @ 9:23pm | Report comment
For me, too harsh on Deans to say his success was mainly due to the “rugby nursery” in Canterbury. There’s been as much, if not more, raw talent in the Blues and Canes during those years that has failed to be harnessed.
Talent still needs to be nutured and I think the credit for that should mostly go to Deans and the various coaching teams he’s assembled. The Crusaders have turned out too many class teams with various line-ups for it all to be the result of good players just happening.
Maybe Deans is so used to moulding players, he’s just not sure what to do with those with ingrained habits.
fred said | November 1st 2009 @ 10:08pm | Report comment
SYL,DEANS TOOK OVER a 2yr winning team and canterbury are again in provincial finals currently 2 yrs after deans;perhaps you can have a mental leap here mate.
if deans aint sure what to do with supposed ingrained habits it sure as hell doesnt surprise many of us cos that is totally clear.”the reality is that is the clarity we have experienced and it hasnt dissipated in the medium term”????
Sylvester said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:38pm | Report comment
“DEANS TOOK OVER a 2yr winning team and canterbury are again in provincial finals currently 2 yrs after deans;perhaps you can have a mental leap here mate.”
I’m not sure any mental leap is required.
Taking over a successful team may explain title no.1, although I’d argue a Super title still takes some winning regardless, but what about the titles in say 2006 and 2008 with vastly different teams and players he brought through?
Not sure when you say “provincial finals” whether you’re talking about Canterbury or the Crusaders. If you’re talking about the Crusaders, this season was their first without Deans. They limped into the S14 semis having scored fewer points than they did in the first year of the Super 12, in which they finished last, and then got towelled by the Bulls.
Hammer said | November 2nd 2009 @ 8:33am | Report comment
VERY GOOD KZ!
Now the answer is?