Bad Grand Slam tour? You have to be kidding

 

118 Have your say

Australian Adam Ashleigh Cooper (centre) is tackled by New Zealand's Jimmy Cowan (right) and Ali Williams (left) during the Tri Nations final between the Australian Wallabies and New Zealand All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 28-24. AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Australian Adam Ashleigh Cooper (centre) is tackled by New Zealand's Jimmy Cowan (right) and Ali Williams (left) during the Tri Nations final between the Australian Wallabies and New Zealand All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. The All Blacks beat the Wallabies 28-24. AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Robbie Deans, you are a genius. I find it quite amazing how negative the Australian media can be when it wants to. To even suggest that Robbie Deans’ job was ever on the line after the grand slam tour was bad journalism.

To even suggest that the grand slam tour was a failure in any way is just plain, poor misguided journalism.

Please let’s not forget.

We just missed out on an historic grand slam BY 3 POINTS! (don’t worry Matt, not your fault, it was the media again!).

As I predicted before the Irish game on David Pocock’s column on the Roar website, he is no doubt in my opinion, the future Wallaby captain, assuming he will continue to be a great role model both on and off the field.

The media is so incredibly negative.

They were questioning Robbie Deans’ appointment as coach and all this rubbish about how disappointing we were on tour and through the Tri-Nations … I can’t read it anymore.

May I mention just 3 great highlights of this so-called failure of a tour:

1. Giteau and Cooper combination
It could even work the other way around. Let’s not forget Gits was the no.1 no.12 in the world for 3 years and Quade off both feet is lightening.

Let’s hope the selectors listen to Robbie and have the right players playing in their Wallaby positions for the Super 14 next year. The four states need to work together next year for the Wallabies’ sake and cause. After all, isn’t that why we support rugby at all levels through thick and thin – for the Wallabies?

2. The scrum.
Never been better in 10 years.

3. David Pocock.
The little nugget of gold. It’s been suggested that Pocock and Smith play a half each because it worked so well against Wales. Ridiculous. You don’t have 2 V8’s on the bench for a total of 80 minutes. You use them.

It would be a complete waste of horsepower.

Besides, Pocock needs to get a lot more experience before 2011. Mind you, it wouldn’t be a bad bragging right and psychological ploy having George Smith sitting on your bench.

So there are just 3 highlights from the tour, not to mention Ashley-Coopers’ brilliant form, the long awaited Wallaby test debut by Kurtley Beale, the priceless experience the young blokes like James O’Connor got by touring with their idols and getting valuable test match minutes playing next to them.

“It’s only a game”, we always hear. We all scoff as we know it’s not just a game – it’s the only game – the game they play in heaven for God’s sake.

Don’t read the newspapers or articles about the so-called terrible tour. The newspapers are all show bags.

Robbie Deans is a genius. He has the team just where he wants them.

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