Sevens success creates Delhi headache for Deans

 

By , 22 Mar 2010 Daniel Brettig is a Roar Pro

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Longstanding plans to bolster the Australian sevens team with Wallabies at the Delhi Commonwealth Games may be scaled down or even shelved if the current crop keep progressing at a rapid rate.

Australia’s youthful squad has looked the part in Adelaide this week, so much so that Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is becoming increasingly conscious of not upsetting their rhythm when the squad for Delhi is chosen.

What Deans and sevens coach Michael O’Connor must decide is whether the likes of fringe Wallabies such as Richard Kingi, Luke Morahan or James O’Connor will be more chance of winning Commonwealth Games gold than the agile present group, including 17-year-old Liam Gill and rugby league convert Brackin Karauria-Henry.

“There’s two sides to it, there’s the profile of the game, and it is a one-off opportunity as in once every four years and most players if they’re lucky will only get one crack at it,” Deans said on Sunday.

“It is a juggling act … (15s) blokes can look like fish out of water because it is a distinct difference and there won’t be any tournaments as a lead-up to that.

“So that’ll be one of the critical decisions Mick (O’Connor) will have to make in terms of if, who and how many, in order not to compromise the work these blokes have already done.”

Deans said any 15s player called into the squad had to show a fierce desire to compete in Delhi.

“If they’re in the Wallabies program, ultimately the decision will rest with me whether I release them, and obviously we’ll include the player in that discussion,” he said.

“They’ve got to have a desire, and if they don’t have an interest it won’t benefit anyone.

“There is a possibility that some starters will be of value, but it is more likely that that group who aren’t playing week-to-week in the tri-nations can then start preparing so they’re ready to go when they gather.”

Gill’s efforts in Adelaide have been particularly eye-catching, but Deans stressed the need to usher him into senior rugby in a slow and deliberate manner.

“These blokes are identified and provided with support pretty early on, so (Gill) hasn’t just surfaced now, obviously the public’s become aware of him now, the system’s been working with him for a while,” he said.

“Part of that is ensuring that they are well balanced in their lives and have well balanced outlooks, because if they don’t, they just don’t go the distance.”

© AAP 2012
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