Tim Sheens is bringing his vast experience to bear by easing pressure on rookie players as he faces the sternest examination of his six-year, 18-Test tenure as Australian rugby league team coach.
If the Kangaroos lose their Four Nations clash with England at AAMI Park clash on Sunday, Australia will likely miss the final of a major tournament for the first in 60 years – since the 1954 World Cup.
Forced to select 11 rookies in his injury-hit squad, Sheens can fortunately call upon a reservoir of over 31 years of coaching knowledge to prepare the new-look Kangaroos in the wake of the confidence-shaking, opening 30-12 loss to New Zealand.
It’s often suggested, a little unfairly, that coaching the Kangaroos is an easy job because they’ve got most of the game’s best players and rarely lose.
That’s hardly the case now.
If the Kangaroos go on to win the Four Nations title it would have to rank, as a coaching achievement, higher than winning the World Cup last year.
Sheens is keenly aware of the pressure his players are under.
“It is a must-win game, but in saying that we can’t be worried about what might happen if we don’t,” Sheen said on Thursday.
“What you do in these circumstances is relieve the pressure on the guys. You just worry about the processes and the game.
“You have start the game strong, do your job. Tactically we know what we want to do, it’s execution and the energy to do it, that is what we are looking for.
“Morale in the place is good. We need to get away to a good start, that would be handy just for the morale of the side, an up tempo start to the game on both sides is very, very important.”
The four-time premiership winning coach is confident fans will seek a return to a more slick, sleek Kangaroos on Sunday.
“It is the second week of the tournament and we will be a lot better than we were last week,” he said.
Sheens said his team had been their “own worst enemy” against the Kiwis with repeated turnovers, often early in the tackle count.
The Kiwis also grew in confidence with every surging run as the Kangaroos struggled to contain their big men.
While much is made of his team’s relative inexperience without regular stars including Billy Slater, Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott and Paul Gallen, Sheens has turned up the heat on his remaining seasoned Test players – who include the likes of skipper Cameron Smith, Sam Thaiday and Greg Bird.
“We have young combinations but our set up where there is plenty of experience, they didn’t stand up and they know that,” Sheens said.
“There is some questions to be put to them that we have done all week, they have to really stand up against the English pack.”
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