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In response to Spiro Zavos’ summary of the Wallabies test against Ireland, it was gracious and generous of him to interpret Saturday night’s results so favourably to our national team.
However, I doubt that Robbie Deans would ask for such kindness.
There was no particular coaching genius in the fact that we scored two tries. Berrick Barnes against Wales in the World Cup scored a lovely individual try by playing what was “in front of him”.
This is nothing new.
Furthermore, most Australian teams have been capable of scoring two tries a match no matter how we play.
There was no particular coaching genius in bringing Phil Waugh on. As has been the case for over ten years, and probably at least since professionalism in 1995, everyone on the bench gets a run.
Deans did no more than John Connolly and Eddie Jones would have done. And Waugh did no more than he always does. Play his heart out.
So let us not succumb to any denial of the proposition that the “Emperor has no clothes on”. Let’s call a spade a spade.
Deans is an excellent coach. He has had the benefit over the last five years of coaching (and recognising and developing) some very talented players.
But that coaching skill was not responsible for Saturday night’s win. Luck and our defence won the game.
Holding out Ireland for eighteen phases was the result not of Phil Waugh alone but our defensive patterns, for which we can thank John Muggleton not Robbie Deans.
There is much hard work ahead. And there are difficult selection decisions to be made. It is the outcome of these decisions to be made by Deans which will shape his tenure as Australian coach.
For there is one thing that is painfully obvious, our terrible field position and possession ratio were the product of a woeful forward pack and, in particular, the tight five.
Five years after the 2003 World Cup, Dunning and Baxter are still our first choices. I will not criticise their effort and desire. But? And Robinson?
The evidence was there for all to see at scrum time. We did have one maybe two good scrums, but on the whole our scrumming was, as usual, woeful.
And why was it that Luke Burgess seemed to have so much close contact with his fellow Irish cousins. Has a halfback been scragged so much around the ruck and maul? Where was the commitment to the breakdown and the clean out? Absent.
If you know that what you have is not good enough (Baxter), then you need to bite the bullet.
I have no idea for example if Ben Alexander can scrum better than Dunning, Baxter, Holmes, Shepherdson, Henderson, and company.
But I do know that I would find out, because I have nothing to lose.
This will be Robbie Deans’ test.
And until he passes that test, let us not ascribe to him any mystical qualities for the performance of everyday events. He would not ask for it.
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Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.