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Now it’s only days away from George Smith being officially eligible to play for the Wallabies against the Lions in the long-awaited three-Test series, Robbie Deans must make his presence felt.
Last weekend in Dunedin, Brumbies coach Jake White brokered a deal with Suntory for Smith to extend his stay in Canberra from May 31 until the end of the Super Rugby tournament.
Great news for the Brumbies, the Wallabies, and Smith.
Once that agreement is in contractual form, signed, sealed, and delivered to the ARU, Smith is automatically cleared for selection.
But does Deans want the 32-years-young maestro who has proved in a handful of games for the Brumbies after a three-year break overseas he’s still right up there as a world-class 7?
Deans lack if communication with Smith is hard to fathom. To be fair, the Wallaby coach may well have stayed in the background to not muddy the waters.
Now the waters are crystal clear, Deans must make his thoughts just as clear, if only to George Smith.
Obviously Smith wants to take on the Lions for a second time, an achievement in itself.
Lions tours are an average 10 years apart, this one is 12. I’ve scoured the record books and can’t find a Wallaby who has played in two Lions’ series.
There’s definitely no Wallaby who has played in two winning series against them, Smith having been part of the 2-1 series win in 2001, with Rod Macqueen in the coaching role, and John Eales as captain.
But Deans is the key man this week.
He’ll be at Suncorp on Saturday night for the blockbuster between the Brumbies and Reds, which could well be the clash of the tournament.
There’s no point in speaking to Smith until after that game. But from then on it’s imperative.
To understand Robbie Dean takes some doing.
Most of the Cantabrians I’ve known over the years play their cards close to their chest.
Deans does.
They never get too excited about anything, nor too depressed. Just middle of the road.
Like Deans.
Nothing wrong with that, it’s just different from the Australian way which is more outgoing.
Many Roarers have attacked “Dingo”, as they call him, for his selections and game plans since 2008.
I admit there have been times when selections and game plans have been rather odd, but we’re talking about the most successful Super coach of all time with five championships under his belt.
He knows rugby, it’s been his life, but does he communicate?
I have my doubts. He’s not a prickly bloke, far from it, but he’s hard to get to. Those cards remain very close to his chest.
Sometime this weekend, or early next week, Deans must put those cards on the table, and open up with George Smith who is the easiest bloke on the planet to get on with.
And if Deans hasn’t done it already, do the same with Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale, two more vital cogs in the machinery to beat the Lions.
And both are vastly different characters to George Smith.
Having said that, communication is universal and works for everyone. Just the words are different,
None of us are privy to what happens behind the scenes, but what I’m suggesting is both practical, and important.
That’s what three of the very best Wallaby coaches Rod Macqueen, Alan Jones, and Bobby Dwyer did at international level, and what Ewen McKenzie has been doing at Super level.
It works.