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Global coach scramble
By Peter Jenkins
October 03, 2007
THE top two contenders for the Australia coaching job now head a hit-list to take over Wales.
Canterbury Crusaders boss Robbie Deans and current Australian Test assistant Scott Johnson are among the men most wanted by the Welsh Rugby Union after Gareth Jenkins was sacked a day after the country's shock World Cup exit.
Even more disturbing for the Australian Rugby Union is the prospect of losing both Deans and Johnson in a post-tournament global scramble for international coaches.
Speculation persists that if New Zealand fails to win the title, their existing coaching staff will be dumped and Deans approached to take over.
If Wales then succeeded in luring Johnson, the Australian Rugby Union would have its existing shortlist of potential successors to John Connolly reduced to four - David Nucifora, Ewen McKenzie, John Muggleton and Laurie Fisher.
The distracting sideshow to Saturday night's World Cup quarter-final with England in Marseilles emerged after the South Wales Echo named Deans and Johnson as among the frontrunners for the Welsh vacancy - with money no issue in the Welsh Rugby Union's bid "to rescue our national team".
Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones was also mentioned as a likely candidate after Wales failed to qualify for the sudden-death stages following a shock loss to Fiji. But Jones last night said he was not interested in the role.
Connolly will stand down as Australia's coach after this World Cup campaign. A former assistant coach with Wales, Johnson said yesterday: "I haven't even thought about it (the Welsh job).
"At the moment I'm listening to what people say about this game with England rather than worrying about that. That's further down the track."
Courier Mail
"Remember lads, rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Giteau." 
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