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Bret Harris | October 24, 2009
Article from: The Australian
ROBBIE Deans waved a sword in the air to celebrate the Crusaders' fifth Super rugby title in his nine years as coach when they defeated NSW Waratahs in the final in Christchurch last year.
Some observers in Australian rugby may have mistaken that sword for a magic wand, which Deans would use to conjure up a new golden era for the Wallabies.
Approaching the halfway mark of Deans' tenure as Wallabies coach, the magic does not appear to be working, although like all sorcery, appearances are deceiving.
It has been a turbulent second year for Deans and the Wallabies.
The game's highest-profile player, Lote Tuqiri, was sensationally sacked by the ARU for off-field misconduct; the Wallabies have just experienced their worst Tri-Nations campaign, winning only one of six Tests; there has been speculation star five-eighth Matt Giteau is unhappy amid rumours of a rift between Deans and some senior players; and veteran centre Stirling Mortlock was stripped of the captaincy in a leadership reshuffle.
"There are no magic bullets," Deans said. "There's no doubt about that. There is no panacea, but there are three key components to the game. The physical, mental and technical-tactical.
"The mental side is a big part of it given that knowledge and skills are easily acquired. That's one of the elements we have been waiting on. That belief factor.
"Sometimes all it takes is one act and then the wheels turn and you start to roll. With the profile of the group you see here, I think that will be the case."
Apart from the last eight minutes of the 33-6 loss to the All Blacks in Wellington, the Wallabies were competitive in the Tri-Nations, achieving something New Zealand could not manage, which was a win against the world champion South Africans.
"There's never a lot in it," Deans said. "But clearly the South African side came into the Tri-Nations in better shape off the back of the (British and Irish) Lions series, which they were always going to do.
"There's not actually that much difference between South Africa's program and our program, believe it or not, other than the fact that they are at a point of maturity and belief and experience and often it comes down to some of the disciplines, it comes down to some of the decision-making in critical moments.
"Some of those things you do master in time. South Africa are living proof of that."
Deans is accustomed to winning. How is he coping with the Wallabies' recent lack of success?
"It's the same as any campaign, even a successful campaign," he said. "These challenges are invariably within successful campaigns as well.
"There is only one side that has gone through a Super rugby season unbeaten (the Crusaders in 2002) and even that was hard yards. The majority of the games were within seven points.
"It's never plain sailing. You've got to have the ability to respond to error. You have to have the ability to respond to defeat. Mastering the art of response to your circumstances is the critical skill.
"Sure, we feel it. We're human. We don't enjoy it when we come up short, but the critical thing is to stay on task and make sure we don't go missing when it matters.
"We are not getting over the line now in terms of outcomes, but I've got no doubt we will.
"This period of work will serve us well. We'll look back and say that's what made us. The fact it didn't come easy. We had to work hard at it."
The team has gradually evolved over the past two years.
Of the players in the 22-man squad that played in Deans' first Test in charge of the Wallabies against Ireland in Melbourne in June last year, only 12 survived for the final Tri-Nations game against the All Blacks in Wellington just over a month ago.
Only six of those players -- inside centre Berrick Barnes, five-eighth Giteau, blindside flanker Rocky Elsom, second-rower James Horwill, loosehead prop Benn Robinson and reserve second-rower Dean Mumm -- occupied the same positions.
There is now new leadership with Elsom and Barnes taking over from Mortlock and George Smith and there are seven uncapped players in the 35-man squad for the tour at the end of the month.
"We have a group of players who are learning some really good habits at the point of entry and hopefully will pass the test of time," Deans said. "You don't perform consistently without good habits at this level.
"We are making progress. I guess we've got the benefit of being on the inside and seeing those tangible improvements in terms of conditioning.
"We are also making progress in our skill execution and in our defence. Hopefully, it will be evident in terms of outcomes."
ARU chief executive John O'Neill has assured Deans his job is safe.
Notwithstanding the disappointing results, O'Neill knows Deans is still the best man for the job. "You try not to focus on those possibilities because it is easy to become distracted by that," Deans said. "It inhibits your ability to do the job.
"The critical thing is what you do when we are here and making sure that's what we put all our time and energy into in order to maximise the opportunity that we have.
"Rather than worry about when we are not going to be here, we are better off applying all our time and energy into while we are."
While coaches prefer to focus on the process, rugby is a results-orientated business and Deans is acutely aware the Wallabies need to start winning.
"We want to take the Wallabies back to being successful and successful for me means respected," he said. "Respected for what we do on and off the field.
"We are not going to get any respect if we don't get some wins.
"Tokyo would be a good start. Ultimately, to earn respect in this market we are going to have to prevail over the All Blacks and the Springboks consistently.
"If you look at some of the fixtures this year, the All Blacks have won because of the expectation that they would and that's where we've got to get to."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
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