Robbie Deans 'not a bad coach' - Hansen

[The InnFORCEr]

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has given his struggling rival Robbie Deans some support though admits the Wallabies look out of answers to New Zealand's dominance.

Speaking on LiveSPORT today, Hansen was quizzed over the pressure on Deans across the Tasman that has risen to such an extent that there is talk of him moving down to the Waratahs coaching position in Super Rugby.

Hansen wouldn't be drawn on what might happen to Deans but he did offer some interesting thoughts in the wake of the All Blacks' 22-nil demolition of the Wallabies last Saturday.

Hansen admitted Deans' incredibly gracious remarks over the All Blacks' performance in the aftermath to the test smacked "a wee bit of Robbie covering his backside".

Was Deans feeling the pressure?

"He's bound to be, he's got to be. I think the players are too," Hansen said, adding that he had noted that atmosphere when he mingled with some of them on the pitch after the match had ended, with Australia suffering their first blanking against the All Blacks in 50 years.

"They had the same look in their faces. They were flabbergasted, where do we go next, what do we do next? It's not a great position to be in when you are like that, because if you've got no answers, you can't actually improve."

Hansen acknowledged Deans' credentials as he fights for his job over the remainder of the Rugby Championship. Australia's next test is against the Springboks in Perth on Saturday week.

"Just because Australia aren't winning against us doesn't make Robbie a bad coach. He had a great record with the Crusaders where he obviously had a really good team.

"I've spent a lot of time coaching with him, he's not a bad coach. Any team that gets his services are going to benefit from it.

"They're still the No 2 side in the world. He's copping a lot of flack for losing to us, rather than people looking at the bigger picture."

Hansen said his personal rivalry with Deans was more like a "big brother-little brother type of thing".

"He is coaching the Australians and we all love to beat them. At the end of the day we will have a beer and a yarn and it's not as bad as the media make it out to be."


http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/i...d-coach-Hansen

[GIGS20]

And there's no vested interest in Hansen keeping Robbie in the Wallabies job at all is there?

[jono]

Yes it is Steve! I want te Bledisloe back.
Sick of listening to the bros! It's all they have up on Australia. And do they hammer it...
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[zed]

I don't think he's a bad coach, he has limited resources. This isn't a golden generation of players we have at the moment, compared to say 10 years ago. There is zero depth and very few of the starting XV that could walk into any side in the world. Pocock & Ginea. That's probably it. Cooper & Beale are capable of producing world class performances, but also can play like complete gumbies. We have little potency or adventure in the midfield, McCabe & Faiinga are good solid centres, that's it. They're not steppers or speed merchants, they run & tackle (sometimes). They wouldn't make the England, Welsh South African or French teams. We don't have the players to turn over a team like the All Blacks. It doesn't mean we can't beat them, but we shouldn't, not with the team we have and not with the team they have. Until we actually have a team that contains at least 5 or 6 guys that are world class we shouldn't expect to beat teams like the ABS and we certainly shouldn't start calling for players or coaches to be sacked.

[GIGS20]

Zed, he's been here for four years, isn't there one line on his list of KPIs which relates to growing the players into fire pissing world beaters! not pissweak self-beaters

[sittingbison]

...McCabe & Faiinga are good solid centres, that's it. They're not steppers or speed merchants, they run, pass, tackle...

zed, I think you over egged the pudding with the "pass"

[zed]

Zed, he's been here for four years, isn't there one line on his list of KPIs which relates to growing the players into fire pissing world beaters! not pissweak self-beaters

Yeah maybe you're right. I don't think any other coach would have had much more luck, but it might be time for a new coach, fresh start.

[zed]

zed, I think you over egged the pudding with the "pass"

Sorted

[SinBin]

I don't think he's a bad coach, he has limited resources. This isn't a golden generation of players we have at the moment, compared to say 10 years ago. There is zero depth and very few of the starting XV that could walk into any side in the world. Pocock & Ginea. That's probably it. Cooper & Beale are capable of producing world class performances, but also can play like complete gumbies. We have little potency or adventure in the midfield, McCabe & Faiinga are good solid centres, that's it. They're not steppers or speed merchants, they run & tackle (sometimes). They wouldn't make the England, Welsh South African or French teams. We don't have the players to turn over a team like the All Blacks. It doesn't mean we can't beat them, but we shouldn't, not with the team we have and not with the team they have. Until we actually have a team that contains at least 5 or 6 guys that are world class we shouldn't expect to beat teams like the ABS and we certainly shouldn't start calling for players or coaches to be sacked.

Totally agree. Dean's doesn't have the cattle and judging by the politics Foley had to put up with at the Tahds , I wouldn't mind betting Dean's has the same meddling with team selections etc but times 5. Hansen alluded to the “greater picture” - I wish he'd gone further and mentioned the centralising of the academies, and no third tier national tournament. Having an All Black coach point the finger at the ARU's failings would have been helpful during review time – be it the RUPA review or something with more teeth.

[Alison]

judging by the politics Foley had to put up with at the Tahds , I wouldn't mind betting Dean's has the same meddling with team selections etc but times 5.

I'm convinced that's the case SB!

[GIGS20]

Hard to argue with your point about the greater picture bin. I still would have expected the master coach to have made an impact
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[westies man]

Give him a fair go Robbie Deans has been the best thing ever for my beer fridge

[SinBin]

Hard to argue with your point about the greater picture bin. I still would have expected the master coach to have made an impact
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I totally agree that Dean's tenure here has been pretty shite. But it just doesn't add up given his coaching pedigree. So I did a refresher course on Dingo.

His track record is pretty awesome, even if he did inherit Wayne Smith's original (Canturbury) Crusaders. But he cut his teeth on their provincial side Canturbury first, turning around their fortunes - beating the then powerhouse Auckland for the first time in 14 years. Canterbury under Deans held their Ranfurly Shield for 3 years - 23 successful challenges.

He switched from Crusaders Manager to Coach in 2000 and was at the helm for 8 years. Apart from one year where they finished 10th, he had them in the finals every year, winning 7 Super Titles.

You just don't go from hero to zero without a reason, even if you don't have the talent at your disposal like he had at the Crusaders.

I'm convinced the Wallaby's job is a poison chalice while the current ARU structure exists ie, NSW domination of the ARU, team selection medling etc.. Do you think Link wants the job with the current regime - doubt it.

[shasta]

Sick of listening to the bros! It's all they have up on Australia. And do they hammer it

Haven't you told them your'e a Mungo supporter these days? Just start yelling "Queenslanner" every time they arc up. They'll soon STFU. Along with all the Blues supporters.
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[zed]

It's a bit hard to gauge how good a coach is. When RD was coaching The Crusaders they had a full team of All Blacks plus a couple on the bench. They could have coached themselves really.